information for disabled and dyslexic - university of …/file/... · · 2014-02-06the equality...

InformationFor DisabledAnd DyslexicStudents.Please contact our service if you

require this guide in large print,Braille or electronic/audio format.

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1. What is the Disability and DyslexiaSupport Service?

2. How to contact us

3. Applying to the University andaccessing your support

a. Making your applicationb. Attending an open dayc. After you have been made an offerd. Providing evidence of your disabilitye. Setting up support after you have

arrived at University

4. What support is available?a. Disability advisersb. Mental health advisersc. Support Worker Serviced. Loan equipmente. Learning and teaching supportf. Exams and assessmentsg. Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA)h. Support for international disabled

studentsi. Disability Liaison Officers

5. Other informationa. Getting to/from the Universityb. Securing Personal Care Support

6. Other University servicesAccommodation and Commercial Services University Health Service University Counselling ServiceEnglish Language Teaching CentreStudent Services Information Desk (SSID)and the Student Advice CentreLibrary ServicesCareers Service

The DDSS is a friendlyand confidential servicemade up of a team ofdisability advisers,support workers andclerical staff. Weprovide support andadvice to disabledstudents who areregistered at theUniversity of Sheffieldwith the aim of enablingthem to access theirstudies and performacademically to the bestof their abilities. Wealso offer advice toprospective studentsand applicants withdisabilities.

How we define disabilityThe Equality Act 2010 defines a disabled personas someone who ‘has a physical or mentalimpairment which has a substantial and longterm adverse effect on his/her ability to carryout normal day-to-day activities.’ In aneducational setting ‘normal day-to-day activities’are taken to include everything from readingand writing to attending taught sessions.Therefore, for the purposes of our service (andwithin this handbook) the term ‘disability’ refersto any impairment that has lasted or is likely tolast for more than 12 months and which has asignificant and sustained impact upon anindividual’s ability to access and perform on anacademic course.

Any student with an impairment which fallswithin this definition is eligible for support, andindividuals with a huge variety of respectivedisabilities (from specific learning difficultiesand sensory impairments to medical conditionsand mental health difficulties) access ourservice. If you have any queries about whetheryou will qualify for support please contact us.

This booklet aims to give you an idea of the supportavailable for disabled students at the Universityand how to go about accessingit. However, it is not anexhaustive guide. If you haveany other disability-relatedquestions about studying heredo get in touch and we will be happy to provide additionalinformation and advice.

➊WHAt iS tHe DiSAbility AnD DySlexiA SUppOrt Service (DDSS)?

Information for disabled and dyslexic students — 1

Any quotes contained withinspeech bubbles (like this) insection 4 of this bookletcome directly from disabledstudents who have accesseddisability support duringtheir time at the University.

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General enquiries regarding disability support can be made via the reception desk.

Telephone:+44 (0)114 22 21303

Email:[email protected]

Fax:+44 (0)114 22 21373

Our opening hours are outlined on our website:www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/disability

2 — Information for disabled and dyslexic students

FirthCourt

OctagonCentre

Students’Union

ArtsTower

Alfred DennyBuilding

UniversityHouse

Glossop Road

Upper Hanover StreetNetherthorpe Road

Leavygreave Road

Hounsfield Road

Durham Road

Clarkson Street

Western Bank

The Disability and Dyslexia Support Service

University of SheffieldTram Stop

Postal Address: The Disability and Dyslexia Support ServiceThe Hillsborough Centre, The University of SheffieldAlfred Denny Building, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TNUnited Kingdom

We aim to be in contact with disabledstudents from the point of applicationonwards. Both the University and theUCAS application forms ask students toindicate whether they have a disabilityand it is helpful to let us know at thisstage so that we can offer timely adviceon the facilities and services available fordisabled students at the University. Thiswill mean that you are well-equipped todecide whether the support that we canoffer will suit you.

In line with the University’s AdmissionsPolicy any applications from disabledstudents are considered on an individualbasis and assessed against the sameacademic criteria as all other applicants.No presumptions will be made about anindividual’s disability and how it mayimpact upon his/her performance on achosen course.

DisclosureWhilst it is not essential for you todisclose your disability at the point ofapplication - or at any stage during yourtime at university - we believe that doingso is a positive step.

Disclosing information about yourdisability and support requirements willenable us to both provide you withdetails of what our service can offer youand ensure that appropriate support isput in place when you arrive. Anythingyou tell us about your disability will be

dealt with sensitively and confidentially,and you can choose to either not discloseto other University departments or tolimit the information which is passed tothem. However, in order for our serviceto facilitate some types of adjustmentbeing made for you during your time atUniversity (such as alternative examarrangements) we will need to liaise withother staff/departments within theinstitution. We will ask for your consentto do this, and it is important to note thatnot permitting us to share your disabilityinformation may limit the amount ofsupport that you can be offered.

Please do contact our service if youwould like further information on ourdisclosure and confidentiality policy or ifyou have any questions regarding it.

➌Applying tO tHe UniverSity AnD AcceSSing yOUr SUppOrt

➋HOW tO cOntAct US

➌aMaking yourapplication

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If you are offered a place at the Universityand have disclosed a disability on yourapplication form you will receive a welcomeletter from our service. This will ask you tofill in an online Registration Form, whichasks you to outline your likely academicsupport requirements. Please make surethat you complete the Registration Form asearly (and in as much depth) as possible sothat before your course begins we have aclear idea of the support you may need.

At this stage, any student who has beenoffered a conditional place on a coursewhich is overseen by a professional bodywith its own fitness to practice criteria willbe expected to complete an OccupationalHealth Questionnaire. This is intended togather information on whether any healthproblem or disability is likely to impact uponan individual’s capacity to train or practiseas a professional in his/her chosen field, andif so how. Most importantly, thequestionnaire also aims to ascertain how an

individual can best be supported whilst s/heundertakes the course.

If you have any disability-related queries atthis stage you can also contact our servicedirectly.

To start the process of accessing supportyou will need to provide our service with documentary evidence of your disability. You can send this through to us at any point after you have received an offer from the University. Below is information on what we willrequire from you as evidence, dependingupon your disability.

Students with Specific LearningDifficultiesYou need to provide us with a post-16 diagnostic report produced by either an Educational Psychologist or a teacher who has 'Approved Teacher Status' awarded by either


➌Applying to the Universityand accessing your support

If you are applying to the University andhave a disability it is particularlyimportant that you attend an open day asthis provides an ideal opportunity to goon a tour of the campus (includingaccommodation), visit your chosendepartment, discuss your course andassess the facilities and support available. It is also important to note that theUniversity of Sheffield’s buildings arespread out over relatively hilly terrain.Visiting the institution on an open daycan be useful as it provides anopportunity for you to ascertain whetherthe layout of the University and thegeography of the city in general will suityou – a key consideration for studentswith disabilities which result in impairedmobility.

If you decide to attend an open day, pleaseinform your chosen department well inadvance of any disability support you arelikely to require both when you visit andthroughout your time on your chosencourse. This will help them to ensure thatyour visit goes smoothly, and that wherepossible any disability-relatedrequirements that you have are met.

You can find information about upcomingopen days by visiting:www.sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/opendays It is often also useful to arrange for ameeting with a member of staff from ourservice to take place on the same day asyour open day visit. This provides an idealopportunity for one of our disabilityadvisers to discuss your individual supportrequirements with you, and for you to askany questions which you may have aboutthe support available. To arrange anappointment please contact our service asfar in advance as possible and we will try toschedule one.

➌bAttending an open day

➌cAfter youhave been made anoffer

➌dprovidingevidence of yourdisability

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➍a. Disability advisersThe team of disability advisersworking in the DDSS have a greatdeal of knowledge and experienceof supporting disabled students atuniversity level.

Your disability adviser can supportyou in many different ways duringyour time at University, fromarranging support workers andensuring that alternative examadjustments are made whererequired to liaising with youracademic department and otherservices in order to ensure that youreceive support to enable you tofully engage with your studies.Some students may meet with anadviser only a few times duringtheir time at University, whilstothers may find that regularlycatching up helps them to feel incontrol and supported. The serviceis flexible enough to allow for a widerange of different requirements.


the British Dyslexia Association or PATOSS (the Professional Association of Teachers of Students with SpecificLearning Difficulties).

The PATOSS website provides extensiveinformation on what constitutesappropriate evidence of SpLD in order for students to qualify for disability support at university level.www.patoss-dyslexia.org/SupportAdvice/DisabledStudentAllowances/

If you arrive at University without this documentation but have somewritten evidence from (e.g.) a specialist teacher which indicates that you have a specific learningdifficulty then we will generally make support recommendations to ensure that you are notdisadvantaged. However, theseadjustments will usually only be in place for an ‘interim’ period of onesemester, after which you will generally be required to provide more extensive evidence in order forsupport to continue.

If you are unsure whether your evidenceis suitable or needs to be updatedplease contact our service and we willadvise. It is best to ensure that you havehad the appropriate diagnostic testsbefore your arrival at University, as youcan then apply for Disabled Students’Allowances (see section ➍g) in advanceand we can ensure that all the supportyou require is in place from early on inyour course. However, if after you haveregistered at the University you do nothave the evidence required to accessour support or apply for DisabledStudents’ Allowances (DSA) then we canrefer you for a comprehensivediagnostic assessment which we willcontribute towards the cost of.

Students with other disabilitiesEvidence is usually in the form of an up-to-date GP or consultant’s letter, ideally withinformation detailing:

• how your disability is likely to impact uponyour ability to study

• any treatment/support you are currentlyreceiving or have received

• information about the side-effects of anymedication you are taking

It is important to note that academicdisability support which has beenidentified as suitable for you during theapplication process will not be put inplace automatically after you haveregistered to study at the University.As well as providing us with evidence of yourdisability (if you have not already done so bythis point), upon arrival you should arrangeto meet with a disability adviser in order todiscuss your support requirements. Wherepossible, we encourage you to make anappointment to meet one of our advisers inperson, but discussions can also be heldover the phone or by email. It is crucial thatyou contact us as soon as possible afteryour arrival at the University to ensure thatwe have plenty of time to meet with you andput any required support in place.

If you have a disability but have not disclosedit on your application form – or if youdevelop a disability whilst you are studying –you should contact our service in order tobegin the process of accessing support.

➍WHAt SUppOrt iS AvAilAble?

➌eSetting upsupport after you have arrivedat University

➌Applying to the Universityand accessing support

‘Accessing the DDSS will notset you apart from yourpeers or diminish yourindependence; it willenhance it, because theservice works for eachstudent on an individualbasis and will only getinvolved if you request it.’


Information for disabled and dyslexic students — 98 — Information for disabled and dyslexic students

➍b. Mental health advisersIf you are struggling with yourmental health at University, themental health advisers canprovide a confidential andsupportive place to discuss howyour mental health difficulties areimpacting on your studies andUniversity life. This might involvehelping you to assess your mentalhealth and wellbeing and monitorchanges in your mental health. Itcould also involve helping you toidentify and reduce triggers thatinduce stress and workingtogether to focus on solutions.The mental health advisers cansupport you at times of crisis andenable you to develop copingstrategies. Signposting to othersupport services within andoutside of the University andliaison with University servicesand departments to facilitatesupport is also part of this role. Ifyou have taken a leave of absencebecause of mental healthdifficulties, the mental healthadvisers can offer you support tomanage the return to University.

➍What support is available?

‘I felt that the service wassupportive and non-judgmental which is exactlywhat you need whenworried about disclosingmental health issues.’

booking anappointmentBoth the disabilityadvisers and themental healthadvisers work with an appointmentsystem. You canbook a meeting with an advisereither by poppinginto our reception or by phoning us on0114 22 21303.



➍c. Support Worker ServiceOur Support Worker Service has a pool of skilled workers dedicated to assisting disabled students in accessing their studies at the University.

Below is an outline of the main roleswhich support workers undertake. Your disability adviser will be happy to discuss the different options availableand whether particular kinds of support are likely to meet your individual requirements.• Note-takers attend and make notes in

students’ taught sessions to ensure thatthey have an accurate record of what iscovered.

• Readers read and make audiorecordings of course material forstudents, enabling them to accesswritten resources in a preferredformat.

• Library support workers providesupport to students with accessinglibrary resources. They can take outlibrary materials and undertakephotocopying, scanning and printing atthe student’s request.

• Personal assistants provide individualstudy-related support for disabledstudents which can include mobilitysupport around campus (includingguiding), and practical assignmentsupport.

• Induction support workers areprimarily intended for students withAsperger syndrome. These support workers help to familiarise newstudents with the University campusand increase their confidence in a new environment.

• Support and guidance mentors offersupport which is individually tailored tostudents’ requirements. Mentorsprovide advice and assistance in one-to-one sessions to help students towork in an organised and effectivemanner to minimise the impact of adisability on their studies.

• Proof-readers read through students’academic work prior to submission andprovide comment on areas forimprovement.

• Exam support workers work withstudents in formal exams and can takeon a number of roles including scribing,reading and acting as an exam prompt.

• Study skills tutors aim to increase astudent’s competence in learningindependently through developing theskills needed to cope with studydifficulties. For students with specificlearning difficulties these sessions areprovided by specialist staff working inthe University’s English LanguageTeaching Centre (ELTC), althoughreferrals for this support are made byour service.

‘My mentor was particularlyinvaluable when I had abreakdown, and helped meget major extensions on mywork. Thanks to her, I wasable to talk to mydepartment so they couldgive me the extra time Ineeded, and now I'm set tograduate on time.’

‘The SpLD support tutorialshave been very useful. I findorganising my ideas inessays very difficult andworking through them withsomeone has made me feelmore confident about myacademic writing.’



➍e. learning and teaching supportThe University strives to ensurethat all aspects of learning andteaching are inclusive andaccessible. MOLE (‘My OnlineLearning Environment’) providesa prime example of this approach.Through MOLE all students at theUniversity are given 24/7 accessto course information andprintable notes/handouts via theinternet. This electronic resourcealso enables students to view andproduce materials in their choiceof formats.

All University IT centres have anumber of computers with largescreens, and there are also anumber of computers in Universityopen access areas with assistivesoftware such as Zoomtext andJaws. Texthelp Read & Write andInspiration are also available on allUniversity managed computers.

The University also hasa dedicated student skills anddevelopment centre which offers a range of resources.These include maths/statisticssupport and assistance aimed atenhancing students’ academic

learning/writing skills, as well asworkshops and skills developmentevents.

Our service works closely withacademic departments to see thatthe specific support needs ofindividual disabled students aremet. Once you are registered as astudent and have met with adisability adviser a number ofsupport adjustments may berecommended for you on yourchosen course – often informed bysuggestions made in a DisabledStudents’ Allowances needsassessment (see section ➍g formore information).

Usually your disability adviser willcommunicate your individualsupport needs to your department,but where possible it is also usefulfor you to discuss these with amember of the academic staff.Ideally this should be either yourpersonal tutor or yourdepartmental Disability LiaisonOfficer (DLO) – the member of staff who we will generallycontact regarding your academicsupport requirements. Moredetails of the DLO role can befound in section ➍i.


➍d. loan equipment Students who apply for DisabledStudents’ Allowances (‘DSA’ - seesection ➍g) are often providedwith an individually-tailoredequipment and software package.Our service also has a small bankof equipment (including itemssuch as laptops and digitalrecorders) which can be loanedto students for short-termperiods. Equipment is loaned tostudents who are either noteligible for DSA or are in theprocess of applying for it.


‘I was provided withequipment which has easedthe pressure and increasedthe quality of my work.’



Please be assured thatarticulating support adjustmentsto a department does notnecessarily require us to discloseinformation about your disability.

Examples of support andadjustments include:

• Ensuring that teachingenvironments are accessible,e.g. adequate lighting, access topower sockets for laptops, andwheelchair space.

• The provision of specialistequipment such as ergonomicchairs, height adjustable desksand portable induction loops.

• Conversion of teachingmaterials into large print, E-Textor Braille.

• Permitting the use of digitalrecorders in taught sessions soas to ensure that you are able toconcentrate on participatingand developing your note-takingskills.

• Support workers (e.g. note-takers, library support workersand support and guidancementors) to assist you with youracademic studies.

• Liaison with your department’splacement coordinator in orderto ensure that supportrecommendations arecommunicated to yourplacement provider.

• Negotiation of alternative formsof assessment, depending uponindividual support.

requirements/circumstance. ➍f. exams and assessmentsThe University works to ensurethat exams and assessments areaccessible for all students.Academic departments generallyuse a range of assessmentmethods (e.g. coursework, examsand presentations) in order totake account of the differentlearning styles of students, andfeedback is given on all formalassignments undertaken bystudents in order to assist themin developing their academicskills and abilities.

Adjustments to examsExams are the types ofassessment which mostfrequently require alteration.There are a wide range ofadjustments which can be made

to these for disabled students,from the provision of extra timeand use of a computer to thearranging of alternative examlocations and production oflanguage-modified assessmentpapers. These kinds ofadjustments are arranged on anindividual basis after a studenthas met with a disability adviserto discuss his/her support needs.

Adjustments to assessments Departments will always considerrequests for adjustments toassessments in cases where astudent feels that the standardassessment method may unfairlydisadvantage him/her as a resultof a disability. In the firstappointment you have with yourdisability adviser you will discuss


‘The greatest support theDDSS has provided me withduring my studies isadvocacy. Understandingand well-informed staffhave listened to myconcerns and haveconsequently had dialoguewith my department, otherUniversity services andexternal agencies on mybehalf to achieve asuccessful outcome.’



the types of assessment you are likely toundertake on your course. After this (ifnecessary) we will work with you andyour department to both identify anyassessments which might be difficult foryou to complete due to your disabilityand agree adjustments to these toensure that you are not disadvantaged.

Adjustments are made on an individualbasis and are tailored to fit a student’sparticular support requirements. Insome cases the adjustments made maybe minor (allowing a student extra timeto deliver a presentation, for example),whereas in other cases they may bemore significant (e.g. creating asubstitute non-oral assessment for astudent so that s/he does not have todeliver a presentation).

Accessible Assessment SchemeStudents with written communicationdifficulties (generally either specificlearning difficulties, hearing impairmentsor Asperger syndrome) can opt into theaccessible assessment scheme, wherebythey will be provided with a set ofstickers which can be affixed to eachpiece of written assessed work theysubmit. Stickers can be used on bothelectronically and paper-submittedcoursework as well as on exam answerpapers.

Using a sticker does not mean that yourassignments will be marked moregenerously - its purpose is to let markersknow that the work in front of them wasproduced by a student with writtencommunication difficulties, so that theycan ensure that the feedback theyprovide is as constructive as possible. If you think you are eligible for thesticker scheme and wish to opt in youshould discuss this with your disabilityadviser.


➍g. Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA)

1. What is DSA for?DSA helps to pay for extra study-related costs that you may incur as adirect result of your disability.

DSA can help with the cost of:

• support workers such as note-takers and mentors (as discussedin section ➍c)

• items of specialist equipment (e.g.computers and assistive software)

• travel between youraccommodation and Universitypremises

• other academic expenses such asphotocopying and printing.

2. Am I eligible to apply for DSA?DSA is non-means tested. You canapply for it if you are:• A UK student • An EU student who has been

living in the UK for the three years

immediately before the start ofyour course

• An international student with eithersettled status or indefinite leave toremain in the UK.

In addition to falling into one of theabove categories, you also need to bedoing an undergraduate orpostgraduate course (including adistance-learning course) that is either:• full-time and lasts at least

one year• part-time, lasts at least a year and

doesn’t take more than four times aslong to complete as an equivalent full-time course.

*If you do not think you are eligible forDSA please refer to question 9 in thissection.

3. When should I apply for DSA?You can apply at any stage of yourcourse, but as the process can takeseveral months to complete it is bestto get started as soon as possible. Asyour support needs are likely to besimilar whichever university you goto, you can apply for DSA before youhave a confirmed place at any


‘The DDSS helped methrough liaising with mydepartment concerning theprovision of clinicalplacements – which I mustundertake on my course andwhich are formally assessed.Through constantnegotiation with DDSS andclinical tutors mydepartment agreed to let meundertake block placementson a part-time basis, whichmade them moremanageable for me. Mydepartment also ensuredthat the placements werelocal and physicallyaccessible for me.’

‘The DDSS helped methrough liaising with mydepartment concerning the provision of clinicalplacements – which I mustundertake on my course and which are formallyassessed. Through constantnegotiation with DDSS and clinical tutors mydepartment agreed to let me undertake blockplacements on a part-timebasis, which made themmore manageable for me.My department alsoensured that theplacements were local and physically accessiblefor me.’



• Postgraduate students who are fundedby a particular Research Council needto apply to this organisation for DSA. Ifyou are likely to be funded in this wayplease contact us so that we can offerspecific application advice/assistance.

5. What evidence do I need to providewith my application?

Students with specific learningdifficulties As outlined in section ➌d, in order toapply for DSA your diagnostic evidencemust be in the form of a post-16 reportfrom either an appropriately trainedEducational Psychologist or from ateacher who has 'Approved TeacherStatus' awarded by either the BritishDyslexia Association or PATOSS (theProfessional Association of Teachers ofStudents with Specific LearningDifficulties).

The PATOSS website provides extensiveinformation on what constitutesacceptable evidence of SpLD in order forstudents to qualify for DSA.www.patoss-dyslexia.org/

SupportAdvice/DisabledStudentAllowances

Students with other disabilitiesAn up-to-date GP or consultant’s letter,ideally with information detailing howyour disability is likely to impact uponyour ability to study.

6. What happens after I’ve applied?Your funding body will write to you givingpermission for you to go for a studyneeds assessment, where you will meetwith a qualified assessor to informallyand confidentially talk about your studyneeds in relation to your course. There are assessment centres aroundthe country, and you can consult theDSA-QAG website in order to locate theone nearest to you.www.dsa-qag.org.uk

7. What happens after my needsassessment?Based on the support requirementsidentified at your needs assessment, theneeds assessor will write a reportdetailing the equipment and support youare likely to require during your time at


institution. Applying early willmaximise the chances of supportbeing in place from the outset ofyour course.

4. To whom do I apply for DSA, and how?You apply to your funding body - theorganisation which provides youwith a student loan, bursary orscholarship to pay for some or all ofthe costs associated with yourstudies. Even if you are not in receiptof this kind of funding (and do notintend to apply for any) you can stillapply for DSA; in such cases yousimply apply to the organisation thatyou would be eligible to receivefunding from.

• Depending upon his/her homeaddress, a new undergraduatestudent will usually apply toeither Student Finance England,Student Finance Wales, StudentFinance Northern Ireland or theStudent Awards Agency forScotland for DSA, as will apostgraduate student not in

receipt of any Research Councilfunding for his/her course ofstudy.

To apply for DSA students withinthese categories simply fill out aDSA application form and send itto the relevant funding bodywith the appropriate evidence. The forms are available from theDirectgov web-page:https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas

• Students who are eligible for NHSfunding for their courses(postgraduate Social Workstudents, for example) apply forDSA through the NHS Grants Unit.The process of applying is thesame as the one outlined in thissection, but is done using an NHS-specific DSA application form.This (along with other informationon how to apply) is available fromthe NHS bursaries website:www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students.aspx

‘Through the DDSS’s support I have been awarded DisabledStudents’ Allowances, which have provided me withequipment to aid my studies and to allow me to workeffectively from home despite my limited income. I was alsoawarded the assistance of a University mentor to aid me indeveloping skill sets required for University study. She hasliaised at points with my lecturing and support staff toensure everyone is aware of my limitations and specialrequirements.’



confirmation letter in advance ofyour arrival at University it ishelpful if you send a copy of thisto our service as soon aspossible. This enables us to beginmaking arrangements to ensureyou are supported from the outsetof your course (or before it beginsin some cases), although you willstill need to come in and meet withan adviser upon arrival in order forsupport to be put in place.

9. I’m not eligible to apply forDSA: what should I do?Generally funding is available toensure that disabled students whocannot apply for DSA aresupported and can fully engagewith their studies.

As soon as you have a fullyconfirmed place at the Universitycontact our service, outlining thenature of your disability and itslikely impact on your studies. Anadviser will then contact you inorder to begin assessing theacademic support you may require.

More information on the support available for internationalstudents can be found in sections➍h and ➎b.


university in order to ensure thatyou are not disadvantaged byyour disability. Copies of thisdocument will be sent to you,your funding body and also (withyour permission) to the disabilityadviser at the university you arelikely to be attending. Yourfunding body will consider therecommendations in the reportand will write to you confirmingwhat they are willing to pay for.

8. When and how do I get thesupport recommended in myneeds assessment report?

EquipmentThe funding confirmation letterthat you receive from yourfunding body will outline how togo about ordering equipment.This letter is important as itprovides evidence that yourfunding body has agreed to payfor your support, and you may beasked to show it to equipmentsuppliers before they will deliverequipment to you. Generallystudents are not allowed to

arrange for their equipment to bedelivered until after they haveformally registered at university.However, in some cases(generally where the equipmentwhich is to be provided will take alot of getting used to, or where astudent will require support inthe run-up to the start of theyear), specialist equipment andsupport can be provided beforethe start of a course. The letterwill indicate whether this ispossible in your case.

Non-medical help and othersupportWhen you arrive at the Universityit is important that you make anappointment to meet with one ofour disability advisers as soon aspossible so that they can talk toyou about the support which youhave been recommended andarrange for it to be put in place.Be sure to bring a copy of bothyour needs assessment reportand your funding body approvalletter to this meeting.If you receive your funding


‘The DDSS helped methrough liaising with mydepartment concerning theprovision of clinicalplacements – which I mustundertake on my course andwhich are formally assessed.Through constantnegotiation with DDSS andclinical tutors mydepartment agreed to let meundertake block placementson a part-time basis, whichmade them moremanageable for me. Mydepartment also ensuredthat the placements werelocal and physicallyaccessible for me.’

‘As well as providing me withfunding to cover some ofthe cost of printing lecturehandouts, my DSA paid forvoice recognition software(which helps me tocomplete essays) and alsocovers some of the cost oftaxis to and fromUniversity.’



Applying fOr DiSAbleD StUDentS’ AllOWAnceS

➊Ascertain who yourfunding body is and get a copy of the relevant DSAapplication form

➋Obtain evidence of your disability

➍Send to your funding body

➎your funding body will approve yourapplication and write to you confirming thatyou can go for a needsassessment

➏contact your localassessment centre toarrange your needsassessment. if you wishto have your needsassessment in Sheffield,bring the funding bodyletter to our receptiondesk and we will helpyou to arrange this

➒your funding body willsend you a letter thatconfirms what it is willingto fund from thesupport/equipment/allowances recommendedwithin the report

➓you make an appointmentwith your disabilityadviser and bring thefunding body letter withyou so that we can helpyou to put in place anysupport for which youhave been approvedfunding

➐Attend your needs assessmentappointment

➑the needs assessor youmeet at this appointmentwill produce a needsassessment report andwill send copies of it to:

your disability adviser

yourfundingbody

➌complete an applicationform

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➍i. Disability liaison OfficersWe have a network of DisabilityLiaison Officers (DLOs) who areresponsible for helping to ensurethat disabled students aresupported.

There is a DLO based within eachacademic department at theUniversity. Our service liaiseswith DLOs to specify the supportrequirements of individualstudents within theirdepartments. One of the key

roles of the DLO is tocommunicate this information to the academic staff who will beworking with the student. YourDLO should usually be your firstacademic point of contact fordisability issues or concernswhich relate to your course. More information about the roleof DLOs and a list ofdepartmental contacts can befound at: www.shef.ac.uk/ssd/ddss/staff/dlo


➍h. Support for internationaldisabled studentsAs an overseas student you arenot eligible for Disabled Students’Allowances (DSA). However, thereis potentially a lot of supportavailable through our service toensure that you are notdisadvantaged during yourstudies as a result of a disability.

We appreciate that it may bedifficult for you to visit theUniversity in advance in order toascertain exactly what academicsupport you will need. However, itis very helpful if you provide uswith as much information aspossible about your disabilitybefore you arrive in Sheffield.This way we can begin to discussyour requirements with you andcan then make plans to ensurethat support is in place from theoutset of your course. As soon asyou arrive at the University youshould make an appointment tosee a disability adviser.

Please note that the University isunable to fund any individualpersonal care support, such asassistance with cooking, cleaningor shopping.

➍

What support is available?

‘Before coming to Sheffield as an Erasmusstudent, I was a bit scaredabout studying on my own in a big city withunfamiliar faces and a foreign language.Fortunately, a few calls from my disabilityadviser helped me to feel reassured.’



➎b. Securing Personal CareSupport

UK students If you will need assistance during your time at universitywith aspects of personal care(e.g. cooking, shopping ortoileting) this is normallyarranged through Social Services. Arranging personal care support can take a very long time; as soon as you havechosen which university you willbe going to you should contactyour local Social Services todiscuss your personal carerequirements. The charityDisability Rights UK have

produced a set of fact sheetsabout personal care for studentsat university. To view these visit:

www.disabilityrightsuk.org/personal-care-university#one

International Students As an overseas student you will notbe eligible for personal caresupport through Social Services,and the University is unable to fundthis kind of assistance. Therefore,if you are likely to require anypersonal care support you need toensure well in advance of arrivalthat you have sufficient funding tocover the cost of this. It is alsoimportant that you provide ourservice with as much informationas possible about your disability sothat we can assist you inestablishing exactly what supportyou are likely to require.


➎a. Getting to/from theUniversity

Public Transport and theSheffield Mobility PassThe University is served by a large number of bus servicesand also has its own Supertramstop – connecting it with the trainstation and city centre as well as to numerous other parts of Sheffield.

All Supertram stops/trams are accessible for people who have mobility impairmentsand/or are wheelchair users.

More information about local transport links can be found on the Travel SouthYorkshire website:

www.travelsouthyorkshire.com

Some disabled students may beentitled to a mobility pass or a mental health bus pass,meaning that they can travel at aconcessionary rate or sometimesfor free. For further information ontravel passes and parking permitsvisit:

https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/caresupport/adult/support-available/travel-pass.html

Car Parking Facilities

Parking around most academicdepartments and on otherUniversity property (includingstudent accommodation) isrestricted to permit holders only.

Disabled students will be issuedwith University disabled parkingpermits free of charge if they areholders of a disabled person’s bluebadge. Information on how to applyfor a blue badge can be found at theSheffield government web-addressgiven in the section regarding publictransport.

Once you are formally registered onyour course of study, you can applyonline for University parkingpermits.

Estates and FacilitiesManagement HelpdeskTelephone: +44 (0)114 22 29000

Email:[email protected]

➎OtHerinfOrMAtiOn



Student Services InformationDesk (SSID) and the StudentAdvice CentreSSID is a one-stop informationservice which deals withenquiries covering all aspects ofstudent life, whilst the StudentAdvice Centre provides free,professional and confidentialadvice, information and advocacyfor students on a wide range ofissues.

www.shef.ac.uk/union/advice

Library ServicesThe Library aims to ensure thatall of its resources are accessibleto all students, and Library staffcan assist disabled students innumerous ways to achieve this.

www.sheffield.ac.uk/library/services/addsupport.html

Email: [email protected]: +44 (0)114 22 27294

Careers ServiceThe Careers Service is availableto offer confidential andindividually-tailored advice andguidance to students onoccupations, employment, anyissues surrounding disclosureand further study at any pointduring their time at theUniversity.

www.sheffield.ac.uk/careers/students/equalops

Telephone: +44 (0)114 22 20910


➏OtHerUniverSityServiceS

Accommodation and CommercialServices (ACS)You can apply online for Universityaccommodation at any point after you have notified UCAS that the University of Sheffield is your firm or insurance choice. Disabled students’individual requirements are given special consideration when places are allocated in Universityaccommodation.

www.sheffield.ac.uk/accommodation

Email: [email protected]: +44 0114 2224488

University Health Service (UHS)The UHS is an NHS practice which offers full health services to anyUniversity of Sheffield students whochoose to register. All students are advisedto register with the UHS duringIntro/Fresher’s Week.

www.sheffield.ac.uk/health

Email: [email protected]: +44 (0)114 22 22100 (24hrs)Fax: +44 (0)114 22 22123

University Counselling Service (UCS)Free and confidential support available to all students. The UCSprovides many different kinds ofindividually-tailored support, and also operates a drop-in service at set times every day during term-time.

www.sheffield.ac.uk/counselling

Email: [email protected]: +44 (0)114 22 24134

English Language Teaching Centre(ELTC)The ELTC offers a wide range of Englishlanguage courses and services to allUniversity students, as well as specialist1:1 support sessions for students withspecific learning difficulties.

www.sheffield.ac.uk/eltc/languagesupport

Telephone: +44 (0)114 222 1780


nOteSnOteS



inDex


AAccommodationapplying and information..................................28Adjustments– to exams .................................................................15– to other assessments ......................................15Applying to University ......................................3

bBooking an Appointment................................9

cCar Parking Facilities ......................................26Contact Details......................................................2

DDefinition of Disability ......................................1Disability Advisers...............................................7Disability Liaison Officer (DLO)...............25Disabled Parking –See Car Parking FacilitiesDisabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) ..........................................17–20Disclosing your Disability ..............................3

eEvidenceProviding evidence of SpLD ...............................5

iInternational Disabled Students.............24

lLoan Equipment ..................................................12

MMental Health Advisers ..............................8–9

nNeeds Assessment ...........................................19-20

OOccupational Health Questionnaire .......5Open Days.................................................................4Opening Hours.......................................................2

pPersonal Care Support ..................................27

rRegistration Form................................................5

SSupport Workerse.g. Mentors, Note-takers, Personal Assistant ...........................................10–11


information for disabled and dyslexic - university of …/file/... · · 2014-02-06the equality...

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