• Who
• What
• How
• Examples of alternative exam accommodations
• Alternative assessments
• Further information

Who

Any student registered at the University who declares a disability to include specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia, mental health and other health conditions.

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What

• Not all students with disabilities will need or want adjustments
• Students with similar disabilities may require very different arrangements
• Some students may require adjustments for some forms of assessment and not others.

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How

All students requiring any form of alternative assessment arrangements need to provide appropriate supporting evidence. This may be in the form of a medical letter, a Disabled Students’ Allowance assessment report or an Educational Psychologist’s Post 16 report.  Students are advised to register with the Disability and Learning Support Service (DLSS) or Mental Health Advisory Service (MHAS), who will then give them further advice on the evidence required and discuss the form of assessment if necessary.

Once the DLSS or MHAS have received the appropriate evidence they will contact the Exams Office and student’s department with the recommendations.

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Examples of alternative exam accommodations

Examples of ’baseline’ adjustments which often apply to a variety of disabled students:

• Extra time to write
• Additional time for rest breaks
• Use of a computer

Examples of exam adjustments for students with Specific Learning Difficulties:

• 25% extra time
• Use of a computer

and occasionally:

• A scribe or amanuensis
• A reader
• Coloured overlays
• Additional time for rest breaks

Examples of exam adjustments for students with visual impairment:

• Alternative formats for papers – Braille, large print, electronic, use of reader
• Alternative methods of producing answers – by computer using particular software, dictating to a scribe
• Extra time – depending on the methods used to access the paper and produce the answer, significant amounts of extra time may be needed
• Appropriate lighting levels

Examples of exam adjustments for students who are deaf/hard of hearing:

• Seating in specific venue so that invigilator’s instructions can be heard, or instructions written down
• Language modification of exam papers
• Extra time
• Exam to be delivered in British Sign Language (BSL)

Examples of exam adjustments for students with mental health conditions:

• Location of exam – e.g. separate exam rooms
• Exams to be spaced out
• Measures to consider side-effects of medication

Examples of other adjustments:

• Access to toilet facilities as needed
• Use of scribe
• Access to medication
• Timing of exams to be considered
• Exams to be taken in University Medical Practice

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Alternative assessments to examinations

For some disabled students, where appropriate accommodations cannot be made, it may be necessary to consider an alternative form of assessment to examinations.

Both government legislation and University codes of Practice allow for this (Code of practice Post-16, Disability Rights Commission 2007 part 9.30). The law requires the University to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ and encourages flexibility and inclusivity by providing assessments that are suitable for as many students as possible.  In this way fewer adjustments need to be made for individuals.

It should be noted however that ‘there is no requirement to make reasonable adjustments in the application of a genuine competence standard, but what may need to be adjusted is the process whereby a competence standard has been assessed.’ (Code of practice Post-16)

Key points to consider:

• Are current learning outcomes effectively measured using the proposed assessment
• How are the disabled student’s needs met by using the proposed assessment. Have the proposals been discussed with the student.
• If it is not possible to meet their needs through use of an alternative assessment, it would have to be considered whether or not the learning outcomes are in any way discriminatory. If so, they may need to be re-evaluated.
• Will academic standards be maintained if the alternative assessment is used.

Examples of alternative methods of assessment:

• A student with Multiple Sclerosis was unable to undertake the end of year exams due to concentration and fatigue issues. She was offered “take home” papers (different questions, but on the same texts etc), with answers written and submitted, by a particular date.  (She was given 5 weeks to complete the work).
• A student with a chronic pain condition had her final exams changed to assessed essays.  Essays were in the form of 3 short essays (to test a range of knowledge, like an exam would), to be taken over 2 working days.  Paper to be available early one morning, work to be submitted late next afternoon.  Timing to correspond broadly with exam timetable, but dept to ensure not too much “bunching”.  If student had any health problems during assessment period, to be dealt with either by extension or mitigation, as for a normal exam or essay.
• A student with anxiety issues, who was unable to leave the house, had his take home exam paper couriered to his house (arranged by the department).
• Vivas or presentations.

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Further information

Please contact the DLSS or MHAS for advice about reasonable adjustments or alternative assessments

The University of Sheffield has produced a very useful toolkit

For more information about the current debates around alternative assessments, please see the SPACE project website

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