1. Working out ‘reasonable’ adjustments
Gill Beech
Brunel University
20th June 2012
Disability and Dyslexia Service | Tel: |

2. Where do we start? Ask for evidence
Disability/medical condition
GP letter
Report from medical practitioner
Specific learning difficulty (dyslexia, dyspraxia etc.)
Diagnostic assessment report from psychologist or specialist teacher
Guidelines:
Ensure font size stays above 32pts with 1.5 line spacing
Aim for no more than 6 lines of text
Consider using the notes section to expand on the information and printing that with the slides (in Print window select Notes Pages under Print what:)
Use bold rather than underline or italics to emphasis key words
If changing the font colour, keep a good contrast between font and background
Disability and Dyslexia Service | Tel: |

3. What is a ‘diagnostic assessment’?
Range of tests administered by a suitably qualified professional
Tests are standardised measures of literacy skills, cognitive processing and underlying ability
Results analysed and report written to confirm evidence of specific learning difficulty (dyslexia, dyspraxia etc.)
Disability and Dyslexia Service | Tel: |

4. Encourage student to apply for Disabled Students’ Allowances
What next?
Evidence
Encourage student to apply for Disabled Students’ Allowances
(funding to pay for ‘reasonable adjustments’)
Disability and Dyslexia Service | Tel: |

5. How are needs assessed?
Student meets with a Needs Assessor at a regional assessment centre
Identify support requirements
(based on diagnostic evidence and discussion with student)
Report written – makes detailed recommendations and provides costs
Disability and Dyslexia Service | Tel: |

6. Specialist equipment Undergraduate : £5161 for whole course
Disability and Dyslexia Service | Tel: |

7. Support workers Undergraduate: Up to £20,520 a year
Disability and Dyslexia Service | Tel: |

8. Undergraduate: Up to £1,724 a year
General allowance
Undergraduate: Up to £1,724 a year
Disability and Dyslexia Service | Tel: |

9. Travel allowance
Undergraduate: Unlimited reasonable spending on extra travel costs
Disability and Dyslexia Service | Tel: |

10. What next?
Evidence Identified support needed Develop a ‘Support Profile’
Disability and Dyslexia Service | Tel: |

11. What is a Support Profile?
Document which summarises adjustments required to level the playing field
Provides Academic staff with a brief description of the disability and impact on learning
Can be updated or amended at any time during studies
See handout as an example
Disability and Dyslexia Service | Tel: |

12. How can this translate into the workplace?
Encourage graduate to apply for Access to Work funding
Ask graduate to share needs assessment report
Access to work report should identify equipment and support requirements for the workplace.
Needs assessment report will provide detail of equipment and human help required during studies.
Develop a workplace support profile
Review regularly and amend if things change
Transfer with employee if change role
Disability and Dyslexia Service | Tel: |

13. Further information
Access to work Disabled Students’ Allowances
Disability and Dyslexia Service | Tel: |