What students need to know
Alternative Assessment Methods
Alternative Assessment Timings
Alternatives Assessed Criteria
Examination and assessment arrangements for Disabled Students
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Assessments
It is universally accepted that academic requirements and standards cannot be compromised and should be applied to all students whether or not they have a disability. Alternative assessment strategies should be employed to minimise the impact of disability on a student’s performance at assessment. Assessments should be designed in such a way that disabled students are able to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of a topic that is not linked or affected by the chosen assessment method. Thereby ensuring that disabled students are not discriminated against with regards to how they are asked to demonstrate their learning compared with their non disabled colleagues.
It needs to be established whether adjustments are permissible by the professional body so as not to compromise academic or core competencies. Core academic standards should therefore be clearly defined and publicised, so that there is clarity about where there is and is not scope for adjustments, about which criteria are fixed and which are not.
Sometime what makes the biggest difference to students is flexibility in the amount and extent of the assessments and when they are timetabled. Some student struggle with back to back exams or assignments if they have issues with stamina or concentration. Careful timetabling can have a massive effect on their ability perform on a level playing field as their colleagues.
(adapted from An audit and guidance tool for accessible practice within the framework of teaching the learning, SWANDS, 1992 – 2002)
What students need to know
It is important for students entering into a programme of study to have detailed information relating to the assessment strategies in operation throughout the different stages and levels of that programme. The student should know programmes policies and strategies are regarding:
• Continuous assessment and end of course/module/programme examinations
• Formative and summative assessment
• Assessment tasks and methods
• Timetabling of continuous assessment assignments and examinations
• Location of examinations
• What will be assessed?
• How will it be assessed?
• Why will it be assessed this way?
Students should be able to request this information if it is not forthcoming. For students who have impairments of various kinds, the usual assessment format may need to be modified to achieve the assessment objectives.
A student may be considerably disadvantaged by part of an exam paper with a heavy concentration of text, such as multiple choice questions, but have no additional difficulty in reading and understanding brief essay titles. Likewise a student who has a hearing impairment may have no additional difficulty in completing a written exam paper, but invigilators may need to provide oral information during the examination, e.g. about changes to the exam paper, in writing. Care needs to be taken that the assessment methods itself is not the limiting factor rather than the criteria on which the student is being marked.
Consideration also needs to be given the how feedback is given after an assessment has been undertaken. It should be in an accessible format and address all of the reasons why the student did not pass the assessment and what they need to work on to ensure success next time. Feedback should ideally be typed so that it is legible and given within the UWE stipulated 4 week turn around time.
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