Exchange of information
Disclosure on Placement
Examples of support
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Positive Disclosure
The university is aiming to create an environment that encourages disclosure by disabled applicants and ensure that there are many, easy opportunities for student to do so. Ideally this would be done during the application process, so that the university has ample time to put any necessary provision on place before the student arrives. It is university policy that student confidentiality is maintained at all times and students should always be fully briefed on what information is held about them, where it is held and who will have access to it and why. All of the data is held on the Disability Database and in secure casefiles which are accessible only by authorised personel. If students have any concerns about confidentiality, they should go to see a Student Advisor.
Exchange of information
There is a system in place for the exchange of confidential information between different departments who need to know in order to support the student. This system is coordinated by the Faculty Student Advisors who are the liaison point for all disabled students and will instigate all necessary processes. The student has to give their express knowledge and permission to ensure that confidentiality is maintained at all times. This mechanism ensures that all necessary support services are alerted at whichever point in their course a student declares a disability. Some departments that would need to be alerted include library, programme and module leaders, Disability Resource Centre and Practice Learning Unit.
Disclosure on Placement
Students should be aware that because of the Faculty's duty of care to the public, Practice Placement areas and mentors will normally be informed of a students impairments to ensure that appropriate support systems are in place to help students successfully complete their placement.
Examples of support
There are many benefits to the students if they disclose a disability early on as this ensures that any extra support mechanisms can be put in place in readiness for when they are needed. Examples of some measures that have been put in place to support students once they had informed the university of their needs and they have been put onthe Disability database include:
- Adjustments to the room lighting
- Extra time for exams
- Coloured overlays/coloured paper
- Use of laptops for exams
- Stop/Start exams
- Scribes for exams
- Readers for exams
- Separate room for exams
- Larger font size
- Preference for exams in the morning
- Specialist chair for exams
- Dragonspeak software for exams
- Exam desk near door (panic attacks)
- Sound amplification support for lectures
- Writing slopes for exams
- Table lamps for exams
- Preferential treatment on loans at the library
If the student can claim Disabled Students Allowances, then they might also be able to obtain free of charge:
- Laptops, printers and software
- MD players/dictaphone
- Book allowance
- Photocopying allowance
- Consumables allowance
- Study Support Assistance