Disabled Student Services

We enable disabled students to study and achieve their goals and aspirations on an equal basis to their peers

Contents

A.Why choose The Open University if you’re a disabled person?

B.Disabled student profile

C.Disabled student support

January 2016

A.Why choose The Open University if you’re a disabled person?

  • Strong service delivery record that supports students with diverse and complex needs.
  • Largest disabled community of any UK university.
  • Alternative examination arrangements.
  • Strong links with external partners, e.g. RNIB, Action on Hearing Loss, Randstad
  • Student voices heard via feedback and consultation.
  • Flexible, part-time delivery for disabled students on a national scale.
  • Assessment banking possible.
  • A fair and level playing field to facilitate learning.
  • Financially competitive.
  • Wide range of anticipatory and personalised support available
  • Accessible teaching materials in a variety of formats.
  • Excellent study skills resources.

B.Disabled student profile

  • 20,744 disabled students registered for study.
  • 25% new students and 75% continuing students.
  • 16% of the OU’s student population.
  • 33%- disabled physically
  • 22%- mental health difficulty
  • 20%- unseen or ‘other’ or personal care
  • 17%- specific learning difficulty e.g., dyslexia or Autistic Spectrum Disorder
  • 4% - speech or hearing difficulty
  • 4%- visually impaired
  • Many students declare more than one disability or health condition.
  • Some have highly complex needs.

C.Disabled student support

A disabled student will, like all Open University students in general, have most of their contact with the University through their Tutor and their Student Support Team (based in regional and national centres).

Disabled Student Services has three teams (based at East Campus, Walton Hall):

  • Access Centre
  • Alternative Formats
  • Auxiliary Aids and Services

These teams provide disabled students with study needs assessments and offer materials in alternative formats, equipment loan schemes and arrange most of the anticipatory and other adjustments for disabled students who require additional support.

In addition, theDisability AdvisoryServices Teamprovides specialist advice, information and guidance to all staff supporting disabled students. This team contributes to the development of policy in the area of disability and aims to ensure that good practice is shared and a consistent approach established across the University.

In addition, the Examination and Assessment Officein conjunction with location-based support staffprovide support and services to disabled students regarding arrangements for special assessment circumstances such as home examination, alternative format exam papers, etc.

Disabled Student Services: Access Centre

  • Educational / study needs assessments for disabled students, mostly for students who are eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs).
  • DSA Quality Assurance Group accredited.
  • Main Access Centre in Milton Keynes, six Outreach Centres (Cambridge, Colchester, London, Manchester, Nottingham, and Worcester)
  • Two Access Buses provide the ability for remote / flexible assessments nationwide and are usedpromotionally at external events.They are equipped with computer workstations and a range of assistive equipment and technology for students to try out as part of their assessment.
  • Assistive technology training for students and staff.

Website:

Disabled Student Services: Alternative Formats

  • Production and delivery of alternative formats of teaching / study materials:
  • Comb-bound booksPDFs
  • DAISY talking booksTranscripts of audio-visual material
  • Print on demandBrailleLarge print

The Audio Recording Centre (ARC) produces audio recordings of study materials and examination papers. ARC was founded in partnership with the RNIB and in 2014 we celebrated our 25th year.Since opening, audio versions of module material have been used by more than 36,000 disabled students who would otherwise have found study difficult or even impossible. Reading is undertaken by volunteer staff and members of the local community.

We have purpose built voice recording booths equipped with specialist software and a sophisticated system to producedigital audio (talking) books to the international DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) standard. This was created to provide optimum accessibility for users and has the advantage over screen reading software in that the audio is not created ‘on the fly’ but is recorded in advance, with high quality voices chosen for the material and with its accuracy checked.DAISY further enhancesaccessibilitythrough synchronising the audio and text and its excellent navigation features enable easy searching and bookmarking.

Students can download the DAISY books from their module website.

Disabled Student Services: Auxiliary Aids and Services

  • Equipment loans for home study e.g., computer, digital recorder, DAISY talking book player, portable magnifier, scientific calculator.
  • Communication support for D/deaf students at tutorials/day/residential schools.
  • Equipment / aids and support workers at residential school.

Further information:

Website: Services for Disabled Students:

Intranet:

Disabled Student Services at The Open University – Summary January 20161