Policy, Procedures & Quality Statements for Supporting
Deaf & Disabled Students
Contents
Section1. Disclosure of being deaf and/or disabled
2. Response to student self-disclosure of being deaf and/or disabled
2.1 Role of The Learner Support Manager
2.2 Support for students who are found not to be deaf and/or disabled
2.3 Routes for obtaining support
3. Procedures for obtaining support
3.1 Procedure for obtaining support for U.K. students who are on a course that makes them eligible for the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)
3.1.1 Declaration
3.1.1.1 Fast tracking support in exceptional circumstances
3.1.1.2 Support form other agencies
3.1.1.3 Scarcity of interpreters for deaf students
3.1.1.4 Arranging support for students who have already had their needs assessed before arriving at LIPA
3.1.2 Receiving written evidence
3.1.2.1 Sources of written evidence
3.1.2.2 Use of a screening questionnaire for students with possible learning differences such as dyslexia
3.1.3 Communication of the evidence to the student’s LEA.
3.1.4 Gathering of information by the LEA.
3.1.5 Being awarded the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)
3.1.6 Assessing student support needs
3.1.7 Assessment of needs report
3.1.8 Human support for students
3.1.8.1 Allocation of specialist support workers to individual students
3.1.8.2 Information provided to specialist support workers
3.1.8.3 Additional information provided to specialist tutors
3.1.8.4 Provision of invoices for non-specialist tutor support workers
3.2 Procedure for obtaining support for students not from the U.K. and/or on courses that are not recognised by the DfES as appropriate to receive the DSA.
3.2.1 Declaration
3.2.1.1 Fast tracking support in exceptional circumstances
3.2.1.2 Support form other agencies
3.2.1.3 Scarcity of interpreters for deaf students
3.2.2 Receiving written evidence
3.2.2.1 Sources of written evidence
3.2.2.2 Use of a screening questionnaire for students with possible learning differences such as dyslexia
3.2.3 Assessing student support needs
3.2.4 Assessment of needs
3.2.5 Human support for students
3.1.5.1 Allocation of specialist support workers to individual students
3.1.5.2 Information provided to specialist support workers
3.1.5.3 Additional information provided to specialist tutors
4. Receiving and responding to feedback about the services offered to deaf and/or disabled students
4.1 Sources of information about the student experience
5. Quality statements
5.1 Quality statements relating to all students at LIPA
5.2 Quality statements relating only to U.K. students who are on a course that makes them eligible for the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)
5.3 Quality statements relating only to students not from the U.K. and/or on courses that are not recognised by the DfES as appropriate to receive the DSA. / Page
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1. Disclosure of being deaf and/or disabled
Students may disclose that they are deaf and/or disabled at any time and this includes prior to enrolment, during enrolment or at any stage in their course.
Once students make such a declaration to any member of staff the institution is then deemed to know this information and therefore has a moral and legal obligation to support students in a reasonable fashion.
LIPA will ensure that students know of their right to support by several formal means:
· information within the prospectus
· information sent out when students are invited to audition/interview
· information in the form of a flyer sent out with the details inviting people for enrolment
· the presence of the Learner Support Manager at enrolment events who will explain and provide information about issues related to disability/deafness and the support available
· the Learner Support Manager formally addressing all level one students as a full group and again providing information about disability/deafness in order to ensure that students understand their rights and also the obligations that LIPA has to ensure that these groups of students are properly supported
· promotion of the Learner Support Service (which incorporates support for disabled and/or deaf students) within LIPA such as posters on notice boards and in “all student” emails
Quality statement (1): all students have multiple and non-time limited opportunities to learn about their rights as being disabled and /or deaf and to also learn of the support that is available at LIPA.
2. Response to student self-disclosure of being deaf and/or disabled
2.1 Role of the Learner Support Manager
Disabled and/or deaf students and also those students who are unsure if they are categorised as disabled need to be encouraged by other members of staff to make contact with the Learner Support Manager who will then advise on the support that may be put in place.
The role of the Learner Support Manager is to determine with the student
(and other relevant people) if the experiences described constitute a disability in terms of the degree of severity and length (in terms of time) of the effects.
2.2 Support for a students who are found not to be deaf and/or disabled
If the decision is that it does not constitute a disability as described in the Disability Discrimination Act, reasonable support, if deemed to be necessary by the Learner Support Manager will be put in place.
2.3 Routes for obtaining support
If the decision is that the student is disabled and/or deaf the support needs will be more formally addressed and the processes that then follow will be dependent on the funding of the support needs:
A. If the student is from the U. K. and is on a course that is recognised by the DfES as appropriate to receive the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) the procedure that will be followed is in section 3.1 of this report.
B. If the student is not from the U. K. and/or is on a course that is not recognised by the DfES as appropriate to receive the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) the procedure that will be followed is in section 3.2 of this report.
Quality statement (2): All students will have their support needs discussed on an individual basis and a plan of action for further supportive interventions will be made regardless of the student’s course, disability-status or nationality.
Quality statement (3): Once a disclosure is made or an approach for further discussion requested each student will be seen within six working days by the Learner Support Manager.
3. Procedures for obtaining support
3.1 Procedure for obtaining support for U.K. students who are on a course that makes them eligible for the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)
The following process will occur:
3.1.1. Declaration
The student declares to the Learner Support Manager that he/she is disabled and/or deaf.
3.1.1.1 Fast tracking support in exceptional circumstances
At this initial stage support may be put into place for students in exceptional circumstances by LIPA on the recommendation of the Learner Support Manager. If a financial cost is involved this can then be reimbursed from the LEA once a DSA has been granted. The circumstances in which this may occur include:
· the danger that the student may not attend for taught sessions and/or leave the institution
· direct link between the danger of deterioration in health and the need for support
· final year degree students needing support that will take a long time to process/arrange.
Quality statement 4: Students in acute need of educational support will have this put in place within 10 working days of meeting with the Learner Support Manager when this need was identified.
3.1.1.2 Support from other agencies
Support from other agencies may also need to be considered at this stage especially if there are personal support needs such as those needed for daily living skills that are not directly related to the students’ education. At this stage the Learner Support Manager will work with the student and liase with other agencies (including Social Services.)
3.1.1.3 Scarcity of interpreters for deaf students
In the case of deaf students because of the scarcity of sign language interpreters the process of obtaining this type of support will begin immediately and arrangements made that will be confirmed once funding has been approved.
Quality statement (5): Students can expect LIPA to take the lead by default in liasing with other agencies and to also contact/make arrangements within seven days if the likely support required will be scarce and /or difficult to arrange.
3.1.1.4 Arranging support for students who have already had their needs assessed before arriving at LIPA.
Please note that there will be some students who will arrive at LIPA and who will have already been formally assessed through an ACCESS Centre and this will therefore mean that the process of support for them (and in particular when reading this document) will begin at section 3.1.7 “Assessment of needs report.”
3.1.2 Receiving written evidence
3.1.2.1 Sources of written evidence
Written proof in the form of a letter or report from a recognised professional is then requested as evidence:
(a) from the student (if this is in the possession of the student) and a copy taken, or
(b) from the original source such as directly from the professional who knows the student.
Quality statement (6): A written request by the Learner Support Manager will be made for written evidence within seven days of this need being identified.
3.1.2.2 Using a screening questionnaire for students with possible learning differences such as dyslexia
In the case of a learning difference/difficulty such as dyslexia when there is no recent evidence (i.e. post 16 years of age) a screening questionnaire is then given to the student to complete which is then analysed by an educational psychologist through JMU Student Services Department which will confirm either way the learning difference/difficulty.
Quality statement (7): The screening questionnaire will be given to students on the day that this need is made known by the Learner Support Manager. (Usually as a result of meeting with the student but it could be the result of an email or phone conversation.)
The two possible outcomes of this screening procedure are as follows:
Once confirmation is received that the student does NOT have a learning difficulty/difference the support is then provided as stated in section 2.2 of this document.
Once confirmation is received that the student does have a learning difference/disability the student is then given an appointment to have a full assessment with an Educational Psychologist either at JMU or with another agency whichever is the quickest. This decision is made by the Learner Support Manager in conjunction with the student once an appointment has been offered in the first instance by JMU Student Services Department. If this appointment means that the student will have to wait for longer than 6 weeks an alternative appointment is made with the Educational Psychology Service at Local Solutions.
Quality statement (8): Whenever possible, students will not wait longer than 6 weeks to be seen by an educational psychologist.
3.1.3 Communication of the evidence to the student’s LEA
Once received, the written proof is then sent with a covering letter from the Learner Support Manager to the student’s LEA as the first part of the application for the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA).
Quality statement (9): Once read by the Learner support Manager the evidence of deafness and /or disability will be sent to the LEA within two days.
3.1.4 Gathering information by the LEA
Communication is then received from the LEA either to the student or to the Learner Support Manager either (a) granting the DSA or (b) requesting further information.
3.1.5 Being awarded the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)
Once the LEA have gathered all of the information that they require in relation to then making a decision about granting the DSA the student is then informed of the decision.
If the student is not granted the DSA then support is arranged as stated in section 2.2 of this document.
If the student is granted the DSA the process continues as stated in paragraph 3.1.6 below.
3.1.6 Assessing Student Support Needs
Once granted the DSA the LEA then expect and indeed request that the student approaches a recognised member of the National Network of Access Centres (NNAC) to arrange for a formal assessment of needs.
In the case of LIPA students are currently assessed for their educational support needs by freelance assessors who are quality - managed by High PEAK NNAC Access Centre. The rationale for this decision is based on the following:
· The Learner Support Manager at LIPA has been trained by and works as a freelance assessor for this Access Centre. He currently assesses the majority of disabled students at LIPA on a freelance basis and the advantages of this arrangement are that he:
ü Is familiar with the courses at LIPA and therefore understands the support that needs to be recommended for students
ü Already has a good working relationship with the students being assessed, as he will have already helped them with the process to reach this stage in receiving support
ü Knows the members of teaching staff who may need to be approached for additional information about course delivery, assessment of students etc
ü Understands the practical issues of assessing students such as the layout of the building, facilities etc.
· The assessment of students and the production of the final report happens without delay (which in the past has been considerable, when other organisations have been used to assess students.)
· The administrative support offered by High Peak NNAC Access Centre is high quality, well timed and student focussed.
Quality statement (10): The procedure of having an assessment of needs is delivered by an informed and experienced person who is quality managed by an outside agency.
3.1.7 Assessment of needs report
Once the assessment of needs report is received from the ACCESS centre the Learner Support Manger then meets with the student to ensure that the recommended support is put into place and that the student understands how all of the recommendations can be achieved.
Quality statement (11): An email request to meet with the student is sent on the day that the Learner Support Manager reads the report. If the student does not reply within five working days two further emails are sent at weekly intervals and thereafter if no reply is received at the beginning of each academic year and also at the beginning of each calendar year to increase the likelihood of getting a response.