Disability support guidance, procedures and confidentiality

The duty to make reasonable adjustments is a cornerstone of the Equality Act (2010) legislation and applies where a disabled person is placed at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with people who are not disabled. In these circumstances the Higher Education Institution (HEI) must make reasonable adjustments to remove that disadvantage without allowing any advantage, in comparison with peers. Making reasonable adjustments could include:

• changes to practices or procedures
  e.g. Provide a blind or partially sighted student with a personal assistant to take notes during lectures and tutorials and read materials to the student. This enables the student to listen to the lecturer without trying to take notes at the same time.
• changes to physical features
  e.g. Provision of lifts and ramp access to university premises; this enables a wheelchair user to access premises independently
• changes to how learners are assessed
  e.g. Make individual arrangements, based on need, for a student to word process their answers using a computer with specialist assistive software.
• providing extra support and aids (such as specialist teachers or equipment)
  e.g. Provision of assistive technology programs, Study Skills Tutors, transcription services; this is currently funded by Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) for most students and is assessed according to individual needs

1. All disability advisers employed by Manchester Met Disability Service are members of the National Association for Disability Practitioners (NADP) and, as such, work according to professional standards of practice within Higher Education. Manchester Metropolitan University internal documents underpin and guide decisions in order to ensure parity of recommendations between students.
2. Reasonable adjustments are made in accordance with Manchester Metropolitan University’s Regulations and in line with the disability adviser’s professional judgement of the student’s needs. A recommendation cannot be made on solely on student preference.
3. The disability adviser determines what reasonable adjustments are required based primarily on the medical evidence provided, but also in discussion with the student. The likely impact on other students and cost may contribute to the disability adviser’s decision making.
4. Every institution has its own policies and procedures in place. Manchester Metropolitan University’s regulations and procedures may be different to those of other education providers, but they are applied fairly so it may be possible that students are not recommended the same support they had at a previous institution. At Higher Education level there is an expectation that students work towards developing effective study strategies, to correspond with the principle that students work to develop valuable employability skills, support is available to help develop these skills. Another factor the Disability Adviser has to take into consideration is the competency standards and learning outcomes of the course
5. Recommendations made in a Study Needs Assessment for the purposes of Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) are recommendations only; they may not be included in a Personal Learning Plan (PLP) if they conflict with Manchester Met Assessment Regulations, policies and procedures or if the disability adviser deems they are inappropriate/not justifiable.
6. All students are expected to have a level of English that is at least to the level of GCSE English Grade C, or its equivalent; adjustments will not be made to compensate for inadequate knowledge of the English language. However, support is available within the university to help with written English.
7. A PLP may need to be revised if there is a change in the student’s impairment or if the student develops additional health conditions; the student will be required to provide medical evidence of this to help the adviser to determine any necessary changes to PLP recommendations.
8. Occasionally it may be necessary to hold a review meeting to discuss issues such as the student’s support; such reviews may be requested by the student, staff or the disability adviser.

All Manchester Metropolitan University courses have clearly defined competency standards, which are defined within the Disability Discrimination Act (2005) part 4 (SENDA) as:

“An academic, medical or other standard applied by or on behalf of a [HEI] for the purpose of determining whether or not a person has a particular level of competence or ability.”

Competence standards have particularly wide application to all requirements, assessments and standards that are applied to a student’s performance throughout their time at university. This means that universities must have genuine competence standards in place to ensure that all candidates can demonstrate their ability in a particular area. However, there is also a requirement on universities to ensure that all entry, course and exam criteria are genuine and not discriminatory.

Whilst there is no duty to make reasonable adjustments in respect of the application of a competence standard, there is a duty to examine the process by which competence is assessed. Therefore, the university must consider whether or not a reasonable adjustment could be made to some aspect of the process by which it assesses a competence standard and any process by which an individual is assessed against that standard. Examples of this include:

• allowing a dyslexic student extra time in an examination.
• allowing a student who has illegible handwriting due to disability to use a scribe in an exam.
• allowing a student who had very poor motor skills to produce a video of a piece of work rather than a written dissertation.
• allowing a disabled student extra time to complete an assignment; however, it would not be reasonable for them to miss out pieces of work altogether.

Read more about the scope and standard of recommendations for examinations.

What is a Scribe?

A Scribe writes down a student’s dictated answers to questions in an examination.  Another name for a Scribe is an amanuensis.

At Manchester Met, Scribes are expected to write the answers to questions.  In exceptional circumstances, a Scribe may word process the answers. If this is the case, the arrangements have to be agreed through the Disability Service and the Scribe will be made aware of this requirement at the time of booking. Neither the Scribe nor the student can choose to use a word processor instead of manually writing the answers.

When are Scribes used?

Scribes are recommended for students who would be disadvantaged in an exam if they had to handwrite their own paper.  This could be due to injury, handwriting speed or other factors identified by a Disability Adviser. The use of a Scribe in such circumstances enables the student to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of a topic and places them on a par with their peers.

Can I nominate my own Scribe?

No, students cannot choose their own Scribe and under no circumstances must a friend or relative of the student be used.  Staff in faculties will use Scribes from a list provided by the Disability Service. In exceptional circumstances, where a student has a significant communication difficulty, the Disability Service will recommend the student’s support worker to act as a Scribe. 

Can I have a practice session with a Scribe?

Some students are used to working with a Scribe; for others this might be their first time.  If you have been recommended a Scribe in your Personal Learning Plan and you have never used a Scribe before, it is possible to arrange a one-hour practice session by contacting the Disability Service.  Students should note that there is no guarantee the Scribe used in a practice session will be the same Scribe used in examinations. Students are also advised to practice dictation skills and refer to the “guidelines on good dictation practice” below.

If a Scribe has been provided to you as a result of an Exceptional Factors claim because of a temporary injury, the Assessments Team is responsible for arranging the Scribe practice session. If you want to arrange a Scribe practice, please contact your Faculty.

Who is responsible for arranging my Scribe?

The Assessments Team has overall responsibility for arranging the Scribe and separate room for your exam, if recommended in your Personal Learning Plan.  It is also your responsibility to check well in advance that the exams officer is aware of the necessary arrangements.  

How will I know if a Scribe has been arranged for my exam?

Your examination arrangements should be clearly recorded on your on-line exam timetable.  It is essential that you check this well in advance of your exams and inform the Assessments Team if there are any inaccuracies or omissions.

I don’t want to use a Scribe in exams - what should I do?

If you have a Personal Learning Plan, please contact the Disability Service as soon as possible so that your Personal Learning Plan can be updated and re-distributed.  You should note that if you do not wish to use the Scribe, the extra time recommended may be reduced and the separate room recommendation may be removed from your Personal Learning Plan.

If you have upcoming exams, inform the Assessments Team at assessments@mmu.ac.uk that you do not wish to use a Scribe so that they can allocate you a seat in the main examination venue.

What arrangements will be made for the actual exam?

1. A suitable room will be provided by the Assessments Team and should be available 15 minutes before the exam begins.
2. Copies of the examination paper should be made available to both you and the Scribe.
3. Extra time is allowed in examinations for students using a Scribe as detailed in your Personal Learning Plan.  You are responsible for managing your own time during the exam.

Prior to the examination 

• • You should know exactly when and where the examination is taking place. 
  • Bring a selection of pens with you. You may also need a pencil for diagrams and notes, etc.
  • Make sure that you are punctual; arrive at the venue 15 minutes before the examination.  Use these 15 minutes to have a discussion with the Scribe.  For example, to decide:
    • How are planning notes to be made? By the Scribe on the script, or, by yourself?
    • Do you want to give the main punctuation breaks, leaving the rest to the Scribe, or would you rather dictate every punctuation mark? 

During the examination 

• • The Scribe should fit in with your needs e.g. seating arrangements, dictation style.
  • The Scribe will write down (or word process, if this is specifically recommended in your Personal Learning Plan) answers exactly as they are dictated by you, including punctuation as stipulated by you.
  • You should be prepared to provide spelling of specialist or technical terms.
  • At your request, the Scribe should read back what has been recorded and change the recorded material if you request a change.
  • If you are unable to draw or add to maps, diagrams, graphs or tables, the Scribe will do this strictly in accordance with your instructions.
  • The Scribe will be sensitive to your flow of thought and interrupt as little as possible. The Scribe will only speak to you if there is a problem, for example, if the Scribe did not hear your answer or you are speaking too quickly.
  • Report any concerns regarding the examination to the invigilator so that these can be noted. 

The Scribe will not: 

• • Read the examination paper to you unless it has been specifically recommended in your Personal Learning Plan.
  • Give factual help to you nor offer any suggestions
  • Explain any questions or words
  • Suggest when to move on to the next question; you should manage your own time in the exam.
  • Emphasise correct answers (or incorrect answers) in any way, either by emphasis, gesture, hesitation, speech or the written word
  • Comment either way if you ask the Scribe to verify if your answer is correct.

At the end of the examination: 

• • It is your responsibility to ensure that your details are completed on the front of each answer book used and any loose pages and that all written work is handed in.  Any rough work, which you do not wish to be marked, should be crossed through.
  • All discussions between the Scribe and yourself are strictly confidential.  

What if I am unable to or decide not to take the exam?

If you provide too little notice to inform us that you do not intend on sitting the exam or you simply do not turn up, the university still has to make a payment to the Scribe. If the reason for your absence is illness, you may be required to provide medical evidence of this to the examinations officer. It is therefore essential that you make contact with the Assessments Team if you are unable to attend an exam and give as much notice as possible.  The staff will then be able to establish whether the Scribes for the remaining exam period need to be cancelled.   

Student Responsibility - please note: if, after a Scribe has been arranged, you do not turn up for the exam and have not provided The Assessments Team (assessments@mmu.ac.uk) with a valid reason for non-attendance, all future Scribes for that exam period may be cancelled.  Do not assume that the Scribe arrangements will remain in place for the rest of the exam period.  The university will not fund Scribes if there is no guarantee of you turning up. 

Guidelines on good dictation practice

Dictation is the central aspect of scribing.  Good dictation ensures that ideas are accurately transferred from thought into the written word.  The main aspects of good dictation are clarity, punctuation and paragraphing.  It may also be helpful for the students to prepare their own mind maps or notes prior to dictation.

Clarity of voice in dictation

• • Adopt a normal tone of voice
  • Be aware of how you articulate words – speak slowly and clearly to assist the Scribe to distinguish words correctly and reduce need for interruptions.

Fluency

• • If stuck for a word, do not panic: relax and concentrate on the idea you want to express.
  • If you lose your train of thought, you can ask the Scribe to read back what has been written.  Alternatively, you can ask to read what has been written yourself.
  • Try to be sure of what you want to say before you say it, but ask the Scribe to make corrections if necessary.

Spelling

• • Spell all words that you want to ensure are correctly spelt, e.g. references.Otherwise, wait until the Scribe seeks clarification.
  • It is your responsibility to check for spelling errors and accuracy of references when you do the final reading.
  • If you have acknowledged spelling difficulties, explain this to your Scribe; you are expected to spell technical words yourself.

Punctuation

• • Punctuation helps the structure and gives sense to the written work, so you should also learn to dictate punctuation.
  • You may wish to instruct your Scribe to punctuate “as necessary”. 

Our Expectations

We expect the support providers to work within the Disabled Students Allowances NMH Quality Assurance Framework. If the Disability Service refers the student to the support provider, wherever possible the Service will provide relevant information via a secure means. We expect the support provider to immediately alert the Disability Service of any issues which may present a risk to the health and safety of the student.

Responsibilities of the Support Provider:

• For health and safety and liability reasons Manchester Met is not able to provide rooms for use by external support workers. The responsibility for providing rooms or an alternative venue for delivering support lies with the support provider. We would consider areas which are quiet and private to be the most appropriate place to provide support if specific accommodation cannot be provided by the support provider.
• The support provider should provide the student with information about  expectations regarding cancellations and appropriate methods of communication about their support.
• Where a student’s support is likely to be an over allowance, the support provider has a responsibility to provide regular updates and forecasts for funding and use of allocated hours. This is particularly pertinent when the student is in receipt of support from more than one provider and will allow the Disability Service to plan contingency.

Responsibilities of the Support Worker:

• Where support is provided in lectures, it is the responsibility of the support worker to agree with the student an appropriate way to introduce themselves to the lecturer and explain their role
• The support worker should  not participate in lectures or group work
• Support workers should not advocate on behalf of students or liaise directly with the academic member of staff. If the support worker has concerns about the student or their ability to deliver support, this should be conveyed directly to the Disability Service.
• Support workers should not provide subject specific support or guidance on academic issues.
• Support workers have the responsibility to identify an appropriate place to deliver 1:1 support
• Support should not exceed the allocated hours. It is the support worker’s responsibility to ensure that the student is only using the hours that they are allocated and that these are spread evenly throughout the academic year.
• The support workers should notify the Disability Service of any concerns that they have about a student’s welfare, attendance or non-engagement.
• Where a support worker is supporting students in a high risk area such as a lab, support workers will be required familiarise themselves with the Laboratory Health and Safety Rules (see Appendix 1) and abide by them at all times.
• Support workers should familiarise themselves with the individual buildings in which they will be providing support. They should make themselves aware of any key emergency contacts and emergency evacuation procedures at the university and relating to the student they are supporting. There are fire action notices in every building and the location of the nearest first aider is identified on the first aid notices. It is also worth noting that all members of the campus security team are trained first aiders also.
• Information about accessing the library as a support worker at Manchester Met can be found here.

Responsibilities of the Student

• It is the responsibility of the student to arrange their support directly with the support provider. The exception to this is interpreting support which will be arranged by co-ordination between the Disability Service, the student and the support provider.
• The student is responsible for providing the support provider with the DSA 2 letter and the needs assessment report where appropriate.
• The Disability Service will encourage students to arrange their support.
• If support is to be undertaken in a lab or high-risk area, students should liaise with their support worker and department to ensure that their support worker is aware of the Laboratory Health and Safety Rules.

Appendix 1

Laboratory Health and Safety Rules

PLEASE READ THESE RULES CAREFULLY BEFORE UNDERTAKING LABORATORY WORK

1. Support workers are not permitted in the laboratory unless a member of staff is present. Please do not enter the laboratory until staff indicate you may do so.
2. Upon entering the lab, support workers must make themselves known to the technical team leader for that area.
3. Bags, coats and other personal belongings not required for laboratory activities (e.g. hats and scarves) must not be brought into the laboratory. Lockers are provided outside the laboratory for personal belongings.
4. Sensible shoes must be worn in the laboratory at all times. Support workers wearing open-toed shoes/sandals/flip-flops or high-heeled footwear will not be permitted to enter into the laboratory.
5. Support workers must collect a clean lab coat and safety glasses from a member of staff upon entering the lab. The lab coat must be correctly fastened
6. Mobile phones should not be used in the laboratory, except for the purpose of calculators, please ensure hands are washed before touching the phone. The University will not accept responsibility for damage to support workers phones if they choose to bring them into the laboratory.
7. Under no circumstances are food or drinks permitted in the laboratory. Should you need to eat or drink, please leave the laboratory and return when you are ready. There are no exceptions to this rule.
8. Chewing gum is not permitted in any laboratory.
9. Safety glasses must be worn in the laboratory when working, with no exception.
10. Do not put objects, including pens, pencils, rulers etc. into your mouth.
11. Keep clothes (including scarves) and hair clear of the bench and any solutions or solids that you are working with.
12. Long hair must be kept tied back. If you require a tie-back for your hair please ask a member of staff.

You must heed warnings and instructions given by teaching staff in charge, and also report accidents (however minor) to him or her.

In the event of a fire alarm, follow the instructions of staff who will lead you from the building in a safe and orderly manner. Do not attempt to retrieve personal belongings in lockers before exiting.

Our privacy notice details information we hold about you, the legal justification for us doing so and how we may use that information.

If you have any concerns or queries about this information please discuss them with your Disability Adviser in the first instance.

Click here to download Manchester Metropolitan University’s guidance for students regarding Assistance Dogs on University Premises (as a PDF).