7.16 Assessment Procedures for Disabled or Ill Students

The University has procedures for assessment of students with disability or illness on the Academic Services Other Regulations for Assessment page.

 These procedures allow, where appropriate, for extra time for examinations; alternative examination locations; use of an amanuensis; use of information technology; and a changed mode of examination. There are also special arrangements for students with dyslexia, or who are hearing-impaired or visually impaired. If you feel you have a case for consideration under these procedures, please discuss the matter with your personal tutor, or contact AccessAbility.

Assessment Procedures for Students with Dyslexia or Learning Difficulties

The University provides specific guidance to be followed when marking the work of students diagnosed with specific learning difficulties. For more information please see the AccessAbility web pages.

If you are dyslexic or have been diagnosed with a related specific learning difficulty, the Individual Learning Plan that is drawn up with you at the Disability Resource Centre may include an instruction to your department to apply dyslexia marking guidelines.

This acknowledges the difficulties that you may experience when writing an assignment.  These difficulties might include such items as spelling, grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and use of vocabulary.  When applying the dyslexia marking guidelines, the person marking your work will take these aspects into consideration and will not penalise you unduly.  Rather, the marker's emphasis will be on assessing your ideas, understanding and knowledge of the topic.

Unfortunately it is not possible to apply these guidelines to pieces of assessments for which use of language is an important assessment criterion. In Humanities, this includes all coursework in English, and all language-based work in Modern Languages.