Types of Support
The Student Disability Advice Service provides advice, guidance and support. All practical support other than alternative exam arrangements needs to be funded; this can take some time to arrange.
For UK students this is usually funded via the Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA). International/EU students are not entitled to DSA and are encoraged to contact Student Disability Advice for advice about possible options. This support is in addition to support a department might be expected to put in place to make their course accessible.
This page is to outline the general types of support that we provide via the Disabled Student's Allowance.
Note Taking Support
Note taking support can be in place for many different reasons. Some of these include:
- Support for a student with dyslexia, who has a slow processing speed and finds it difficult to take notes and listen to the lecture at the same time
- This support might also be in place for a blind or partially sighted student who may receive the notes in an alternative format
- Or for a student who is unable to take notes due to a physical impairment.
The note taker will be a postgraduate or external note taker, depending on the student’s needs and availability of staff. They are not on the whole, in place to attend lectures in lieu of students, although for some students this might be agreed with the department and Student Disability Advice at certain times.
The Note Taker will not participate in the lecture like other students and is simply there to take notes. We do ask that Note Takers introduce themselves to lecturers where possible.
Our Note Taking service is confidential, so you do not have to sit with your note taker. They can arrange with you to hand over the notes confidentially away from the lecture.
Support Workers
Support Workers are in place for many different reasons; these could include:
- Providing communication support for a deaf or hard of hearing student
- Providing organisational, planning and practical library and admin support to a student with Aspergers Syndrome or Dyslexia.
- Providing support to a student with mental health support needs in the form of mentoring.
A Support Worker is not in place to provide any subject specific tuition to the student, and is only in place to provide support which is needed due to a disability. The Support Worker will be a postgraduate student or an external Support Worker and will have a fixed number of hours to work with the student.
Tasks that might be carried out include: finding resources in the library under the instruction of the student, helping to plan working timetables and providing deadline reminders, transcribing information into an alternative format, carrying out admin tasks like photocopying etc… to assist the student with managing their condition and their workload.
In some cases Support Workers may also attend meetings with the student and this should be agreed in advance.
1:1 Study Skills Tuition
Study Skills tuition is in place to support students with a range of support needs, including;
- Dyslexia and Dyspraxia
- Aspergers Syndrome
- Fatigue conditions
The sessions are to provide support with organisation, time management, structuring and planning of work, proof reading skills and exam and revision technique, as well as over all study techniques. The support is not subject specific and does not provide tuition in specific subject areas.
Students will usually work with a Tutor over a period of time developing skills, rather than one off sessions, as this does not enable the student to develop their skills. The service does not include a proof reading service for students.
If you have specific questions about any of the support types detailed above please do contact us for further information.