Disability support for postgraduate research students

• Early awareness-raising of assessment timescales and work required for assessment.
• Assistive technologies to support researching, writing and proofreading.
• Facilitating access to a British Sign Language Interpreter.
• Provision of captions (online).
• Attendance of a supporter.
• Rewording questions to ensure understanding.
• Asking the panel chair/internal examiner to ensure that panel members give a student time to find information within the thesis or to compose a response.
• An extension to the time period given to complete thesis corrections (after the viva).
• Written guidance for Viva examiners detailing specific disability-related requirements such as clear communication, sufficient opportunities for clarification of questions, and sufficient time for processing questions and answers.
• Reasonable adjustments to the assessment format may be considered in exceptional cases.

• Support from supervisors to help with or adapt methodologies or techniques required for the student to undertake their research, for example, assistance with fieldwork if required.
• Discussion and implementation of work preferences and working patterns (usually at the initial supervisor/student meeting, led by the supervisor), which may include:
  • Dividing large projects/assignments into several smaller tasks.
  • Supervisors providing advance notice of upcoming work milestones.
• Individual supervisory sessions may be recorded or supported by a note-taker. Students must discuss this with their supervisor and Disability Advisor to ensure it is appropriate (e.g., confidentiality of research data/Intellectual Property rights).  This may also apply to other meeting/training situations. Students must discuss their requirement to either audio record or be accompanied by a note-taker with their supervisor, meeting organiser, and Disability Advisor.

• Students may be referred for specialist study skills support coordinated by the Disability Advisor.
• If identified as a reasonable adjustment by the Disability Advisor, students may receive access to proofreading support.
• It is important that supervisors recognise there may be spelling/grammatical/phrasing errors where students have an SpLD and should approach feedback sympathetically.

• Students and supervisors should consider the way feedback is presented and agree on a suitable format, e.g.:
  • Separating out feedback on content from feedback on structure.
  • Providing digitally recorded feedback where appropriate (this could be applicable to all forms of feedback, including progression and monitoring exercises).

Students should be provided with the location and room number of the Viva well in advance of the assessment date to plan their journey.

Students should be provided with appropriate seating arrangements if standing will cause difficulties.

• Option to have the Viva online.
• Consideration of scheduling (e.g., morning or afternoon start).
• Opportunity for students to meet examiners beforehand.
• Examiners to be given a brief about the student and provided with useful information to ensure good practice (e.g., ensuring mouths are visible to aid lip-reading).
• Regular rest breaks or extra time to process information.
• Students can ask examiners to repeat information and/or questions.
• Students can bring a notepad and pen to write down questions.
• Examiners to redirect/prompt the student if they stray off topic or show difficulty in judging how much information is required.
• Examiners to be direct in their use of language and be prepared to rephrase in more explicit terms if required.
• Permission for an appropriate person to attend in a supportive capacity (not permitted to participate in the Viva).
• Facilitation of the student’s use of communication aids (e.g., hearing support systems compatible with specific hearing aids).
• Examiners can wear/use a microphone.
• Communication support such as British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters.
• Any printed documentation to be provided in an accessible format as stated by the student in advance.
• Availability of assistive technology for reading, writing, and note-taking.
• Correspondence between examiners and the student following the exam (e.g., receiving a list of agreed corrections) sent in an accessible format.
• The department to check with the student beforehand that the room location is suitable or may require navigation if unfamiliar.
• A review of whether the room should be on a ground floor due to accessibility and health and safety regarding potential evacuation.
• Check if an approved Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan is required and already in place.

Examiners can structure and deliver their questions in different ways. Examples include:

• Presenting one question at a time (avoiding multi-faceted questions) and being prepared to rephrase questions if misunderstood.
• Allowing brief pauses for the candidate to compose answers.
• Allowing adequate time to read and absorb any new material introduced during the assessment.
• Monitoring fatigue and providing reasonable breaks as required.
• Structuring questions into shorter sections, repeating and rephrasing if necessary, and allowing intermediate responses.
• Writing questions down or adding them to the chat if requested.
• Avoiding metaphorical language and being prepared to rephrase questions in more explicit terms if the candidate has difficulty interpreting or expressing their knowledge.
• Ensuring examiners are aware of the potential for unusual behaviour/social communication and greater anxiety than typically expected (suggest short breaks if necessary).
• Adopting a calm, understanding approach and suggesting short breaks if necessary.
• Ensuring good lighting and always facing the student when talking.

*Set questions refer to any questions that the examiner knows will be asked in advance, as opposed to random questions the student may be asked based on their responses to the set questions.