If in doubt ask SID. The Student Information Desk should be the first port of call for all non-academic questions students might have. The desk is situated in Holgate Student Centre and is staffed by our helpful and knowledgeable Student Advisers. The Student Information Desk provides information, advice and guidance on a range of topics, books appointments for the specialist Student Services teams and hosts drop ins with other student support staff such as Visa & Compliance, International Student Support, Accommodation and Student Funding Advice. If the Student
Equality law recognises that bringing about equality for disabled people may mean changing the way in which services are delivered, providing extra equipment and/or the removal of physical barriers. This is the ‘duty to make reasonable adjustments’ to make sure that a disabled person can participate in university life as close as it is reasonably possible to get to the standard usually offered to non-disabled people. The duty is ‘anticipatory’. This means an organisation cannot wait until a disabled person wants to use its services, but must think in advance (and on an ongoing basis) about what disabled people with a range of impairments might reasonably need, such as people who have a visual impairment, a hearing impairment, a mobility impairment or a learning disability. This is why it is so important that staff utilise the Inclusive Learning, Teaching and Assessment Framework and participate in the ongoing universal design for learning work as this is a key ‘reasonable adjustment’ the university is required to make.
The Disability Advice Team provides information, advice and support to students who have declared a disability. This can take many forms and is always done on an individual basis. The most likely interaction staff will have with the Disability Advice Team is the agreement of student Learning Support Plan (LSP’s), a document detailing the reasonable adjustments required to assist that student to access their university studies.
Not all students with a disability want others to know about it so please do not ‘out’ a student in front of others. Examples of this in the past have been staff asking a student who has placed their voice recorder at the front of the class why they need to record the session.
Not all students identify themselves as having a disability. For example a student with dyslexia may not categorise themselves as disabled but additional support does exist for them. Students with a long term health condition, such as; mental health, autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), diabetes, epilepsy, cancer etc. also fall under the definition of disability and again additional support may be available to them.
What support may be available?
Teaching in an inclusive way is the first form of support for students and will empower students who both disclose and those who choose not to. The Disability Advice Team work with colleagues across the university to make reasonable adjustments for the student which might include extra time in exams, training on the specialist software on the student desktop, library assistance, accommodation adjustments etc. Not every student chooses to disclose a disability but if they do please refer them to your Schools Disability Adviser so the support options can be explained to them, or ask the student to attend the Disability Advice daily drop in; Mondays 11-12, Tuesdays 10-11, Wednesdays 1-2, Thursdays 2-3 and Fridays 10-11 in the Holgate Student Centre.
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is a government fund that provides funding for recommended support for disabled students. Students need to apply through the DSA process and provide evidence of their disability. They have to attend an independent assessment centre (we have one on campus – the Higher York Access Centre) which then recommends appropriate support. This support might recommend equipment such as a laptop (£200 student contribution required) or more commonly Non-Medical Help (NMH) support such as notetakers, mental health mentoring, ASD mentoring or specific learning difficulties (SpLD) 1-1 tuition. The only classroom based support you may observe, might be the notetakers and support in practical sessions. The other support happens outside of academic sessions. Unfortunately there have been changes in recent years to DSA and the non-medical helpers who support our students may not be from York St John University but from external providers. If you, or your student, have any concerns about their disability support, please contact your Schools Disability Adviser.
The Disability Advice Team also facilitates a group – Stratus – for Aspergers Students to meet like-minded peers and socialise. The group runs each week, alternating between a Wednesday afternoon, before study development workshops and on a Thursday evening 5-7pm. The sessions are structured to integrate the students into campus life.
Contact Details
https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/student-services/disability-advice-team/
T: 01904 876540
E: disabilityadvice@yorksj.ac.uk