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Dyslexia support
Dyslexic students are the biggest group of 'disabled' students in higher education. In fact, dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty but it is included under the heading of disability mainly for funding purposes. You are in good company - Albert Einstein was, and Brian Conley and Richard Branson are just 3 of many famous dyslexic people!
As a dyslexic student you have rights under the Special
Educational Needs and Disability Act 2002 (SENDA):
- Not to be treated less favourably than non-disabled students because of your disability
- To have reasonable adjustments made by the institution of your choice to enable you to participate and achieve to your full potential in higher education
See the interactive section below for more
details about SENDA
Before you get to university
- You will need a recent Educational Psychologist report. If your report is a few years old, or you have not got one, see 'Do you suspect you may be dyslexic?' below
- You may be used to having the support you need in college or school, e.g. extra time in exams or assessment, a dyslexia support tutor or access to a computer and specialised soft ware, etc.
- You may also get support at university whether you are full time or part time. However, the way it is arranged is different.
Warning!
Do not assume that support will automatically be provided even though you have mentioned your dyslexia on your UCAS or enrolment form. You must follow things up yourself.
See the Interactive Section for a Checklist
of Actions and What support is available.
Things to think about before you choose your course
You will be offered a university place on your academic merit.
- However, you should also think about your choice of course in terms of your career aims
- Some vocational courses are governed by professional organisations, which have strict criteria relating to disability/dyslexia and employment. Nursing and teaching are examples
- Some external exam boards do not at present offer concessions to dyslexic students
Prepare ahead!
Ideally you should start preparing 2 years before you expect to take up your place!
Start now, it is never too late to prepare.
See the interactive section for a checklist of actions you should take before you go to university
On your course
If you already know you are dyslexic...
if you have already started your course or want advance knowledge of what support is available, see the interactive section for a detailed list and explanations.
You can tell people about your dyslexia at any stage of your course.
Do you suspect you may be dyslexic...
Some people do not realise they may be dyslexic until they are well into their studies. Sometimes a tutor will notice from a student's work that they have possible dyslexic tendencies. If you suspect you are dyslexic you can try the Dyslexia Self Assessment.
How to get an Educational Psychologist assessment...
Make an appointment to see a Dyslexia Co-ordinator or Disability Adviser. They usually work in the university's Student Services department
What happens next...
- You will probably then be 'screened'
- If the screening is positive, an appointment with an Educational Psychologist will be arranged for you
- The university Hardship Fund may pay for your assessment
- The Educational Psychologist will write a report about their meeting with you. It will say whether or not you are dyslexic and will give advice about support and equipment
- You may be asked to attend an Access Centre assessment.
This is to find out what would be the best equipment and human support for you. Most support funding depends on an Access Centre report
- When all your assessments are complete, your adviser will write to your Local Education Authority to arrange your funding
- Once your funding is confirmed your Disability Adviser or Dyslexia Co-ordinator will arrange your support and equipment.
Just found out you are dyslexic...
Finding out for the first time that you are dyslexic can raise many emotions. You may find the Advice for Newly Diagnosed Dyslexic students helpful.
What if you find you are not dyslexic after all...
Your university, faculty or department may have a study support section. They will help with all sorts of study skills such as planning essays, grammar, referencing etc. Advice can also be obtained from your local further education college. See the Study Skills page for full details.
Moving on
Further study
You may still be eligible for support if you decide to opt for a post graduate course. Check this out with your Disability Adviser/Dyslexia Co-ordinator.
Careers
If you have a career in mind, contact the university Careers Service. They will have information about a vast range of careers and will provide further information and advice for you. Ask them to help you to:
- consider careers in terms of your dyslexia
- draw up a CV or prepare an application form
- create a presentation
- understand how to deal with aptitude tests etc.
Case Study
Frankie knew about his dyslexia before he came to university. He had coped very well while at school and later at college, because he was given excellent support. He had developed a certain level of independence and wanted to continue his higher education without any support. He was worried that receiving support for dyslexia would lead to a downgrading of his marks and make his degree less valuable to a future employer.
What he did not foresee was the high level of rigor that a degree would entail, especially the overwhelming amount of reading that was necessary. He very quickly fell behind with his assignments.
The first year of his course had almost come to completion before disability services were notified and took up his case. Having a current educational psychologist's report (from the previous year while at college) meant that university faculty support could be put into place immediately.
Frankie was able to receive the following concessions:
- 25% extra time in exams
- Extra time to complete course work assignments
- Permission to tape record lectures
- sympathetic consideration for his spelling and grammar
He also needed non-medical and technical support, which could only be funded through the Disabled Student's Allowance (DSA). Frankie had to attend an ACCESS centre for a comprehensive assessment of his needs.
The report recommended the following:
- 2 hours dyslexia tuition delivered by a trained dyslexia support tutor
- A PC system with enabling software including a screen reader, optical character recognition software, voice activated software and a mind-mapping package
- Frankie was also given a Dictaphone for recording lectures.
By the end of Frankie's first academic year, all of his support was in place and he was able to breathe a sigh of relief. However, he greatly regretted not disclosing his difficulties much earlier, which would have saved him much frustration and loss of confidence.
His disability advisor was able to make him realise that with the new legislation (SENDA) his dyslexia could not be used as an excuse for marking him down.
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