What is a ‘Reasonable Adjustment’?

What is a ‘Reasonable Adjustment’?

9th June, 2010

Deb Taylor

Disability Services

[email protected]

What is a Reasonable Adjustment?

Definitions under the DDA

Disability: physical or mental impairment, a specific learning difficulty or health condition that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Discrimination: This is not only ‘less favourable treatment’ but also ‘an unjustified failure to take reasonable steps.’


The DDA does not define what a ‘reasonable adjustment’ is.

Factors taken into account: Health & Safety The effect on other students Cost Maintaining academic standards

The duty to make reasonable adjustments is anticipatory.


Examples of ‘Reasonable Adjustments’

A Hearing Impaired student may need: a note taker/ permission to record lectures Lecture outlines in advance Seating arrangements changed so the student can lip

read more easily Transcripts of any audio/visual material (This can be

arranged via Disability Services.) Minimising timetable changes


A Visually Impaired Student may need: Lecture outlines/reading lists/reading material in advance Documentation in electronic format A note taker / permission to record lectures Minimising timetable changes Extensions to deadlines for written pieces of work Exam adjustments: extra time, use of a PC, scribe or

amanuensis


A Dyslexic student may need: Lecture outlines/reading lists/reading material in advance Documentation in electronic format A note taker / permission to record lectures Minimising timetable changes Extensions to deadlines for written pieces of work Exam adjustments: extra time, use of a PC, scribe or

amanuensis


A student with Mental Health difficulties may need : Lecture outlines in advance Permission to record lectures A study mentor Minimising timetable changes Extensions to deadlines Exam adjustments: extra time, sitting the exam in a

separate room More regular meetings with their supervisor


BEST PRACTICE Approximately 10% of the student population have a disability

of some kind – the majority will be ‘hidden’, and the student may not have disclosed it to the University.

Know your students – Disability Services may have already circulated information about the student’s support needs. Talk to the student about what works best for them.

There will always be a need to make specific arrangements for individual students.

Some of these adjustments – if standard – would improve things for all students. The individual student’s disability would be less of an issue and it would help the university meet its anticipatory duty.


Sources of Help Disability Services Creating Accessible Learning Materials (on the VLE) Techdis (www.techdis.ac.uk) Higher Education Academy

(http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ourwork/teachingandlearning/inclusion/disability)

What is a ‘Reasonable Adjustment’?

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