Information for Staff
Ways to help:
General:
- Course overview or ‘road map’ including reading lists
- Teaching materials are inclusive by design and available in advance of teaching
- Teaching is delivered in an inclusive manner and is accessible to access afterwards online
- Appropriate academic and generic support with preparing coursework is available – models to be available to help scaffold learning
- Inclusive assessments designed within the curriculum, where possible
- Feedback on assignments and exams to be clear with examples of development issues and to include where and why student has successfully achieved an outcome
Access to lectures:
- All venues are accessible
- Learning outcomes stated at the outset of each lecture
- Lectures recorded and available to download or available in the library
- Students allowed to make personal recordings of lectures
- Note-taker provided where requested
- Scribes provided where requested
- Multisensory presentation to appeal to all learning styles
Handouts:
- Available in advance and online
- Clear font (e.g. Arial) of at least 12 point
- Non-glare paper – and/or coloured boxes
- Clear structure provided which offers a simplified version of lectures
- Reading lists give library class/shelf number
Access to tutorials:
- Students able to make sound recording if they find note-taking difficult
- Summary of tutorial written down rather than given verbally and names of authors spelt out
- Students not asked to read aloud (without prior preparation)
Coursework:
- Advanced timetables in course outlines to assist with planning
- Named contact of academic librarian
- Draft work accepted for formative feedback well ahead of deadline
- Written essay feedback in a word processed format especially if handwriting is difficult to read
- Provide recorded comments for students, when requested
- Flexible access to tutors for follow up questions
- Full use of co-tutor framework
Time limits on coursework:
- Agreed policy across modules so that students know what to expect
- Ensure deadlines for assignments are staggered: communication between modules leaders/across departments is essential
- Extensions are not automatic, but granted if applied for and supported by a good case as with all extenuating circumstances. Specialist tutors will usually be able to provide full information along with discussion with student of implications for other pieces of coursework.
Inclusive assessment:
- A whole range of students with a whole range of needs; so why not offer a range of assessments for students to choose:
- Oral presentations in the form of vivas : ask CAP for appropriate training (for both you and your students) to meet learning outcomes
- Vivas can be recorded for external examiners (with all the necessary permissions)
- Within competency standards, coursework offered instead of exams
- Open book exam
- Audio or video presentation
- Mindmapped presentations
- Practice items readily available and marked if requested
- Projects and work of a practical kind as alternatives for long pieces of writing (e.g. dissertations)
- Portfolios or presentations
- Short answer responses
- Use of voice activated software
- Use of text reading software
- Double marking: for (i) content and then (ii) form