Assessment and Examination Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Policy

The purpose of this policy is to state the University's position in relation to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities in all assessments and examinations.

This policy applies to all students who are registered with the University’s Disability and Learning Support Service (DLSS) and who have been identified, through the Needs Assessment Process, as requiring examination and/or assessment supports.

This policy does not apply to students with a temporary disability. A student is deemed to have a temporary disability if the disability is likely to last less than six weeks. In this case the student is not required to register with the DLSS and should approach Registry directly to request any additional examination accommodations.

The University is committed to ensuring, as far as possible and within the framework of current legislative requirements (the Disability Act 2005, the Equal Status Acts 2000-2015, & the Universities Act 1997) that students with disabilities have equality of access to and participation in all teaching, learning, and examination and assessment procedures. This includes end-of-semester examinations and any other examinations that contribute to module or course results. 

The central tenet of the policy is of ‘fairness and equality’ where students with disabilities will be enabled to demonstrate their knowledge and competency on an equal basis with their peers.

The policy, and its developed practice, are grounded in a developing commonality of agreed policy across Irish Higher Education Institutions.

In addition, the granting of reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities will:

• Be consistent with the academic rigour of programmes
• Maintain academic standards
• Ensure fairness to students without disabilities
• Be mindful of the nature of the accommodations that can reasonably be expected to be available in the student’s environment of professional practice following on from completion of their Higher Education studies.

Reasonable Accommodations should not be provided without prior consultation with the DLSS in relation to the individual student’s disability or specific learning difficulty and its impact on teaching, learning and assessment.

Ultimate responsibility for ensuring ‘equality of access’ to assessment and examinations lies with the University although a number of administrative units maybe involved in agreeing and delivering on reasonable accommodations:

University

• The DLSS will carry out a Needs Assessment with the student where the provision of Reasonable Accommodations in assessments and examinations can be discussed and agreed, if appropriate.
• The DLSS will liaise with Registry in relation to Reasonable Accommodations in formal semester examinations and with individual faculty/school offices and academic staff specifically with regards to continuous assessments and class tests prior to their provision.
• All Reasonable Accommodations can be reviewed by the DLSS at the request of the student.

Student

• Students must register with the DLSS as soon as possible within the academic year to ensure that Reasonable Accommodation are in place in time for assessments/examinations.
• Consent that information in relation to their disability and the provision of Reasonable Accommodations may be made know to relevant academic, administrative and examination staff.
• Proactively engage with the DLSS.

Disability

For the purposes of this policy, the legal definition of disability, which is outlined in the Equal Status Acts 2000-2015, defines disability as follows:

1. The total or partial absence of a person’s bodily or mental functions, including the absence of a part of a person’s body;
2. The presence in the body of organisms causing or likely to cause, chronic disease or illness;
3. The malfunction, malformation, or disfigurement of a part of a person’s body;
4. A condition or malfunction which results in a person learning differently from a person without the condition or malfunction;

or

5. A condition, illness or disease which affects a person’s thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgement or which results in disturbed behaviour.

These include ‘a disability which exists at present, or which previously existed but no longer exists, or which may exist in the future, or which is imputed to a person.’

A disability is significant, long term and/or enduring in nature.

Reasonable Accommodations

Those actions that enable students to demonstrate their true knowledge and ability in examinations without changing the demands of the examination. The intention behind the provision of such accommodations is to alleviate substantial disadvantages without affecting the integrity of the assessment.

(DAWN Principles, Guidelines and Procedures for the Granting of Reasonable Accommodations in Examinations to Students with Disabilities, 2019)

This policy should be read in conjunction with the Exam Supports for Students with a Disability Toolkit (See Link).

Any queries in regard to this policy should be directed to the Disability & Learning Support Service.     

Email: disability.service@dcu.ie

This policy will be reviewed by the Head of the Disability & Learning Support Service every 3 years, or when required.