This article will focus on how to discuss reasonable adjustments during your time at University. The University has a duty under the UK Equality Act 2010 to implement reasonable adjustments where disabled students experience substantial disadvantages in comparison with non-disabled people.  Universities have an anticipatory duty to provide reasonable adjustments for students.

Reasonable adjustments can be defined as ‘changes in approach or provision to ensure services are accessible’ (Public Health England, 2020). Reasonable adjustments enable you to participate in the academic assessment process on a fair basis.

Reasonable adjustments can be discussed if your disability, long-term health condition, mental health condition or specific learning difference creates challenges in accessing the same facilities and services as your non disabled peers. Reasonable adjustments are designed to allow you to fully participate in learning, assessment, university facilities and services. Reasonable adjustments are discussed and recommended on an individual case-by-case basis at the University.

How do I discuss reasonable adjustments?

If you share your diagnosis with the University of Southampton before you arrive, it is likely that you will be invited to our Transition Programme. The main basis of our Transition Programme is a 1:1 appointment with a Specialist Practitioner to discuss your condition and how it impacts you and your study day to day. At this point, the Specialist Practitioner that you meet with can review any medical evidence and information you have shared, in order to recommend specific reasonable adjustments and further support to be implemented to ensure you can thrive during your time at University.

It is important to note, these appointments are not just available to students who share their diagnosis with the University before they arrive. Students can meet with the Student Disability and Inclusion Team at any point during their studies for a Student Support Appointment with and without a formal diagnosis.

How do I contact the Student Disability and Inclusion Team at the University if I have already started my course?

If you are interested in meeting with a member of the team to discuss support and reasonable adjustments, there are a few ways the team can be contacted.

• You can visit the Student Hub (Building 37, Highfield Campus) between 9am-5pm Monday-Friday.
• You can call the team between 9am-5pm Monday-Friday via the Student Hub (02380 599 599).
• You can email the team on studenthub@soton.ac.uk

What could reasonable adjustments look like?

Once a student has met with a Specialist Practitioner at the University, where the student provides documentary medical evidence, they will likely have a ‘Student Support Recommendations’ document written. This may be commonly referred to as an ‘SSR’. Some other universities may give this support document a slightly different name.

Once it has been written, the SSR is shared within the University on a need to know basis, so that relevant stakeholders are aware of the adjustments that you require. Typically, this will be shared with a student’s faculty (and occasionally other Stakeholders such as Library, Timetabling and Accommodation where appropriate). The document outlines the recommendations for Reasonable Adjustments to be implemented. If adjustments cannot be made, an alternative must be found.

Reasonable adjustments are recommended on a case-by-case basis and will rely upon consultation with a student and their documentary evidence. However, when it comes to assessments, for example, some reasonable adjustments could include:

• an alternative mode of assessment
• having extra time in an examination
• presenting to a smaller group rather than in front of a group.

How would I share my diagnosis with the University before I start?

In order for the Student Disability and Inclusion Team at the University to offer you support for your diagnosis before you start your course, we would need this information to be shared with us. Once you have received an offer to study at the University, you will be sent a link to our Health Questionairre. This is separate from UCAS. It is created by the University and shared only within the University of Southampton. Based on the information shared in the questionnaire, you could then be invited to a Student Support appointment (as part of our Transition programme) to discuss support before you arrive at University. Transition appointments typically start around mid-late August before beginning your course in September/October.

• Negotiate your reasonable adjustments, rather than taking them as they come – what works for you individually?
• Consider what support has helped you previously – through school/sixth-form, if applicable. This can be discussed with the Specialist Practitioner. Although support will likely be different at University, this can help inform the recommendations and support signposted for you.
• When considering how you will access assessments, Specialist Practitioners can liaise with your faculty about learning outcomes, they may consider- what are alternative ways for you to evidence your knowledge and understanding?
• Remember that the Student Disability and Inclusion Team is always there to support you, but they won’t necessarily know the academic requirements. They will work with liaising with your faculties when making recommendations but it may be that some of these cannot be implemented. In these instances, an alternative will be sought.
• Use the Autism&Uni Best Practice Guides as support (see page on UDL)
• Reply promptly to all communications regarding your support and reasonable adjustments, to ensure support is put in place when it’s needed. It is best practice to share your communication preference with the team when you meet with them. For example, phone calls may be difficult for you, so you can ask that you are contacted in the first instance by email/text.
• If it is helpful for a third-party to contact us regarding your support at University (e.g. a parent/carer/supporter), you will need to have completed the third-party consent form.
• More information about third party consent at the University of Southampton can be found by visiting this webpage.

The Equality Challenge Unit has published guidance on reasonable adjustments to assist universities in planning and implementing them: http://www.ecu.ac.uk/publications/managing-reasonable-adjustments-in-higher-education/

References

Public Health England (2020) Reasonable adjustments: A legal duty, GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reasonable-adjustments-a-legal-duty/reasonable-adjustments-a-legal-duty (Accessed: 15 April 2024).

Originally published by Autism&Uni on 19th July 2017. Updated by Beth Lawson, University of Southampton, (April 2024).