Association of Study Aids/Strategies Assessors.
What happens in the Study Aids and Study Strategies Assesment (or "DSA Needs Assessment")?
When you arrive at the assessment centre for your appointment, centre staff will meet you and will often ask you for
- the letter your funding body sent you that confirms you are eligible for an assessment and/or says you need to arrange to be assessed by an Access or Assessment Centre.
- the evidence you sent you your funding body (e.g. a medical letter, psychologist report etc).
When it's time for your appointment, the assessor will usually come out to meet you and show you to the assessment room. If you have brought a family member, friend or support worker with you, it's often best they wait outside so you can talk openly without worrying you might upset someone. If you really want them to come into the session, tell the assessor. The assessor won't object to this if you make it clear it's your wish for the person/people to be present.
At the start of the assessment session, the assessor should make sure you are comfortable. If there's anything about the room you're not happy with (e.g. the lighting, background noise, the seat) the assessor would rather you mention this as soon as possible rather than have you struggling to concentrate.
The assessor will explain what happens during the session and then start to check that any general information already provided about you, including your name and contact details, your course details and university, your funding body, is correct.
The assessor will ask if you have been in touch with the disability officer at your university and will also ask your permission to contact that person if necessary and/or to send a copy of the final report to them. You don't have to agree to this, but it can be difficult for assessors to make recommendations to the university about how they can help you (e.g. by making sure teaching rooms are accessible or by providing special arrangements in examinations) if you don't give permission for the report to be sent to them. Disability Officers provide confidential advice and won't tell anyone else about you if you ask them not to.
The assessor may also ask if it's OK for him/her to speak to your head of department or tutors to find out basic information about the structure of the course. You can make it clear to the assessor that you don't want your name to be mentioned if you are concerned about confidentiality.
After all this, the assessor will talk about the reason why you've been referred for the assessment and ask some general information about your disability, such as when it was diagnosed, what kind of medication or treatment you're receiving, what support you're receiving from specialists. The assessor will then ask you about your previous education experiences and any equipment or strategies you might have used in the past.
The assessor will then talk about the course you are studying, or are about to study, to find out what you will have to do while at university. Next, the assessor will talk to you about any difficulties you might experience participating in various aspects the course, from physically getting into and around the university to participating in taught sessions, undertaking research, producing coursework assignments or any other aspects of studying.
Where problems are identified in any of these areas, the assessor will discuss possible solutions with you. These might involve use of simple or specialist equipment, arranging for personal assistance in various tasks or using other strategies to overcome specific problems.
The assessor will often demonstrate equipment or software that could help you to overcome these problems. You will be given the opportunity to try out these strategies and will be asked for your opinion on whether or not it might be helpful.
At the end of the session, the assessor will talk to you about what happens next. The assessor will be taking notes throughout the session, so he/she can write up a report about what was discussed. You should receive a draft copy of this report two or three weeks after the session, so you can read through it and, if necessary, tell the assessment centre about any mistakes or concerns you have about the report.
Once a final report is agreed with you it will be sent to you, your funding body and, if agreed, your disability officer.
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