Accessibility in the Psychology Undergraduate Curriculum
Record-keeping and monitoring statistics
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- 2.3. Personal tutoring
- 2.4. Coursework submission, extenuating circumstances and programme-related enquiries
- 3. Admissions and enrolment
- 4. Accommodation
2.2. Record-keeping and monitoring statisticsThe School maintains a list of current students who have declared a disability, with information about adjustments that have been agreed. Information about a student’s disability is kept in a sealed envelope in the student’s file, for access by staff members on a need to know basis. Along with most other details in the student file, this information is destroyed one year after the student leaves the School. The School strives to provide a high-quality educational experience for each student, and responds flexibly as required to achieve that. Qualitative feedback from students is monitored closely, and the School continually updates its policies, procedures, and curriculum in an effort to improve the training that students receive. At the end of each academic year, all students are asked to evaluate the overall curriculum for the year they have just completed. The questionnaire asks about the adequacy of provisions for disabilities. Responses are monitored by Year Coordinators and by the Teaching & Learning Committee. 2.3. Personal tutoringThe personal tutor system is a central part of student support within the University. Personal tutors monitor the academic progress of their tutees, provide feedback and advice on academic and personal matters as they are able, and provide a first point of contact to the student support services provided by the University. Personal tutors will generally be informed about disabilities that have been disclosed by their tutees (subject to the student’s permission). Personal tutors can help their tutees to make a disability disclosure. Personal tutors can also advise on when and how to report extenuating circumstances, or request a deadline extension, etc. Students preparing to return from an Interruption of Study may contact their personal tutor for advice and support. A month prior to a student’s scheduled return, Registry asks the student whether they intend to return and to provide documentary evidence of fitness to do so. Further details can be found in the Academic Regulations Handbook, and also in the School’s Student Handbooks. 2.4. Coursework submission, extenuating circumstances and programme-related enquiriesThe School has an Extenuating Circumstances Administrator, and a Coursework Administrator. They are based in Room 6.01 (Tower Building). The Administrators coordinate the submission and return of all coursework, and collate documentation relating to student absences, extenuating circumstances and extension requests. They also deal with the EMS, Plagiarism and other student/programme related tasks. Students can also get replacement key cards here (for accessing student study rooms 1.01 and 1.07). 3. Admissions and enrolmentThis section covers tasks that students must complete to sign up for the degree programme (informational documents are identified in section 7.1). Admissions and enrolment includes the following activities:
Students who receive a conditional offer of admission are invited to attend one of the School’s Open Days. Alternatively, when a conditional offer is made, Registry invites disabled students to visit the University and meet with a disabilities adviser and an admissions tutor to discuss the requirements of the course and what arrangements might reasonably be made to minimize any academic disadvantage due to the student’s disability. Students who did this would not normally attend one of the Open Days as well, because it would offer them no new information. Students complete central enrolment using an online process through SIMS Online, often before they arrive in Cardiff. Alternative arrangements are made for students who anticipate difficulty with this process. 4. AccommodationThe School of Psychology is housed primarily in a 12-story building. This section covers physical access to the School, including evacuation procedures for anyone unable to use the stairs. The following topics are discussed below:
Building access. The front entrance to the Psychology building is from a raised patio which is normally accessed by climbing a few steps from the pavement. There are two ways to access the building without navigating stairs.
Lifts. Inside the building, two lifts facilitate access to the upper floors. A key is required to get the lift to stop on floors 1 and 2 (which house a large lecture theatre, the undergraduate computing lab 1.07 and the interactive common room 1.01 , and a number of offices and research labs). The receptionist in the foyer has a lift key and can use it to facilitate occasional access to floors 1 and 2, but students with a mobility impairment will generally be issued their own lift key (this is arranged through the Technical Support Manager, Claudia Calder, 029 2087 9446). Getting to lectures. Most Psychology lectures take place within the Psychology building itself. The recommended wheelchair access to the large lecture theatre, SPLT, is on floor 2, and the doors to the lecture theatre on that floor can be opened by pressing a button on the wall nearby. Some lectures take place in nearby buildings, and students with mobility impairments may need to use the lifts in those buildings. For those lifts that require a key, the same key that operates the Psychology lift operates the lifts in nearby buildings, too. Most lecture theatres have doors that could be hard for some people to open (e.g. someone in a wheelchair). Usually, others going to the same lecture (including the instructor) will be available and glad to offer assistance if necessary. Failing that, the porter/receptionist in the foyer of the relevant building would be able to help. Evacuation without lifts. The lifts cannot be used in the event of a fire alarm, so alternative arrangements must be made to evacuate people who are unable to use the stairs. The School’s Safety Officer (John Culling) contacts students with mobility impairments to draw up an individual evacuation plan. For example, the evacuation plan might recommend retreating to a designated stairwell to wait for assistance. Download 160.33 Kb. Share with your friends:
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