Part-Time Student Support Policy
Part-time students with a disability studying in UCD, who provide suitable documentary evidence of
their disability, may avail of supports from the Access Centre. Students wishing to avail of supports must
attend for a Needs Assessment appointment with the Access Centre. Supports are agreed between the
student and staff member based on national guidelines, course demands and the student’s anticipated
needs. These supports may include:
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Exam supports
o Exam supports include extra time (10mins extra per hour), Refer to Marking Guidelines
Labels (referring to spelling & grammar), use of a computer, alternative exam location,
use of a reader etc.
Skills Supports
o Academic Skills Workshops
 Covering study skills, time management, academic writing, research skills and
exam preparation
o Academic Skills Drop In Sessions
 Covering queries such as essay structure, referencing, reading strategies etc.
o Learning Support Blackboard module
 This module contains all of the material used in workshops including slides,
hand outs, exercises and templates.
Assistive Technology
o Assistive Technology is strictly provided on loan to part time students. Students must
pay a deposit for each piece of technology. This deposit will be returned when the
equipment is returned at the end of the student’s programme.
o Assistive Technology supports include:
 Recording devices – Livescribe pens
 Literacy Software – Texthelp Read & Write Gold
Students are required to access as much support as they can from their academic departments.
A waiver in spelling and grammar for assignments/thesis is not available. The Access Centre will not
provide any sort of proofreading or editing service for students. It is stressed that providing this service
would be in direct violation of the UCD’s Plagiarism Policy which states that “representing collaborative
work as one’s own” is considered an act of plagiarism. Students must proofread their work and may use
literacy software where applicable.
Dr Lisa Padden
UCD Access Centre 2013