How to Organise your Assessment of Need
(Disabled Students Allowance)
This booklet provides a brief guide for disabled Students and/or
Students with Specific Learning Difficulties to the following:
The assessment process for the Disabled Students Allowance.
Booking your assessment.
This information is also on our website
www.cumbria.ac.uk/disability
Other useful websites are:
www.yourdsa.com owned by Broadbent & Co.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disabled_students_allowance with links at
the bottom to most funding bodies.
www.dyslexic.com/dsaaimed at students with dyslexia and is
colour coded in pastel shades for easy reading.
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Library and Student Services July 2013
The Assessment Process and the Assessment
report
Once your funding body has established your eligibility for
support, you will be asked to have a needs assessment. This will
allow your particular needs to be matched with the requirements
of your proposed course. It will also give you the opportunity to
try various equipment/ software and discuss the different types of
non-medical support such as study coach, note-taking and
mentoring. The process normally takes about 2 to 3 hours and
takes place at an accredited assessment centre. The assessment,
though it sounds very formal, is a very informal and relaxed
process.
Following your assessment you will be sent a draft report. It is
important that you check this carefully and a checklist is provided
overleaf for your use to help you do this. You should be aware
that it may be difficult to amend recommendations once they have
been approved by funding bodies, or to makes changes within a
short timescale of the report.If you need assistance with checking
your report please contact us.
If you are satisfied with the report you must contact the
assessment centre to give your approval. Likewise if you have any
questions, spot any errors or omissions you should refer back to
your assessment centre.
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Assessment Centre Contact Details
You should only contact an assessment centre once you have
received written confirmation from your funding body. The
assessment centre will need a copy of this authorisation and a
copy of the disability evidence you submitted to your funding
body. A full list of assessment centres is available at
www.nnac.org/students/findcentre.php or www.dsa-qag.org.uk.
If you are arranging an assessment prior to coming to the
university, or at London, please use the above link to find the
nearest centre to you. The University of Cumbria works closely
with two assessment centres. You do not have to use these
assessment centres, but their details are listed below.
Lancashire/South Cumbria : For students living/ studying near
Lancaster or Ambleside Campus:
Lancaster University Assessment Centre
www.lancs.ac.uk/sbs/disabilities/assessmentcentrehm
Phone: 01524 592753
Email assessmentcentre@lancaster.ac.uk
Cumbria: Broadbent & Co. operate a Higher Education Outreach
Centre at the Brampton Road Campus, Carlisle. This facility is only
available for students enrolled on courses at the University based
at the Carlisle group of campuses.
www.broadbentco.co.uk
phone: 01457 835 568
email info@broadbentco.co.uk
Broadbent & Co. also have a main centre in East Manchester as
well as other outreach centres in Liverpool and Bolton.
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Library and Student Services July 2013
Assessment Checklist
Have warranties for
equipment been
included ?
Do they cover the full
duration of your
course ?
Do you have more
than one disability ?
Are they all clearly
referenced ?
Yes/No
Yes/No
Have you been recommended ?
a desk or furniture ?
Is assembly
included ?
Yes/No
a device that accesses
the internet ?
Does this include a
firewall, anti-virus
software and
connection costs ?
Yes/No
assistive software
technology?
Has sufficient training
been included?
Yes/No
non-medical support ?
Is this clearly
referenced as hours
per academic year ?
For each academic
year of your course ?
Yes/No
Once you have received and approved a copy of your final report, this
will be sent to your funding body by the assessment centre. Your
funding body will write to you and confirm approval of the
recommendations. Once this has happened please contact us and book
an appointment at LiSS to discuss how to implement all your support
recommendations.
Produced by Student Development and Well Being,
Library and Student Services July 2013