Policy statement: Identifying deaf or dyslexic students’ work to
markers
1. Introduction
1.1 The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 obliges the University to ensure that no
student is substantially disadvantaged as a result of disability. In terms of assessment,
disabled students must have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their achievement of
learning outcomes within a system which maintains the same high academic standards
for all. Evaluation must be carried out in a valid, reliable and transparent way,
avoiding the introduction of factors irrelevant to the learning outcome in question.
1.2 Deafness and dyslexia affect the automaticity of language learning and can reduce
the accuracy and sophistication of students’ written expression. Unless the learning
outcomes include specified standards of spelling and grammar, independent of what is
required to demonstrate knowledge of the subject matter, students who struggle with
written language as a result of disability must not be penalised for minor errors.1
Markers may therefore need to know when written work belongs to a deaf or dyslexic
student. Since most assessed work is marked anonymously this is impossible unless a
system is put in place to flag it to the marker without revealing the student’s name.
1.3 Current regulations already permit Heads of Schools to approve the disclosure of a
student’s identity, if needed in respect of student disabilities, before an internal mark
has been determined. Some Schools have developed their own procedures for doing
this in a way which preserves anonymity as far as possible. However, there is no
university-wide system at Cardiff, and where Schools do carry out such identification,
there is no mechanism for ensuring it applies only to the scripts of students with a
documented need for this adjustment. There is also no consistent guidance given to
markers on how to respond when work is so identified.
1.4 The following two-part proposal aims to improve the efficiency, consistency and
transparency of practices relating to the identification of student’s work. It will help
to ensure that disabled students have an equal opportunity to demonstrate
achievement of learning outcomes, whatever their programme of study. It recognises
that decisions about academic objectives and appropriate methods of assessment are
the responsibility of Schools and aims to support Schools in reflecting on their
provision for disabled students in examinations and assessments.
1.5 Principles
 It is a reasonable adjustment, under certain circumstances, to identify the work of
deaf or dyslexic students as such so that markers can discount minor errors of
spelling and grammar.
 It is an academic decision whether such an adjustment is consistent with
maintaining academic standards in a particular course of study.
1
At issue are minor errors of spelling and grammar of the kind indicated in the accompanying guidance
notes: errors which render the content ambiguous or incorrect must not be discounted.



Only students who have provided appropriate evidence of need to the Disability
and Dyslexia Service, and who have requested the adjustment, should have their
work identified in this way.
The proposal will not require any amendment to existing Senate Assessment
Regulations and will run in conjunction with other forms of reasonable
adjustment, such as alternative provision.
The identification of work should compromise anonymous marking practices as
little as possible.
2. University examinations
2.1 In formal University examinations there will be a single institution-wide
procedure for identifying the relevant scripts, administered as part of the system
already in place for specific provision. Students for whom the Disability and
Dyslexia Service has recommended this adjustment on the basis of documented need,
and who have requested it, will sit their exams in an alternative venue. These students
will be provided with a means of ‘flagging’ their answer booklets.
2.2 Schools will need to determine whether students in their subject areas are
expected to reach a specified standard of accuracy in written expression independent
of what is required to communicate knowledge of the subject matter.
2.3 Where such expectations are indeed central to the academic objectives of the
programme, Schools will need to determine the appropriate method of assessment for
this learning outcome. If these standards must be demonstrated under exam
conditions, Schools should instruct markers to ignore any ‘flagging’.
2.4 Where such expectations are not central to the academic objectives of the
programme and examinations are still used, Schools should ensure that markers have
the marking guidelines (see accompanying guidance notes) and so do not penalise
students unfairly.
2.5 In all cases, expectations with regard to accuracy in written expression should be
explicit in module learning outcomes. Students should be clearly informed about the
role of accurate written expression in their courses and about how this will be
assessed.
3. Class tests and coursework assessment
3.1 The need for adjustment in marking is less acute outside formal examinations,
because many such assessments are completed with access to reference materials and
assistive technologies. It may therefore be reasonable to set higher standards for
clarity, accuracy and expression. However, markers often wish to focus their
feedback on areas where the student can best make use of it, and identification of
work may be useful for this purpose even when markers are instructed not to discount
errors.
3.2 Therefore, for all class tests and coursework assessment, it will be the
responsibility of each School to determine when it is appropriate to identify work to
markers and to choose a method for doing so. The Disability and Dyslexia Service
will provide a list of students who have requested this adjustment and whose need for
it is documented.
3.3 The Accessible Curriculum Working Group will offer a package of supporting
materials and training for Schools who would like further guidance on how to respond
appropriately. This will include both guidance on marking and suggestions for
improving the effectiveness of feedback.
4. Responsibilities
4.1 Registry will develop a mechanism for identifying exam scripts and a procedure
for ensuring it is applied to the correct scripts, administered through the system
already in place for specific provision.
4.2 Schools will need to decide on their approach to this issue and ensure information
is available to students and markers by the beginning of 2006/2007. Individual staff
will need to make sure they are aware of the School’s approach to this issue, and that
they are familiar with the marking guidelines.
4.3 The Disability and Dyslexia Service will be responsible for maintaining a list of
students whose need for this particular adjustment has been documented.
4.4 Timeline
Timing and support will be coordinated with the planned implementation of the
Assessment Strategy.
Summer 2006: Schools to discuss implementation, with support from Accessible
Curriculum Project Officer, and decide on their approach
Session 2006-7: Implementation
Katya Hosking
Accessible Curriculum Project Officer 16/06/06