Darlington Central Unit Update

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Darlington Central Unit Update

• Quality Assuring DSA Assessment
• of Need Reports

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• DSA seeks to empower students with disabilities
  in an educational context
• SLC seeks to ensure quality for all its customers
  and this can be defined as
• Ability being used to its utmost

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• An Assessment of Need Report is a tailor made
  list of strategies for each student with detailed
  instructions for the awards officer and student
  on how this can be implemented
• Enabling the Awards Officer to expedite the
  recommendations in a Report can be said to be
  empowering for the student
• An individual report with tailor made support
  strategies is a student right.

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Findings of SFD Pilot Programme

• SFD Pilot Programme raised concerns regarding DSA
  Needs Assessment report format
• Evidence confirms that the report format in DSA
  Needs Assessment process varies considerably
  across the sector
• Evidence confirms a lack of any underlying
  methodology or measurable outcomes in many
  reports
• Evidence confirms that some DSA Needs Assessors
  are not familiar with DIUS guidance
• Delay in processing of DSA applications can often
  be caused by variation in formatting of reports,
  this being of particular concern where
  information is difficult to access or missing
• Variation in reports makes quality auditing of
  processes unnecessarily difficult this delays
  the implementation of support to students.

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Findings of SFD Pilot Programme

• SLC through consultation with SFD Pilot staff
  reviewed received reports to identify examples of
  best practice
• Information within DSA report is accessible
• Logical documentation of information (assessment
  report is a stand alone document)
• Recommendations made based on strategy
• Underlying methodology transparent and auditable
  in report
• Recommendations made in report are referenced to
  both student testimony and presented supporting
  documentation (such as medical note / Diagnostic
  SpLD report)
• Report easy to convert to alternative format if
  required should customer request this.

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The Quality Auditing Role of SLC

• All recommendations made in the DSA Needs
  Assessment Report should be in accordance with
  DIUS guidance documentation
• Recommendations which are not adequately
  justified will be questioned by SLC
• The SLC role is to quality audit recommendations,
  not rubber stamp.

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In the context of the existing guidance DSAs
should

• Be in respect of expenditure not covered
  elsewhere in the Regulations, and must arise from
  undertaking the course as well as from the
  disability
• Not be made for disability-related expenditure
  which the student would incur irrespective of
  whether or not he / she was a student
• and
• Not be made for expenditure relating to services
  which can reasonably be expected to be provided
  by the students institution under existing
  legislation.

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The SLC DSA Assessment of Needs Report Format and
Associated Methodology
Information gathering This informs Identificati
on of need This informs Suitable support
strategies This informs Students
Funding Bodies Service Providers
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• Information Gathering
• Section A of each report ensures that the process
  is bespoke and provides a context. It focuses on
  the student background as follows
• Nature / Evidence of Disability
• Previous Education / Employment
• Course Requirements.

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• Identification of Need
• Section B highlights the effects of the students
  disability on the following aspects of their
  academic life
• Research
• Composition
• Note-taking
• Proofreading
• Time Management
• Access to ICT / Course Technology / Practical
  Activities
• Communication
• Mobility.

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• Suitable support strategies
• Section C details how each area discussed in B
  above can be enhanced with appropriate strategies
  (with detailed recommendations for all equipment
  strategies and non-medical support strategies).
• Recommended Technology Based Support Strategies
• Personal Support Non-Medical Helpers
• Support Materials, Consumables and Accessories
  General Allowance
• Travel Requirements.

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Section D is the specification for the equipment,
non-medical support, general access support items
and travel support recommendations. Section E
lists the suppliers and an optional list of
appropriate recommendations for the HEI
concerned. For quality assurance purposes the
awards officer should be able to read from A-D
and backward from D-A. Every recommendation is a
solution, which stems from a strategy which stems
from a need and vice versa. SLC expects DSA
Assessment Centres to quality check reports to
ensure compliance with the above.
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• Implementing Change
• Proposal presented to DSA-QAG AGM June 2008
  with recommendation that report format be
  adopted across the sector with immediate effect
• Summer period will provide opportunity for DSA
  Assessors and Assessment Centres to review
  policies / procedures and make appropriate
  changes

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• Implementing Change
• Feedback to continue through DSA-QAG Directors
  and Associate Member groups.
• SLC will provide guidance documentation for
  pilot DSA Needs Assessment report and underlying
  methodology
• - In paper form (or alternative format if
  required)
• - Online via DSA-QAG website
• - Further support through regional training
  events.
• This is a starting point for change, SLC would
  like to work with stakeholders to ensure the
  future success of DSA for our customers
• SLC would welcome visits to Darlington / Glasgow
  to view our operations.