Dyslexic help at uni

[jenkel]

Just a bit disappointed but not sure if I expected too much. Dd is doing a non academic foundation degree run by the local uni but at a local college. She is already working in the field, and has done level 1,2 and 3 college courses at a different college and passed with double distinction. Her place of work praises her a lot, she is a a natural and very good at her job. She is dyslexic and at college they really helped her, her problem is getting things down on paper in a logical way. College figured out that if she spoke her assignments and they recorded it, it worked brilliantly as she is very eloquent, just can’t get it down on paper. But with this foundation degree she needs to be able to write assignments, she has mentioned she is dyslexic and has asked for any additional help but none seems to be forthcoming, she has failed 2 assignments and is retaking the year again, the course is 2 years long, but she is thinking that she is going to give up, that it’s just too hard for her and no help, is she just flogging a dead horse, I think because she done so well on her level 3 she thought she would have a chance a uni. No pressure from us, we are very proud of her anyway but I am sad for her that it’s ended this way. I’m not even sure what help she could get, just that the other college really went out of there way to t help her.

She should definitely be able to get help due to her dyslexia. DH works for RG uni & is always organising help needed for exam scribes etc for numerous students. Student support is usually 1st port of call, escalate by involving additional support team if necessary.

Does she have disabled students allowance? They can make recommendations as well as equipment.

Did she apply for dsa? If she has a post 16 assessment she needs to ensure Student Support are aware and make adjustments with the department. Does she have a laptop with dictation software, for example.

OP, I'm a university lecturer. Does your DD have a SORA (Statement of Reasonable Adjustments) outlining a set of approved adjustments to learning, coursework and exams to allow your DD to engage fully with her course.If she doesn't have one, there should be a procedure to follow at her uni to obtain one - often it involves going through student support services. or student disability services (depending on how each uni arranges things). The fact that she successfully used dictation or a scribe for assessments at college can be used as evidence for a SORA that this is her usual way of working.

If she does already have a SORA but it doesn't include provision for dictation/scribing, I suggest she applies to have it reviewed, using evidence of her previous way of working at college. I would also ask student support whether they have any dyslexia-specific support available via the university, including speech-to-text software which your DD could use for her learning and assignments.

Does your DD have a personal tutor or academic mentor? This is exactly the sort of issue that a personal tutor can advise on and help her navigate.

She definitely shouldn't just give up the course - it sounds like she is more than capable of achieving providing that the right support is in place for her.

Sorry, there should have been a question mark at the end of the second sentence - wish MN had an edit button!

Thank you everybody, I do think education has failed her and I feel partly responsible. All the way through school I was asking is she dyslexic, I was given every answer possible other than yes, she could be, she was shy, she was slow etc etc. actually a teacher said just before her GCSEs that she thought she could be dyslexic, i just wished I pushed it more. Anyway we went through a private dyslexic test and we showed the results to the college and the uni, she has no extra funding, no dsa, she was given a mentor at uni but she has been next to useless and cancels most of their meetings. I will let her read this and see if she can get anywhere with the uni, it’s hard as it’s a uni course taught at a local college. Her tutor has actually advised her not to do the final year as her writing is not academic enough.

She needs to apply for DSA herself, it’s part of student finance. It’s not a quick process so might not be in place for this year assessments.

Has she spoken with student support or her personal tutor about reasonable adjustments?

You don't receive direct extra funding through dsa as such, the mentor may be funded through it though plus she should have a Needs Assessment to identify what adjustments (extended deadlines, recorded lectures etc) and equipment( ie. speech software, microphone ) need putting in place. Are you certain she has spoken to the Disability/Learning Support office at the college about her issues and made a request, or may not have declined help? When was the private assessment?

It sounds like her previous college was much more supportive in terms of putting reasonable adjustments in place. Is there anyone from student or disability services at her previous college that she could ask to get in touch with the new college/uni to advocate for the same adjustments she had on the Level 1, 2 and 3 courses?

The key thing will be to show that her written work can be more academic when she is allowed/supported to produce it in a way that minimises the impact of her dyslexia.

There shouldn't really be any reason for the university not to accept a private dyslexia assessment as sufficient evidence for a SORA.