Disability

Queen Mary aims to be the most inclusive university of its kind, anywhere. Given this ambition and our unique position as a campus-based university in central London we are an attractive destination for disabled students.

While many students with specific learning differences such as dyslexia are diagnosed whilst at Queen Mary, students with existing disabilities and long-term conditions will need support from the university from the start of their course, particularly as the way that support for students with disabilities differs so much in Higher Education from what they may have experienced at school or in Further Education.

The best advice when supporting disabled students is to check that they have registered with the Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS). DDS have a team of specialist advisers and study skills tutors who can:

• Provide recommendations and implement reasonable adjustments such as Examination Access Arrangements
• Arrange for specialist support, e.g. one to one study skills, mentoring, or practical support such as note-taking for students with sensory impairments
• Act as a conduit between the student and their School or Institute in terms of agreeing adjustments and other forms of support, e.g. alternative assessments
• Explain the process for establishing a diagnosis of a specific learning difference, e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD
• Advise and guide students through the process of applying for a Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA)

The Disability and Dyslexia Service is based on the third floor of the Francis Bancroft Building at Mile End.

See the section on Supporting Disabled Students for more information on how to access details of students being supported by DDS.

For more information on how to create accessible teaching and learning content, we would encourage academic colleagues to utilise the excellent resources curated by the Technology Enhanced Learning Team; these cover Q-Review, QMplus and other resources such as the Reading Lists Online site.