Create and implement a comprehensive inclusive teaching policy enabling all students to excel in their studies
Lead Officer: Amber Snary, SU Education Officer
What is the issue about?
In 2023/24, 2432 undergraduate students had a Disability Access Plan (DAP). Of these, a quarter would disappear if we established just three common suggestions across teaching: 1) recorded lectures, 2) notes in advance, and 3) ability to self-record. This data only covers students who have disclosed a disability and formed a DAP - scaled up to the 40% average currently self-disclosing as having a disability according to WonkHE, we are looking at a massive gap in teaching practice - and that is before we even consider the wider context of who would benefit from these practices; students working longer and more hours, those with caring duties, and those with timetable clashes.
Further, over the last year, it has been repeatedly highlighted how our processes for "when things go wrong" have failed our students - from the hundreds of students seen by our Advice and Support service, students coming to me personally with increasingly complex cases, and the hundreds of IMCs filed for the Economics exam which made national BBC news - it is crystal clear that we need to reconsider our systems.
What are we asking the University to do?
We are asking the University to form and enforce a teaching policy that enforces the recommendations of recorded lectures, notes in advance, and the ability to self-record.
We are calling for re-evaluation of current processes surrounding what happens when things go "wrong" - standardising the extension process, fixing the current IMC processes, and ensuring that processes such as appeals are not as time-consuming and complex as students currently report them to be.
What will success look like?
1. All lectures will be recorded and available to students as standard - including guest lectures.
2. Lecturers are supported to deliver lecture recordings and suitable alternatives in the best interests of students.
3. Improvements to the accessibility and communication of accessibility for physical and sensory environments.
4. DAP needs are more easily accessible for lecturers (e.g. an 'at a glance' overview for each class).
5. Clarified expectations to ensure all students receive notes in advance as standard.
Updates
January 2025
- DAP paper presented at Education Advisory Board
- Equality Act Papers produced - this includes both inclusive assessment and teaching
- HSS is trialling a rollout of structured assessment sheets across HSS
Useful Terminology
- Disability Access Plan (DAP) - A DAP identifies recommended reasonable adjustments and exam arrangements which will help a student to fulfil their academic potential and reduce the impact of their disability on their studies.
- WonkHE – the home of UK Higher Education debate, providing a platform for driving policy forward.
- IMC (Individual Mitigating Circumstances) - IMCs are conditions which temporarily prevent you from undertaking an assessment or significantly impair your performance in that assessment.