DSA Service Annual Report

Transcription

1 DSA Service Annual Report 2014/15 August 2015

2 Contents Foreword Introduction Needs assessors Quality assurance Key developments in A student-centred service How feedback is acted upon Conclusion... 9 i

3 Foreword The university was established to bring higher education to the communities of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Our mission relates not only to these regions, but to the individual people within these communities, and beyond, who choose to study with us. Students must be at the centre of our university. This means meeting the needs and expectations of a diverse and geographically dispersed student body. We are committed to academic recruitment based on merit, but recognise that fair admissions alone do not always overcome historic disadvantage. Our new strategic plan says that the university will continue to meet the needs of learners within the region, while targeting growth in our share of young entrants and students from beyond the region. We will do this, inter alia: by using our expertise in blended delivery to meet the support needs and expectations of our diverse student body, studying in a wide variety of locations and contexts; by working in partnership with students to ensure their voices drive improvement and change; and by recognising and responding to the diversity of our student population by creating opportunities where inclusive practice can be enhanced and mainstreamed. The university aims to create a supportive and welcoming environment for all and strives to provide appropriate and efficient services to students with disabilities. Our methods of learning, teaching and assessment are flexible and designed to suit a range of needs. By offering effective support, we aim to enable all students to participate fully in all activities while studying with the university. We are proud of our ability to conduct Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) assessments and our innovative use of technology in the process. More importantly, we are proud that gaining the accreditation to do so has, in many cases, removed the need for individual people to travel considerable distances for that assessment, thus helping us to fulfil that aspect of our service to the people in our region. We value our institutional DSA accreditation highly and are constantly looking to enhance the process through service user feedback and reflections from our dedicated team of assessors. This report will provide evidence to support this approach and we look forward to serving the needs of our students throughout and beyond. Dr Iain Morrison Dean of Students 1

4 1.0 Introduction 1.1 The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is validated as an institution to conduct needs assessments with students for the purposes of claiming Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) from Students Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). This means that any university student can engage with the DSA needs assessment process from their campus or learning centre without necessarily travelling to an Access Centre elsewhere in Scotland. 1.2 As in previous years, most students assessed by the university in were based at locations with an assessor on site. However, communications technologies can be used to assess remote learners and overcome the barrier of geographical distance if appropriate. 1.3 In common with other validated DSA assessment centres, the university is accountable to the Scottish Government and, as such, must provide regular updates to the Disabled Students Advisory Group to maintain its validation. Applications for revalidation must include specific examples of continuous improvement in university DSA processes. Overall, the university is required to demonstrate an ability to provide high quality and timely needs assessments, and recommend support that enables students to achieve their learning potential. 1.4 The university will be invited to submit a revalidation application to the Scottish Government in autumn The present report outlines the activities of the university s DSA Service for the period from 1 st April 2014 to 31 st March Needs assessors 2.1 The Scottish Qualification Authority s Professional Development Award (PDA) in Inclusiveness is the standard qualification for university needs assessors. Twelve disability practitioners located throughout the university partnership currently possess the full PDA and are therefore qualified as DSA assessors. This includes the university s Disability Support Coordinator, who can assess students peripatetically as required. In addition, four members of staff are currently, or soon to be, engaged as trainee needs assessors and will join the university s team of assessors once qualified. One other colleague has experience from previous employment at an external DSA assessment centre. 2.2 In in particular, the university s Disability Practitioners Group (DPG) has become noticeably more established as a key forum enabling needs assessors and other student support practitioners to raise questions for discussion and share knowledge and best practice. DPG therefore provides an opportunity for university DSA processes to be harmonised and standardised for the university partnership. 2.3 Moreover, the university continues to provide regular opportunities for trainee and qualified needs assessors to upgrade their skills. For example, a student support development day held in March 2015 included an overview of current technologies to support visual impairment. There was also a practical demonstration of how university services integrate with tablet devices, and an overview from the university s Professor of Pedagogy of planned activities for the university s Learning and Teaching Academy. 2

5 2.4 Responses to an evaluation circulated to attendees after the development day in March 2015 consistently indicated that its most positive aspect was that it provided an opportunity for colleagues across the university partnership to meet together and share experience, knowledge and good working practices. It is clear that such development days should continue and consideration will be given to suggested themes for future development days. 2.5 In addition to planned student support development days and scheduled meetings of DPG, there are more informal opportunities for networking. Thus needs, assessors can seek advice from colleagues (e.g. via ) outside of scheduled meetings and consult with external agencies as required. The university has positive working relationships with external organisations, including Iansyst Ltd, Concept Northern and Texthelp Ltd. 2.6 Individual practitioners also have an on-going commitment to continuing professional development. In June 2014, for example, several student support practitioners involved in the DSA needs assessment process attended an ICT and Inclusion event in Inverness. This provided access to specialist advice and a valuable opportunity to sample new technologies. We found being able to question the experts and compare products very helpful. (Qualified university DSA assessors) 3.0 Quality assurance 3.1 Agreed processes are in place to ensure that each needs assessment conducted internally 1 satisfies university and Scottish Government quality standards. The same quality criteria apply to each needs assessment regardless of how it is conducted. 3.2 Once a student s needs assessment report has been finalised, the assessor provides an internal quality form to the university s DSA Service as confirmation that the necessary documentation is in place. The DSA Service processes quality forms within two working days of receipt from the needs assessor, who then sends the student s application to SAAS for consideration. 3.3 The university quality assured 70 needs assessments internally : o o o 60 face-to-face assessments 9 assessments conducted by Video Conference 1 assessment conducted by telephone 1 The university has no involvement in the quality assurance of needs assessments completed outwith the university partnership (by an external Access Centre, for example). 3

6 Assessments 3.4 Figure 1 provides a breakdown of the number of needs assessments quality assured internally over the last four complete academic years. The number of needs assessments quality assured by the university has increased year-on-year Fig. 1 DSA needs assessments quality assured at UHI, by academic year and mode of delivery Telephone Video Conference Face-to-face Total / / / /15 Academic Year 3.5 Table 1 indicates that the university quality assured DSA needs assessments from assessors at seven Academic Partners in Table 1: Needs assessments quality assured by the university in , by assessor s location Assessor s location (Academic Partner) Needs assessments Inverness College UHI 16 Moray College UHI 23 North Highland College UHI 12 Orkney College UHI 7 Perth College UHI 9 Shetland College UHI 1 UHI Executive Office 2 4

7 3.6 Table 2 indicates that students at nine Academic Partners were assessed for DSA purposes by the university in Table 2: Needs assessments quality assured by the university in , by student s location Student s location (Home Academic Partner) Needs assessments Inverness College UHI 16 Lews Castle College UHI 2 Moray College UHI 22 North Highland College UHI 11 Orkney College UHI 5 Perth College UHI 8 Shetland College UHI 1 Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI 2 Scottish Association for Marine Science UHI Key developments in Additional Support Online 4.1 The university s web-based Additional Support Online system 2 was launched in Semester 1 of It records a student s interactions with Academic Partner Student Services and enables students with disclosed needs and relevant staff (e.g. Student Services staff and Personal Academic Tutors) to view and work from a single source of data, on a need-toknow basis, from within UHI Records. 4.2 DSA assessors can use the system to schedule appointments with a student at each stage of the needs assessment process and complete the university s internal DSA quality form. The assessor can also keep track of items of software or hardware that might be loaned to a student (e.g. for trial purposes before needs assessment recommendations are finalised). 4.3 A key benefit of Additional Support Online is that it promotes further transparency in the provision of student support and engages the student as an equal partner in this process. It has also been particularly helpful in establishing common procedures for the university partnership, notwithstanding local variations in Academic Partner business processes. 4.4 Thanks in particular to the university s MIS Manager, Denise Maclean-Ferguson, who had overall responsibility for the technical development of the Additional Support Online system in Disability Practitioners Group 4.5 The university s Head of IT Services joined DPG in 2015, along with one of the university s Customer Service Managers. This development will enable an improved dialogue between DSA assessors and Learning and Information Services in respect of the IT requirements of students with additional needs. It is also likely to result in an improved understanding of the 2 5

8 assistive technologies available to students at Academic Partners, and will be beneficial in the context of any developments relating to Shared Services. 4.6 The President and both Vice Presidents of the university partnership s Students Association will join DPG in 2015, as will a current postgraduate research student based at Orkney College UHI. This increase in student representation will provide greater opportunities for student feedback to shape future developments of the university DSA Service. Equalities 4.7 The university s institutional DSA accreditation has positive impact from an equalities/equivalence perspective. A case study 3 is available as evidence of the DSA Service s contribution towards progress in the mainstreaming of equalities within the university partnership. 4.8 The university introduced an overarching Recording of Taught Sessions Policy 4 in , which supersedes our previous Recording of Taught Sessions (DSA) Policy. This is a specific example of how equalities is being mainstreamed as it covers recordings made by all students and staff. Section 3 of the overarching policy covers recordings made by all students with an agreed Personal Learning Support Plan in place as a result of disclosed needs (i.e. the scope of this section is no longer limited to students whose DSA needs assessment report includes a recommendation to record taught sessions). Interactive online guide 4.9 Student feedback suggested that it would be helpful to include some information about assistive technologies on the university website. An interactive resource 5 has therefore been developed to provide an indication of the type of assistive technologies that might be available to university students during their studies. The resource is available to current students, prospective students and those involved in supporting students. Thanks to Nick Walker (Learning Technologist, Inverness College UHI) who customised his existing resource for use across the university partnership. Student representation and feedback 4.10 The response rate to the university s DSA student evaluation has risen from 26% in to 47% in It is likely that this improvement was largely achieved by offering the questionnaire to the assessed student at the same time as their needs assessment was quality assured, rather than doing this for the first time at the end of the relevant semester. An reminder was also sent to each student assessed in at the end of Semester 2, before the end of term

9 4.11 Student guidance on university DSA processes was published on our DSA student web page 6 in January A student-centred service 5.1 The learning experiences of the individual student must be at the heart of the needs assessment process, and students have several opportunities to shape the development of university DSA processes. Students routinely interact with Academic Partner Student Services and have opportunities to raise relevant issues whilst participating in periodic reviews of support. Students can also provide feedback to directly their assessor and share their experiences of university DSA processes via the university s Red Button 7. The university s complaints process is available as an option of last resort. 5.2 The university offers a short questionnaire survey to students assessed internally for DSA purposes, at the same time as their needs assessment is quality assured. In , 33 students responded to our DSA student evaluation. 5.3 Figure 2 shows that 23 respondents (70%) indicated that they were very satisfied with the process of having their needs assessed by the university. All but one of the remaining 10 students indicated that they were satisfied with this. I received an excellent service. ( recipient of DSA) I think the process went well. ( recipient of DSA)

10 respondents (91%) were satisfied or very satisfied with the information available from the university regarding DSA. Relevant information is provided to students mainly via the university s dedicated DSA student web page. This has been updated this year with a you said, we did section, in order to give a clearer indication of how student feedback is addressed. Student postcards are also available at Academic Partners to signpost students to the DSA student web page. 5.5 The availability of DSA support can have a genuinely positive impact on the student experience as reflected in several comments from students assessed by the university in It [the needs assessment process] has been very useful and I use the software I was given. ( recipient of DSA) I was very happy about all the processes as it [access to DSA funding] has helped my education a lot. ( recipient of DSA) I am loving student life and the DSA funded support has made all the difference. ( recipient of DSA) 5.6 The majority of survey respondents indicated that they would not change anything specific about university DSA processes if given the opportunity to do so. Nevertheless, six students felt that the timescales associated with their needs assessment could have been improved. In response to this, the university published student guidance, which includes the following sentence on timescales: As a guide, the needs assessor will normally complete a draft needs assessment report within two working weeks of the needs assessment having been completed or as soon as is practicable thereafter, subject to the necessary evidence of need being in place. 5.7 It should be noted that the DSA needs assessment process takes time because it is highly individualised and is necessarily through in order to ensure appropriate, contextualised, support is recommended for the student. The finalisation of a student s needs assessment report will be influenced by a number of internal and external factors, including the student s availability to agree and sign their needs assessment report and this may itself be deferred until the student has had an opportunity to trial items which may be recommended by the assessor at a later date. The university s new student guidance on DSA needs assessment takes these factors into account and encourages eligible students to consider applying for DSA as early as possible, within current SAAS guidelines. It also emphasises the importance of the student taking ownership of the process throughout. 5.8 The university has clear procedures in place to monitor the turnaround of internal DSA needs assessments and can therefore work with assessors to avoid undue delays in the process. SAAS business processes are entirely separate from internal university procedures. The university nevertheless has a positive working relationship with SAAS, and can work with the DSA team as necessary to help resolve individual issues. 8

11 5.9 Overall, it is very encouraging that student feedback in respect of university DSA processes has been so positive in The university looks forward to further developing its DSA processes in the coming year. 6.0 How feedback is acted upon 6.1 The university welcomes all feedback and implemented several other suggestions for improvement in Table 1: Some other examples of how staff and student feedback has been acted upon in You said We did I wasn t clear about how to go about The student s needs assessor provided step-by-step purchasing the equipment recommended instructions on how to do this. A student leaflet is in my DSA award ( student currently being designed for the university detailing recipient of DSA). how to purchase DSA-awarded equipment from a recommended supplier. Are the results of the questionnaire survey offered to assessed students available by Academic Partner? (Academic Partner Student Services Manager). Does the university have standard documents that DSA assessors can use to invoice SAAS? (University DSA needs assessor). 7.0 Conclusion The questionnaire has been updated to enable students to identify their Academic Partner, if they wish to do so. The methodology associated with the survey was approved by the university s Research Ethics Committee in June Invoicing templates are now available to staff in on the UHI Toolkit 8. The Toolkit is accessible to staff only and the documents can be tailored to individual requirements has been a very successful year for the university s DSA Service. The fact that the output of the service has again increased this year demonstrates the value of institutional DSA accreditation for the university partnership. Based on the uptake of the service to date, we would anticipate a similar number of students being assessed by the university in It is therefore encouraging that there are now twelve qualified DSA needs assessors in the university partnership, with several others engaged in the relevant training. 7.2 Institutional DSA accreditation demonstrates partnership working at its best, and its enduring success lies in its compatibility with existing student support business processes. The launch and roll-out of the university s AAM Online system has been notable in given that it has promoted the use of common workflows for staff and students alike. This, in turn, has helped to harmonise DSA processes for the university partnership. Furthermore, DPG has achieved a higher profile this year and has therefore become established as an effective forum for networking between assessors and the on-going development of relevant policy and practice. This has additional benefits for the university s student support community as opportunities for informal networking have been taken up more readily in

12 7.3 The fact that there are now three student members of DPG is a positive development which reflects the fundamentally student-centred nature university DSA processes. It is equally positive that the response rate to our student questionnaire has improved this year, as user feedback continues to inform the development of our DSA Service. This is exemplified by the recent publication of student guidance on university DSA processes and the availability of an interactive guide to assistive technologies. 7.4 In summary, institutional DSA accreditation is symptomatic of the university s widening access ethos. It has continued to enhance our accessibility credentials by enabling the university to deliver more equitable access to the needs assessment process. This is particularly significant for or students at locations without a needs assessor on-site, many of whom would face considerable challenges in engaging with a face-to-face needs assessment. 7.5 The university wishes to thank everyone involved with carrying out DSA needs assessments with university students in , whose commitment is crucial to our success. We are also very grateful for the continued support of SAAS and the Scottish Government, and look forward to building on our achievements to date for the benefit of our students, student support practitioners and the university more widely. 10