Assessment of Learning
Useful links
Under Disability Discrimination legislation, Colleges have to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for students with additional support needs.
Reasonable adjustments include making alternate assessment arrangements.
What changes can be made to assessments?
D/deaf or hard of hearing students may need the following changes to an assessment:
- the use of an interpreter or reader during assessments
- amplification to aural assessments
- extra time for the completion of the assessment
The type of changes that can be made for an individual will depend on the nature of the assessment and his/her particular needs and the criteria of the awarding body.
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Who makes the changes?
Ideally, before the start of the course of study, D/deaf or hard of hearing students should discuss assessment arrangements with their disability advisor and course tutor to establish whether any further arrangements need to be made.
The College or examination centre may need to rely on guidance from an examining body such as Scottish Qualifications Authority, or City and Guilds. The candidates centre or college has responsibility for:
- identifying the needs of candidates
- selecting an appropriate form of assessment
- validating the need and assessment
- authorising the request with the examining body
The Council for the Advancement of Communication between Deaf and Hearing People (CACDP) has produced detail guidelines to help examining bodies make reasonable adjustments for deaf candidates.
The CACDP guidance says for example: “D/deaf candidates have communication needs and sensory needs. This affects how assessment material is presented and responded to. BSL users are often considered within the broader group of candidates for whom English is an additional language. Access to assessment for D/deaf candidates is therefore both a language issue and a disability issue.”
(Page 5, Guidance for Awarding Bodies: Access to External Assessment for D/deaf Candidates, Council for advancing Communication between Deaf and Hearing People, Oct 2005.)
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How are assessment arrangements made?
This will depend on the qualification body. Usually preparations are made in advanceof the assessment and evidence of need may be required. It is unlikely that you will have to apply for additional arrangements yourself, however you willneed to provide information and agree to the adjustments to be made.
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Can extra time be given in assessments?
You may request extra time as a reasonable adjustments. Extra time may be justified for a D/deaf candidate using a modified paper, being tested in English, requiring breaks during an asessment due to physical or memory difficulties. Extra time cannot be given when timing is part of the assessment.
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Will assessment arrangements give an unfair advantage?
No. Assessment arrangements are designed to give you access to an assessment, not to change the standard of the assessment. The standard expected of a D/deaf and hearing candidate is the same, though the way a D/deaf student demonstartes his/her understanding may be different.
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Can a CSW help with the language in an assessment?
This question needs to be discussed with the qualifications body. It is important that staff assisting in examinations are qualified, specialist and have the support when needed of experts from Deaf professional organsisations. An awarding body might state that a qualified and registered BSL/English interpreter can be used but not a CSW. It may also be that help can be given with the carrier language of an assessment but not with any technical language of which knowledge is required in the assessment.
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Is evidence of hearing loss needed?
In most cases evidence of the hearing loss is clear, and the centre will be able to verify this. Your school teacher, tutors and support tutor are best placed to provide evidence on your need for assessment arrangements. It is important that you are included in this process and agree to the evidence gathered.
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Can assistive technology be used in an assessment?
Radio aids, hearing aids and cochlear implants are not regarded as assitistive technology. The use of laptops or word-processors may be requested as an assessment arrangement. Awarding bodies need to ensure that the use of assistive technology does not give the candidate an unfair advantage.
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Who are SQA and what is their role?
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is the national body in Scotland responsible for ensuring the process of assessment for all candidates is rigorous and fair (SQA is responsible for most College courses, but not degrees.)
SQA has responsibility for:
- ensuring the validity and credibility of its qualifications are maintained
- monitoring centres
- providing guidance and authorising adjustments
SQA publishes guidance for teachers, lecturers and trainers on assessment arrangements for candidates with disabilities and/or additional support needs. The most recent guidance can be found on the SQA website: www.sqa.org.uk or by calling the Customer Contact Centre tel: 0141 242 2214 email: customer@sqa.org.uk.
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What does SQA guidance say about assessment for deaf candidates and candidates with a hearing loss?
SQA states that candidates can use a sign-language interpreter or communication support worker (CSW) in assessments. Candidates can use an interpreter to sign the contents of a question paper, and/or to sign their responses - these responses may need to be recorded on video as evidence for moderation.
There are however exceptions to when a interpreter or CSW can be used: when reading in English, Gaelic or Modern Languages is being assessed. When an assessment or outcome is concerned with oral or aural skills, SQA need to approve the use of an interpreter.
It is important to note that the role of an interpreter or CSW worker may change in an assessment from an informal classroom environment:
- In an assessment situation, the interpreter cannot lead the D/deaf student through the paper, but should be lead by the student requesting sections of the paper to be signed.
- The interpreter cannot give explanations of terms in assessments to ensure fairness for all candidates.
- The interpreter is entitled to preparation time before the exam, and the candidate should have had previous practice in working with the interpreter.
In order to sign in assessments the interpreter or CSW must meet the following criteria:
- they must be able to communicate effectively
- they must have good knowledge of the subject
With regard to aural assessments, SQA states that technological aids which amplify sound may be used. Taped information can be also presented live in an aural assessment in order to enable a candidate to lip-read.
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Tell me about other examining bodies:
If a qualification is provided by an awarding body other than SQA, then centres should be approached for information on assessment arrangements from the awarding body. For example, adjustments for D/deaf or hard of hearing students undertaking the European Computer Driving Licence qualification, are approved the British Computer Society according to their own guidelines.
Other examining bodies include:
- City and Guilds
- Council for the Advancement of Communication for Deaf People (CACDP)
- National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH)
Further reading:
- Guidance for Awarding Bodies: Access to External Assessment for D/deaf Candidates, Council for advancing Communication between Deaf and Hearing People, Oct 2005.
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Useful Links
www.signature.org.uk : CACDP has changed its name to Signature
www.sqa.org.uk : Scottish Qualifications Authority
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