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REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS AND SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS POLICY 

This policy is for the staff of UniAthena to ensure they deal with all reasonable adjustment and special consideration requests in a consistent manner. 

Centre staff involved in the management, assessment and quality assurance of UniAthena's qualifications must be fully aware of the contents of the policy and can advise learners appropriately.  UniAthena will review the policy as part of its annual self-evaluation arrangements and revise it as and when necessary in response to customer and learner feedback, changes in our practices, requirements from the qualifications regulators or changes in legislation. 

Circumstances for both internal and external assessment not covered in this policy should be discussed with UniAthena before the assessment takes place. A reasonable adjustment is any action that helps to reduce the effect of a disability that places the learner at a substantial disadvantage in the assessment situation. It is made to an assessment for a qualification to enable a disabled learner to demonstrate his or her knowledge, skills, and understanding of the levels of attainment required by the specification for that qualification. 

Reasonable adjustments must not affect the integrity of what needs to be assessed, but may involve:

  • Changing usual assessment arrangements, for example allowing a learner extra time to complete the assessment activity;
  • Adapting assessment materials, such as using oral methods rather than written;
  • Providing assistance during assessment, such as a reader; 
  • Using assistive technology, such as screen reading or voice-activated software; 

Reasonable adjustments are approved or set in place before the assessment activity takes place; they constitute an arrangement to give the learner access to the assessment. The use of a reasonable adjustment will not be taken into consideration during the assessment of a learner’s work. 

UniAthena is only required by law to do what is ‘reasonable’ in terms of giving access to assessment. What is reasonable will depend on the individual circumstances, cost implications and the practicality and effectiveness of the adjustment. Other factors, such as the need to maintain competence standards and health and safety, will also be taken into consideration. The reasonable adjustments that can be given will vary widely from qualification to qualification. 

If the application for special consideration is successful, the learner’s performance will be reviewed in the light of available evidence. Special consideration should not give the learner an unfair advantage; neither should its use cause the user of the certificate to be misled regarding a learner’s achievements. The learner’s result must reflect his / her achievement in the assessment and not necessarily his / her potential ability.