Paper 1
DSSG - 13 November 2008 - Discussion Paper:
Recommendations for action by the DSSG arising from Equality Forward's recent report
The Scottish Funding Council has recently published the following report produced by Equality Forward: Assessment of Students' Additional Support Needs: Baseline Study of the Current Structures. The research has identified challenges, issues and future actions which fall under three key themes of responsiveness of the assessment system; quality and rigour; and enhancing student awareness, expectations and representation. The DSSG has been given the lead responsibility on a number of the recommendations outlined and asked to monitor one other. These are as follows:
Responsiveness of the assessment system (timeliness and convenience) See section 9.1
Recommendation 1
Continue to work together to monitor the quality of assessment and the length of time it takes from a student's application to their receipt of DSA.
Lead responsibility:
Others:
- Access Centres
- College and university assessors
- SAAS
- Scottish Government
Recommendation 2
Continue to work together to monitor the quality of assessment and the length of time it takes from disclosure to receipt of non-DSA support for students at all SCQF levels.
Lead responsibility:
Others:
- College and university assessors
- Scottish Funding Council
- Scottish Government
Quality and Rigour (fairness and parity) See section 9.2
Recommendation 5
Continue to identify and share best practice across colleges and universities, including policy approaches, related to assessment and meeting students' disability-related needs. This could be published as a guidance document for institutions and as a 'live' web-based publication which would continually be update.
Lead responsibility:
Others:
- Assessors and assessor networks
- BRITE
- SFEU
Recommendation 8
Continue to update assessors and senior managers in an appropriate way on the purpose and allocation of funding from the SFC, including student fees, which are intended to contribute to meeting the costs of assessment and providing reasonable adjustments for students in line with compliance with the DDA
Lead responsibility:
Others:
- Assessor networks (including Higher Education Disability Coordinators'/ Advisers' National Network, BRITE networks, networks related to the Toolkit)
- DSSG (to monitor)
- Scottish Government
- Senior managers in colleges and universities
Recommendation 9
Consider ways to ensure that the expertise and current contribution made by Access Centres and their staff to the capacity of the sectors to assess students' additional support needs is more fully utilised across colleges and universities as appropriate.
Lead Responsibility:
Others:
- Access Centre managers
- Scottish Government
- Senior managers in colleges and universities
- SFC
Enhancing students' awareness, expectations and representation (fairness) See section 9.3
Recommendation 10
Ensure that students in all colleges and universities have access to appropriate information in advance and in accessible ways about what they can expect regarding assessment (including the process and quality of assessment), the implementation of reasonable adjustments and the availability of independent representation to help them through the process.
Lead responsibility:
- DSSG (to coordinate)
- Senior managers in colleges and universities
Others:
- Assessors
- NUS Scotland
- Skill Scotland
Recommendation 11
Ensure that existing institutional appeals procedures are visible, appropriate and effective in relation to the assessment process, assessment decisions, and the implementation of reasonable adjustments resulting from assessment, and that students are aware of the appeals process.
Lead responsibility:
- DSSG (to monitor)
- Senior managers in colleges and universities
Others:
- Assessors
- NUS Scotland
- Skill Scotland
Action
Members are asked to consider what steps the DSSG needs to take to put these recommendations into practice.