Study support

Orientation Support

Starting university can be overwhelming, we can allocate an Orientation Support Student Ambassador to help you with transitioning and settling in to university. This support includes:

• getting to know your way around campus
• navigating the quickest and accessible routes between teaching buildings
• finding key areas such as your faculty office, library, first aid room
• understanding your timetable and finding your teaching rooms

To find out about campus accessibility prior to coming to campus, please do visit our AccessAble homepage.

In Class Support

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) no longer provide Band 1 and 2 support. This includes support within the taught sessions such as a study assistant or a note taker.  If you require this type of support, then please do let us know as soon as possible so that we can arrange this for you.

Note taker: how do they help?

A note taker will attend your taught sessions with you. They will create clear, accurate, and thorough notes (preferably typed) for each session. The notes will not be a word-for-word transcript, but will include all key points from the session, such as important content, relevant questions, discussions, and any diagrams if needed.

A note taker will discuss and agree with you in advance, your preferred format for the notes.
A note taker will not be a specialist of the subject that you are studying.

Study Assistant: how do they help?

A study assistant will attend your taught sessions with you but also help you navigate the campus and access key resources like the library and online lectures or materials. They can help with managing your time and workload, including reminders for important appointments or tasks.

A study assistant will discuss with you in advance your preferred method of contact as well as how best to support you. A study assistant will not be a specialist of the subject that you are studying.

Non Medical Help Support

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) provide non medical help support. This includes Specialist Mentor and Specialist One to One Study Skills Support. This is highly specialist, specifically tailored, 1 to 1 support, arranged outside of taught sessions, which helps students address the barriers to learning created by a particular disability. For example, coping with anxiety and stress situations, how to deal with concentration difficulties, time management, prioritising workload, researching skills and reading and writing strategies. The aim of the support is to develop students’ skills and to develop independent learning. The support workers will not be a specialist of the subject that you are studying.

If you require this type of support but are not eligible for DSA, then please speak to us as we may still be able to arrange this for you.

Captioning

The four types of captioning that are available at the University of Greenwich are:

Automatic speech recognition (ASR)

Every video/lecture recording uploaded onto Panopto has machine generated captioning available. This is automatic and is available within 15 minutes of the video being uploaded. Accuracy level is typically between 70-75% depending on the audio quality in the recording.

Accurate Caption via Moodle

Students can request improved captioning if they find that the ASR produced captioning, as above, for a specific recording has low accuracy.  A request button is available on Moodle, students click on this and complete a request form. The turnaround time for this is 1 week.

Human Captioning via AI Media

100% accurate human captioning can be provided for disabled students (where a need is assessed and identified) that are registered with the Student Wellbeing Service and have a Greenwich Inclusion Plan in place.  Turnaround time is 4 days.

Live Captioning

100% accurate captioning for live taught sessions for disabled students (where a need is assessed and identified) that are registered with the Student Wellbeing Service and have a Greenwich Inclusion Plan in place. This is available in real time making live content instantly accessible.

Greenwich Inclusion Plan

This is your support plan which will outline the reasonable adjustments that you require so that you are able to access and engage with all aspects of your course. Reasonable Adjustments can take a wide range of forms and are dependent on your support needs and course requirements.

The Greenwich Inclusion Plan (GIP) remains throughout the duration of your studies. It is your responsibility to notify Student Wellbeing Service of any changes in your circumstance which may require your Greenwich Inclusion plan (GIP) to be reviewed and updated.

The following are examples to help you understand the types of reasonable adjustments that may be available:

Teaching and Learning Reasonable Adjustments

• Additional time for assignments via the extenuating circumstances process
• Access to lecture recordings
• Advance slides and handouts
• Early access to reading lists
• Provide written instructions
• Highlight key books/chapters
• Extra time outside of sessions
• Rest breaks for long sessions
• Extra time for responses
• Alternative to groupwork
• Alternative to group presentations
• Videos require subtitles
• Audio description of visual props
• Notice of changes to routine
• Needs Braille/large print/audio
• Alternative Assessment
• Support worker in class
• Human transcription needed
• Alternative Study Mode

Teaching Space Reasonable Adjustments

• Wheelchair access
• Hearing loop enabled
• Quiet space for time-out
• Reserved seating in lectures
• Use of lifts
• Ergonomic /adjustable chair
• Exercise area for guide dogs

Library Reasonable Adjustments

• Extensions to library loans
• Photocopying or printing need
• Help with books and articles
• Quiet study space – disabled students are provided with additional room bookings per week.

Exam Arrangements

• Extra Time
• Rest Breaks (10 minute per hour not including extra time)
• Separate Room; this can be by self or with a small group
• Individual PC
• Exam Paper in Large Print
• Exam Paper on Coloured Paper
• Exam Paper in Braille
• Reader
• Scribe
• Personal Care Assistant
• Signer
• Ergonomic Chair
• Cerium Overlay (student to bring their own)
• Foot rest
• Medication Permitted
• Speech to Text Software: Dragon Naturally Speaking
• Screen Reader Software
• Magnification Software
• Specific Seating
• Food and drink allowed
• Extra light
• Printed exam instructions
• Toilet Breaks
• PEEP/ mobility issues
• 1st aid alert
• Prompter
• Text to Speech Software: Read and Write
• Headphones
• Exam Reader Pen

Support for exams

Students who believe they may be eligible for exam arrangements, such as extra time, must follow the right steps to ensure this is agreed. There are deadlines for applications, please make sure that you check the student portal and your university email for the deadline dates. It is important that you make contact with us by these dates.

See Exam Arrangements

PGR Disability Support

General

• Providing a clear roadmap of each stage of the PhD, including expectations, ways of working and mechanisms of feedback.
• Any delays to the research plan will need to be discussed and agreed with the supervisor.
• Additional time for library loans.
• Provision of suitable workspace.
• Accessible teaching rooms.
• If licensing permits, provision of software to complete aspects of research.

Supervisory Meetings

• Additional monthly supervision meetings to address uncertainties or issues.
• If agreed upon by both parties, recording of supervisory meeting, otherwise recording of ‘agreed actions’ only. This will allow students to refer to them when needed before entering agreed actions in PULSE system. Students must follow University guidance on recordings.
• Recordings must be for the sole purpose of supporting that student’s private study or where a reasonable adjustment needs to be made to comply with the Equality Act 2010.

• Students are not permitted to share recordings, either captured on their own personal devices or through the university’s recordings, privately or publicly, unless written consent is given by the university.
• Retention of recordings is 13 months. If needed for longer, a written request needs to be sent by the student to the PGR team.

• Flexibility in the mode of supervisory meetings for example online or in person.
• Establish a systematic and consistent approach to supervision meetings, such as agreeing on agendas in advance. Agenda to include an opportunity for the student to discuss other matters outside of the agenda.
• Access to written sources and materials in advance of supervision meetings, and mandatory taught components, where applicable, allowing students sufficient time to process and understand key information effectively.

Feedback on written work submitted by the student for review by supervisors

• An agreement will be reached by student and supervisor on the most appropriate timeframe for feedback to be provided on submissions. Possible delays to the timeframe to be notified to the student as early as possible.
• Format of feedback that is preferred/required e.g. bullet points, audio, summary.

Upgrade / transfer assessments and Viva

• Brief external examiner of GIP in advance with student’s permission. This will allow them to take account of any special needs student may have as part of the examination process.
• Flexibility in mode of delivery i.e. In person or online.
• Accessible room.
• If needed, allowing students to write down questions asked, with additional time to process and analyse the questions.
• Repeating the questions back ensures clear understanding.
• When feasible and without compromising academic standards, providing extra clarification or redirecting questions can encourage students to stay on topic and address the relevant points.
• If necessary, allow 10-minute rest breaks, per hour, if the meeting exceeds one hour.
• If necessary, permit the student to sit and present.
• If necessary, permission to bring food (light snack to maintain sugar levels) and drink
• If necessary, permission to bring medication, if needed.
• Introduce the student to any staff members with whom they have not had previous contact before the meeting to reduce pressure and anxiety.
• In line with common protocol of allowing supervisors to be present, it is recommended where appropriate that support workers are permitted to attend with clear demarcation of what is a permitted intervention and what is not.

Additional adjustments that are not covered by the standard guidance can be proposed and considered at the University level. These adjustments require committee approval and should be submitted to the academic school.

Ongoing Catch Ups

Your allocated Student Wellbeing Service Co-Ordinator (Disability & Dyslexia) may offer you ongoing catch ups with them. This is dependent on your support needs. The catch ups enable them to monitor and review your support package throughout the duration of your studies. The catch ups also give you the opportunity to discuss matters as they arise which you need support with. The catch ups can be online via TEAMS, by telephone, by email or in person on campus.

Emergency Medical Information Care Plan (EMI)

If you have a medical condition that may require emergency medical assistance at any point whilst on campus then you will be offered a emergency medical information care plan (EMI). You will need to add detail about your medical condition on this and state what actions need to be taken during a medical emergency.

In an emergency, our first aiders may administer medication but only if this is stated in your emergency medical care plan (EMI).

The EMI is shared with our Safety team which consists of First Aiders. You will also be expected to carry a physical copy with you at all times whilst on campus.

Administration of daily medication is the responsibility of the student. If you are unable to do so and need assistance with this then you will need to speak to your medical team regarding carer support; this is provided by social services.

Specific Learning Difficulties Screenings

If you suspect that you may have a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, dyscalculia or Autism then we can offer you a screening. If the screening shows positive indicators then we will arrange necessary support. We can also provide advice and guidance on seeking a full diagnostic assessment, if requested.

Assistance Dogs on Campus

The University of Greenwich recognises that assistance dogs play an important role in the safety and wellbeing of disabled people and has provided guidance within this document for students. There is also separate guidance available for staff and members of the public, which can be accessed via the Human Resources pages on the University Portal. Please click to view guidance.

If you do not have a disability but still require support

We provide an academic skills service which can be accessed by all students.