Information for DSA Assessors

Information for DSA Assessors

NMH providers

We do not have our own in-house support worker service and use external providers.

Clear Links are a Sheffield based NMH support provider. Their Capacity Checker can be used to check how many support workers for Band Four roles there are in the area. 

 

Accommodation

We have a number of halls of residence that offer adapted accommodation if students  

  • are registered disabled
  • have a diagnosed medical condition or sensory impairment that requires special consideration

We try to allocate accommodation most suitable for the students’ needs and requirements.

We can offer

  • larger rooms for students who need extra space for equipment
  • wheelchair accessible flats
  • rooms for carers/personal assistants/support workers
  • reasonable adaptations to accommodation where needed

Demand for adapted accommodation is high and we have limited availability. Identifying specific requirements early ensures we can offer the most suitable accommodation, or identify additional support to help find alternatives.

The University should ensure that students are not disadvantaged in their accommodation choices (including financially) as a result of their disability and will provide suitable adapted accommodation where required. 

Read the disabled students allowance and disability-related accommodation costs policy (PDF, 173.7KB) for further information.

Further information is available on the university’s accommodation webpages

Travel - taxis

City Taxis are generally the provider recommended by Needs Assessors for students travelling around Sheffield.

The University campus covers a variety of postcodes across two campuses. If the student requires taxis from multiple locations, please establish which buildings and postcodes the student will need funding to travel between.

If only one postcode is used for the entire University, students may not be able to use their account for all journeys they’ll need taxi assistance for across campus. 

City Campus: Sheffield Hallam University, Howard Street, Sheffield S1 1WB

Collegiate Campus: Sheffield Hallam University, Collegiate Crescent, Sheffield, S10 2BP

Further information on travel and downloadable campus maps are available on the university’s How to Find Us webpages.

 

Computing reimbursement

There is no specific fund for students who are required to contribute £200 towards the cost of specialist DSA equipment.

Students are encouraged to visit the university’s Scholarships and Bursaries webpages for information on funds they may be eligible to apply for.

 

Lecture capture

The University have lecture capture using Panopto, with recordings made available to students through Blackboard.  However, the University cannot guarantee that all teaching sessions will be recorded.  Where recordings are made available, they will feature closed captions in English.  Students are allowed to make personal audio recordings of taught sessions, and the University has recording guidelines in place for this practice.

 

Assistive Technology Service

MindView and Inspiration are available for students to use on campus through AppsAnywhere.  Additional course software can also be accessed through this. 

The university has a very limited number of licences for both Glean and MindView for installation on a student’s own computer.  Licences are provided following attendance at a group training session that can be booked through UniHub.  However, due to the number of licences available these can only be provided to students who are unable to receive a copy through DSA.

Loan laptops can be provided to students with specialised software such as ZoomText or Jaws.  These can be provided on an exceptional and case-by-case basis, where, for example, a student may be awaiting DSA funding and are unable to engage with the course without equipment.

Students with a visual impairment can be supported with accessible formats.  Following an appointment with an Assistive Technology Adviser to discuss the student’s needs, the library will be able to provide accessible versions of reading and/or teaching materials.  Students can also use Sensus Access to convert documents into alternative formats, along with being able to download different formats of files posted to Blackboard through Blackboard Ally.

Ergonomic chairs and furniture can be provided to students for use on campus, where a physical condition and need is determined.

 

Accessing Disabled Student Support (DSS) and setting up a Learning Contract

How and when we contact prospective students

Applicants who disclose that they’re disabled on their UCAS (or equivalent) application will be emailed by DSS with information about how to access the service.

Students will be invited to Register on My Student Record where they will have the opportunity to upload medical evidence and other supporting documents. More information on registering with DSS is available on our webpages.

There is also further information in our email about our summer Study Ready Events. More information about dates and booking are available on our webpages.

 

How students access DSS

When the student completes the registration, they will be asked about their disability. They will be able to upload:

  • disability evidence
  • Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) documents if they have applied for DSA

The disability evidence they need depends on their condition. More information on the evidence we accept for different conditions is available on our webpages.

Students who register will be contacted by a Disability Adviser to put a Learning Contract in place which will list reasonable adjustments in learning, teaching and assessment. More information on learning contracts is available on our webpages.

 

Contact us

If you’re an assessor and you have specific questions about support available to disabled students at Sheffield Hallam University you can contact Disabled Student Support at hallamhelp@shu.ac.uk