Understanding access arrangements and special consideration

Thursday, 21 October 2010 16:06

Understanding access arrangements and special consideration for general qualifications (including principal learning, projects and functional skills)

We are committed to ensuring that parents, carers and learners have access to and understand how access arrangements are made. It is important that those learners who are embarking on a course of study and need assistance are able to do so. This guidance should be read in conjunction with the Access arrangements flow chart Access Arrangement Flowchart to give greater clarity around the issues governing the use of access arrangements and special considerations.

There is a current issue relating to extra time in examinations which is a 'hot topic' for discussion.  A summary of this can be accessed here Extra Time in Qualification Examinations and Assessments for Learners with Dyslexia or Other Specific Learning Difficulties.

What are Access Arrangements?

Access arrangements are pre-agreed reasonable adjustments that are made to exams, tests and assessments for individual candidates. Access arrangements are in place to ensure that all candidates are able to access exams, tests and assessments, and have the same opportunities to demonstrate their skills and abilities, as other candidates.

Some candidates are not able to fully access exams, tests and assessments due to their disabilities, impairments and other circumstances. Access arrangements are not just for candidates with disabilities, but cover a range of circumstances, that cause difficulties accessing learning. Legislation, particularly the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 has set out that, without access arrangements some candidates will be at a disadvantage, and therefore not fully able to demonstrate their skills and gain necessary qualifications.

For example: A candidate has been diagnosed with dyslexia since starting school four years ago and has coloured paper to help with accessing reading materials. In the exam, test and assessments the candidate will also have coloured paper to help them access their exam, test or assessment.

Access arrangements also include special consideration. A special consideration is a process that allows candidates who suffer from temporary illness, injury or indisposition at the time of an exam, test or assessment to demonstrate the achievement they are capable of. The special consideration will be applied for by the school or college explaining the circumstances to the awarding body. The awarding body will then, while marking the assessment, take into consideration how the circumstance may have affected the performance of the candidate. The candidate could be granted up to five per cent extra marks, to compensate for the consideration needed.

For example: A candidate has recently experienced bereavement (death) in the family, which may affect their performance in their exam, test or assessment. As long as the candidate has completed 50 per cent of the total assessment for GCE and 35 per cent of the assessment for GCSE, then the special consideration can be taken into account.

Access arrangements can also be arranged for temporary emergency circumstances, where a candidate has temporally been impaired at the time of their exam, test or assessment.

For example: The access arrangement could include assistance such as a scribe (writer) or supervised rest breaks during the process due to injury. This could include a broken arm or a back injury, which could affect the way they are able to access their exam, test or assessment.

How is disability defined under the law?

A person with a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial effect on their normal day-to-day activities and has lasted for 12 months or more.

Disability can affect:

• Mobility
• Physical co-ordination
• Manual dexterity
• Seeing, hearing and speaking
• Memory or ability to concentrate, learn or understand
• Continence

In the case of assessments, temporary or short term disabilities, medical conditions and unforeseen circumstances will also be taken into account, as it may impact on the way a candidate can access an examination, test or assessment.

How are access arrangements decided?

Access arrangements are based on evidence and assessment of a candidate's needs and usual ways of working. When an access arrangement is being arranged, certain factors have to be taken into consideration. These include the type of qualification and subject taken. All access arrangements are based on qualification and subject because different subjects and qualifications require different skills to be demonstrated. When qualifications are being developed, every effort is made to ensure that the qualification is accessible to all, but in a few cases, to allow a particular access arrangement could undermine the standard of the qualification. If this was to happen and a qualification was undermined, a candidate could end up having an unfair advantage during the process, compared to other candidates.

For example: Allowing a candidate to have a computer enabled spell check and grammar check during a GCSE English Language exam, which is specifically testing knowledge of grammar and spelling. Therefore, the spell check facility will be disabled during the examination.

Are there examples of the types of access arrangements?

Yes, this is not a definitive list but merely an exemplar of the types of access arrangements that are applied for each year:

• Modified test papers, for example enlarged print or Braille
• Different coloured papers
• A reader or scribe, someone who can read the paper for candidates and write the answers that the candidate dictates
• Supervised rest breaks, for candidates that have low concentration levels
• Use of an individual room
• Up to 25 per cent extra time, this might be to accommodate, writing impairments, use of bi-lingual dictionaries, etc.
• A prompter, someone who may sit next to a candidate to keep their attention on the examination, test or assessment
• Use of computer or other technology

Are all qualifications included in access arrangements?

Yes, all qualifications can be included in the access arrangements pool but it would depend on what is being requested and whether the standards can be maintained while allowing a particular access arrangement. Therefore, sometimes it would be necessary not to allow an access arrangement during an assessment or test.

Here are a few examples of the types of qualifications that are included:

• GCSE's
• GCE
• Functional Skills
• Principal Learning
• Project
• Diploma
• Key Skills
• Basic Skills and
• Vocational (work) Qualifications

What are modified papers and why do they have time limits for applying?

Modifying papers for test, examinations and assessments require pre-preparation to simplify the carrier language on the question paper for candidates with comprehension difficulties due to some sort of impairment. The aim of modified papers is to remove any unnecessary barriers from the question paper that will hinder the candidate from demonstrating their skills. The papers are modified by removing complicated sentence structures, where they are not necessary to the question being asked. These papers are prepared well in advance of the examination, test or assessment and can included papers that are modified for individual candidate needs.

For example: A deaf candidate has low reading comprehension and is taking a GCSE English examination. The specialist teacher at the school applies to the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) at the start of the course for a modified English question paper. The teacher will decide when to make the application according to when the candidate is taking the examination and follow the guidelines given by the JCQ.

Is it only certain disabilities that are covered by access arrangements and special consideration?

No, there is not a definitive list of disabilities that fall under the rules governing access arrangements and special considerations. The decision is based on need and what assistance the candidate requires to access the examination, test and assessment. The awarding body will also take into account how the access arrangement affects the standard of the examination, test or assessment.

Will I need proof that I have a disability or special circumstance to get help?

Not really, in the case of a candidate with a disability, the school or learning centre will have a file supporting the need for any access arrangements. This would have been created at the start of the course and will be used as supporting evidence for access arrangements. For a special consideration, the centre will make a decision based on the need identified and apply to the awarding body using their headed paper for verification of its authenticity.

If my application is refused, what can I do?

If your access arrangement or special consideration is refused, you have the right to appeal. In the first instance, you will need to raise your issue via your school or learning centre. The centre will look at the circumstances and if necessary submit your issue to the awarding body. The awarding body will then set out their reasons for refusing the access arrangement. If you are still dissatisfied and the centre and the awarding body processes has been exhausted then the complaint should be submitted to us.

We will then look at the procedures used by the awarding body to ensure fairness.

If I have an access arrangement or special consideration, will it be mentioned on my examination certificate?

No, the purpose of an access arrangement or special consideration is to ensure fairness to candidates in accessing their examinations, tests and assessments. The purpose is not to highlight that a candidate needed help to do so. Approving access arrangements is set out in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and is followed by centres and awarding bodies to ensure that all candidates, especially disabled candidates, have fair access to examinations, tests and assessments.

What are exemptions and how do they differ from access arrangements?

Exemptions are a form of a reasonable adjustment under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and used where a candidate cannot access part of a qualification or demonstrate their skills and abilities due to the requirements of the assessment objectives; due to all the components of the examination, test or assessment not being taken, the candidate's certificate will be indicated to show what components were taken. Exemptions can only be applied to a whole component; the indication placed on the certificate will appear in a positive manner, in order not to undermine the skills that the candidate was able to show.

For example: An assessment objective requiring the candidate to listen to a piece of music as part of the examination, test or assessment. If the candidate is deaf and not able to perform that task, they will be able to apply for an exemption and their marks will be enhanced as if they had taken the whole examination, test or assessment.

For further information please contact us on 0300 303 3346

Last Updated on Thursday, 15 March 2012 12:08 Tags: Ofqual, education, examination regulation, qualifications, assessments