Disability and Dyslexia Service – guidelines for student and staff

September 2018

Guidelines for MPhil/PhD Students with Specific Learning Difficulties and their Supervisory Team 1. The attached guidelines have been developed through consultation between the Research

School (RS), the Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS), the MPhil/PhD Course Leaders (in consultation with PhD supervisors in their Academic Institute) and a group of research degree students. They are intended to develop awareness of the difficulties experienced by students with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) throughout the key stages of their research degree programme, to outline the support available to these students and to provide practical advice on what supervisors and examiners can do to support students who have SpLD.

2. The Supervisor document is distributed to every PhD supervisor during the mandatory

Research Degree Supervisor Training Programme. The most recent version is then issued at Refresher Supervisor Training which must be taken every 3 years and is also available on the Researcher Development Blackboard pages. The Supervisor document is supported by a lunchtime workshop run by experienced supervisors and colleagues from DDS and is entitled ‘Supervising PhD Students with SpLD’. An edited version of this document is shared with Transfer Panels, Expert reviewers and PhD examiners for students with SpLD.

3. The Student document is sent to all prospective MPhil/PhD students who have disclosed they have a SpLD and the current version is also available on the Research Degree Programme Blackboard pages.

4. There is much information about support for students with a disability on the VITAE website (www.vitae.ac.uk). All staff and students at the University of Worcester can register with VITAE and access this material.

Introduction

Many people know that students with Specific Learning Difficulties, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia, often have difficulties with reading and writing. The University has guidance for staff who are marking written assignments for taught modules (www.worcester.ac.uk/disabilityanddyslexia) but the lesser-known difficulties for such students are their oral fluency, word retrieval and memory; all of which are exacerbated by stress and are more likely to be needed at postgraduate level. They may not perform to the best of their abilities or express the depth and breadth of their knowledge when ‘put on the spot’ during supervisory meetings or the formal upgrade interview (Transfer to PhD) or oral examination, such as a PhD viva voce.

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Staff Guidelines – MPhil/PhD students with specific learning difficulties

The guidelines below aim to increase the supervisor’s awareness of the difficulties that might be experienced and the support available to students with SpLD. We aim to give supervisors recommendations on how to alleviate the students’ difficulties by providing an environment for them to fulfil their potential.

1. Awareness

1.1. Students will have registered with the Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS). They can do this by contacting the service on 01905 855531 or emailing disability@worc.ac.uk. This will normally be followed by a meeting or phone appointment with a Disability Advisor or a joint meeting with the supervisory team (see below).

1.2. With the student’s permission, DDS will share this information with the student’s supervisory team. A meeting will be arranged with the student and internal supervisors during the early stages of the project. If required, the student and supervisory team must ensure that a follow up meeting takes place to review the student’s support needs as the student and project develop. A Disability Advisor may be involved in these meetings if their input is required. Additional meetings will be required around the key stages of the programme, for example RDB1 (Approval of the Research Proposal), RDB2 (Transfer to PhD) and viva.

1.3. There are a number of funds available to support disabled students studying in the United Kingdom. The main source of funding is Disabled Students Allowances (DSA) and we strongly encourage all disabled students to apply for support via this route. www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas

1.4. DSA can provide both assistive technology and support both of which can be a major benefit for students.

1.5. All supervisors who are supporting a student with a SPLD are advised to attend the Researcher Development workshop ‘Supervising Research Degree Students with SPLD’. To book a place on this workshop please do so through the Staff Development Booking Portal.

1.6. If an extension to a deadline is required, the RS Manager will notify the Specialist Learning Support Service Manager at DDS to discuss continuation of support. If the project is funded, the RS Manager will notify the funder to ensure the University does not get financially penalised for extension.

2. Reasonable Adjustments 2.1 For all taught modules, reasonable adjustments are made for students with SpLD. These

might include extra time in written exams / tests, Disability Informed Assessment, notes in advance, recording of taught sessions. The particular adjustments allocated to a student can be found on the class lists for all taught modules. Each student will also be given a DDS1 support plan, setting out the reasonable adjustments that they are entitled to. This will apply to the taught modules for the PG Certificate in Research Methods.

2.2 For research degree students, where the programme is largely comprised of independent research, it is more difficult to define what is meant by a reasonable

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adjustment. In most cases, this will be about assessing an individual’s needs and putting together some additional support in these areas (some ideas are discussed below).

2.3 Extra time in the context of an MPhil/PhD is more difficult to unpick. The research

degree programme at Worcester is already fluid in terms of when the research proposal should be signed off or when transfer to PhD should take place. Our maximum registration periods (4 years full time and 6 years part time) are generous, when compared to the sector. Experience would suggest that this inbuilt flexibility means that most students do not require ‘extra time’. However, in recognition that a student with a SpLD may take longer to write, structure and edit their thesis, an extension (up to 6 months for a full time student and up to 12 months for a part time student) to the maximum registration period will usually be granted on these grounds. The only exception to this will be where the university is bound by the requirements of an external funder or where the project is time sensitive. Once extra time has been agreed and added to the student’s record, the student will be expected to meet the adjusted deadline date.

3. Supervision 3.1. The following points apply to all research degree students but in particular those with

SpLD.

3.2. Students with a disability may benefit from recording supervisory meetings. As PhD supervision sessions include discussion of confidential and sensitive information, including experimental material, identifiable research data, research data that may be commercially or politically sensitive and information that relates to third parties, students will be asked to discuss this with their team beforehand and will be required to sign a declaration form in relation to how the material can be used and stored, before they record a meeting.

3.3. Careful guidance should be given when choosing and initially planning the research

project. If it is anticipated that particular research activities will pose difficulties or barriers, they need to be talked through as part of the initial planning process.

3.4. All students should receive regular supervision but this will vary depending on the mode

of study and the stage of the project. It is good practice to plan the pattern of meetings at the start of each academic year so the student knows what to expect and will be aware of periods when you are unavailable. If meetings are not pre-booked, the date of the next meeting should be arranged at the end of the preceding meeting.

3.5. Larger work goals should be broken down into smaller targets.

3.6. Realistic deadlines should be set and agreed in advance.

4. Support with Writing 4.1 Academic writing is a skill that all research degree students will need to develop and so

all students are encouraged to attend the Academic Writing Workshops offered as part of the Researcher Development Programme.

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4.2 All students can seek support for their writing from the University’s Writer in Residence.

4.3 Some students may qualify for Specialist One to One Study Skills support via DSA and this can help students develop their writing and proof reading strategies. Students should contact the Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS) for more information about this.

4.4 Supervisors may be able offer additional support for their student with techniques to

help them manage their writing. For example, using ‘mind maps’, putting ideas onto a Dictaphone and setting up a template/structure for the work.

4.5 Supervisors need to remember that there may be more spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes in a student’s work (although the student is advised to get drafts of their work proof read before submitting to a supervisor). There may also be ‘awkwardness in phrasing’ and so supervisors are asked to approach feedback to the student sympathetically.

4.6 Supervisors could consider offering feedback on written work verbally at a tutorial

session. Dyslexic students, in particular may find it difficult to decipher written feedback, especially if track changes are used.

5 Support with Reading 5.1 Students will have to do a lot of reading and supervisors should therefore explore ways

to make this more manageable. Vitae have suggested some ways that this might be achieved (see www.vitae.ac.uk):

Recommend a list of key texts and parts of texts.

Ask the student to discuss ideas they glean from their reading - are they interpreting the writers accurately?

if the student disagrees with a writer, are they able to challenge their ideas and formulate their own ideas? negotiate realistic deadlines for reading key texts

6. RDB1 - The Research Proposal 6.1 This is the first significant piece of work that the student will produce and the student is

therefore likely to need support with their reading and writing (see Sections 4 and 5 above).

6.2 The supervisor should alert the expert reviewers of the student’s SpLD and associated

possible difficulties. 6.3 Expert reviewers should be asked to feed back their comments in a way that recognises

the student’s specific needs (Director of Studies to advise). 6.4 The team should assess whether the student would benefit from extended deadlines for

the submission of the first draft of the RDB1 to the RS and submission of the final draft to RDB. The regulations say the following:

It is expected that the research proposal will be submitted to the Research School 6 months after initial registration on the programme for a FT student and 9 months for a PT student. It is expected that the proposal will have been approved by the

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Research Degrees Board 12 months after initial registration on the programme for a FT students and after 18 months for a part time student. Research Degrees Board will receive regular progress reports of all research degree students and failure to meet these deadlines will normally result in a recommendation of withdrawal from their programme of research.

6.5 Students may benefit from an extension to the first deadline (6 or 9 months), however, the

flexibility of the RDB1 review process means that an extension to the final deadline is not normally required, even if the first draft of the RDB1 is received ‘late’.

7. RDB2- Transfer to PhD 7.1 The regulations for transfer to PhD are as follows:

‘All students registered for MPhil/PhD and who wish to transfer to PhD undertake an upgrade interview. That interview should only be contemplated when enough progress has been made to provide evidence of the development of the project and the student towards a PhD. This will be 12 months after approval of the Research Proposal by the Research Degrees Board for FT students and 18 months for PT students. Research Degrees Board will receive regular progress reports of all research degree students. If FT and PT students have not had their transfer interview 24 and 36 months after approval of the RDB1 respectively, this will normally result in a recommendation of withdrawal from their programme of research’.

7.2 On the RDB1, the student and supervisory team are required to record the expected date

for Transfer to PhD. This date is recorded by the RS. If the student’s SpLD means that it is likely that they will take longer to reach transfer, then it essential that this is acknowledged and reflected in the RDB1. Once the extra time has been agreed and added on to the record the student will be expected to meet these adjusted deadlines.

7.3 Transfer to PhD requires the student to submit a substantial piece of written work,

approximately 10,000 words. Again, the student should be referred to the support available to help their reading and writing (Section 4 and 5). In addition, the student is required to give a 30 minute presentation to the Transfer Panel followed by 1 hour for questions and discussion.

7.4 The Transfer Panel includes the whole supervisory team (who will already be aware of the

student’s needs), an external expert and an Independent Chair. The Director of Studies should alert the external expert and Independent Chair of the student’s SpLD and associated possible difficulties so that appropriate adjustments can be made to the Transfer interview. These adjustments must be made on a case by case basis but might include, for example:

a.) Allowing the student to see the room in which the interview will take place in

advance, and give them the opportunity to ask for an alternative room if appropriate.

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b.) Ensuring the room has sufficient table space for the student to lay out and organise their materials.

c.) Allowing the student 5 minutes at the start of the interview to lay out their materials.

d.) Allowing the student to use a laptop for easy access to the relevant sections of the work and/or the use of coloured overlays to help them read the relevant text.

e.) Allowing more time for the interview to take place (the interview is normally 1h30). f.) Based on the Transfer report alone, asking the expert reviewer to send a list of

expected questions on the written work to the team one week before the interview to allow the student time to prepare their answers (please note, this can only be a guide and it will not be possible to send the student expected questions on their presentation as this will be seen for the first time on the day).

g.) Choosing an appropriate method of presentation for the student. h.) Asking the independent chair to ensure that the panel understand that they must

ensure clear & concise phrasing of questions and instructions and give extra clarification of questions if needed.

i.) Asking the Independent Chair to ensure that the Panel members remain silent whilst the student finds information or composes a response. Some students may wish to write each question down to avoid memory overload and to give them time to process what they are being asked.

j.) Asking the independent Chair to ensure there is a clear distinction between the questions asked about the presentation and the questions asked about the written work.

k.) Allowing for rest breaks for fatigue or attention issues. It is the responsibility of the Independent Chair to give the student an opportunity for a break.

8. Doctoral Examination by viva voce

8.1 The PhD and Professional Doctorate are examined by a written thesis and an oral examination called the viva voce.

8.2 Supervisors are urged to arrange a mock viva for all students. The RS has produced some

guidance notes around the mock viva and these can be found on the Research Degree Programme Blackboard pages.

8.2 The Director of Studies should ask the Research School to alert the examiners and

Independent Chair of the student’s SpLD and associated possible difficulties so that appropriate adjustments can be made to the Viva. These adjustments must be made on a case by case basis but might include, for example:

a.) Allowing the student to see the room in which the viva will take place in advance, and give them the opportunity to ask for an alternative room if appropriate.

b.) Ensuring the room has sufficient table space for the student to lay out and organise their materials.

c.) Allowing the student 5 minutes at the start of the viva to lay out their materials. d.) Allowing the student to use a laptop for easy access to the relevant sections of the

thesis and/or the use of coloured overlays to help them read the relevant text. e.) Giving open-ended time limit for viva; allowing plenty of time to find a section,

understand the question, reread the text and formulate a considered response. It is

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essential that the external examiner, who may need to make travel arrangements home, is aware of this in advance.

f.) Asking the independent chair to ensure that the examiners understand that they must ensure clear & concise phrasing of questions and instructions and give extra clarification of questions if needed.

g.) Asking the Independent Chair to explain that the examiners need to remain silent whilst the student finds information or composes a response.

h.) Allowing the student to make brief notes on questions to avoid memory overload. i.) Allowance for poor fluency (e.g. word finding, rambling, speed, coherence of

response). j.) Allowing for rest breaks for fatigue or attention issues. It is the responsibility of the

Independent Chair to give the student an opportunity for a break.

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Student Guidelines – PhD students with specific learning difficulties

Background

Before you embark on an MPhil/PhD at the University of Worcester, it will be helpful for you to identify the differences between doctoral study and your undergraduate and taught postgraduate study. What new challenges may you face? Disabled PGRs in the Premia research identified differing challenges that included:

the need for long periods of concentration the need to organise large volumes of material and retrieve relevant information

from it as and when needed long periods of reading or sitting meeting targets and managing time to include bad days heightened feelings of isolation, over and above that which any postgraduate

researcher may experience.

Reading the University's code of practice, Research Degree Regulatory Framework and Research Student Handbook and attending the Research Degree Open Day will help you clarify what the University expects of you and what you are entitled to as a postgraduate researcher. This will help you identify the areas which may be problematic for you. From this you can anticipate and identify strategies for managing and overcoming them. Then you will be able to separate the disability-related factors from others that may influence your final decision.

The guidelines below aim to increase your awareness of the support available and offer recommendations on how to alleviate the possible difficulties during your programme.

1. Awareness

1.1 It is essential that you register with the Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS). If you do not do so, then the service will be unaware of your needs and unable to support you. To contact DDS ring 01905 855531 or email disability@worc.ac.uk. This will normally be followed up by a meeting or phone appointment with a Disability Advisor or a joint meeting with the supervisory team (see below).

1.2 With your permission, DDS will share this information with the student’s supervisory team. A meeting will be arranged with your internal supervisors during the early stages of the project. The student and supervisory team must ensure that a follow up meeting takes place, if required, to review the student’s support needs as the student and project develop. A Disability Advisor may be involved in these meetings if their input is required. Additional meetings will be required around the key stages of the programme, for example RDB1 (Approval of the Research Proposal), RDB2 (Transfer to PhD) and viva.

1.3.1 There are a number of funds available to support disabled students studying in the United Kingdom. The main source of funding is Disabled Students Allowances (DSA) and we strongly encourage you to apply for support via this route. www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas

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1.1.1 DSA can provide both assistive technology and support both of which can be a major benefit for students.

1.2 Your supervisors will be asked to attend the Researcher Development workshop ‘Supervising Research Degree Students with SPLD’.

1.2.1 If an extension to a deadline is required, the RS Manager will notify the Specialist Learning Support Service Manager at DDS to discuss continuation of support. If the project is funded, the RS Manager will notify the funder to ensure the University does not get financially penalised for extension.

2. Reasonable Adjustments 2.1 For all taught modules, reasonable adjustments are made for students with SpLD who have

contacted the Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS) – please note that this is anot automatic. These might include extra time in written exams / tests, Disability Informed Assessment, notes in advance, recording of taught sessions. The particular adjustments allocated to you can be found on the class lists for all taught modules. In addition, after discussion with a Disability Advisor you will also be given a DDS1 support plan, setting out the reasonable adjustments that you are entitled to. You can share this with tutors, supervisors and other staff as required. This will apply to the taught modules for the PG Certificate in Research Methods.

2.2 For research degree students, where your programme is largely comprised of independent research, it is more difficult to define what is meant by a reasonable adjustment. In most cases this will be about assessing your specific needs and putting in some additional support in these areas (some ideas are discussed below).

2.3 Extra time in the context of an MPhil/PhD is more difficult to unpick. The research degree

programme at Worcester is already fluid in terms of when the research proposal should be signed off or when transfer to PhD should take place and our maximum registration periods (4 years full time and 6 years part time) are generous, when compared with the sector. Our experience would suggest that this inbuilt flexibility means that most students do not require ‘extra time’. However, in recognition that a student with a SpLD may take longer to write, structure and edit their thesis, an extension (up to 6 months for a full time student and up to 12 months for a part time student) to the maximum registration period will usually be granted on these grounds. The only exception to this will be where the university is bound by the requirements of an external funder or where the project is time sensitive. Once extra time has been agreed and added to your record, you will be expected to meet the adjusted deadline date.

3. Supervision 3.1 The following points apply to all research degree students but in particular those with

SpLD.

3.2 If you have a disability you may benefit from recording supervisory meetings. As PhD supervision sessions include discussion of confidential and sensitive information, including experimental material, identifiable research data, research data that may be commercially or politically sensitive and information that relates to third parties, you will be asked to

10

discuss this with your team beforehand and you will be required to sign a declaration form in relation to how the material can be used and stored, before you record a meeting.

3.3 We expect your supervisors to give you careful guidance when choosing and initially

planning your research project. If you anticipate that particular research activities will pose difficulties or barriers, talk them through as part of the initial planning process.

3.4 You should receive regular supervision but this will vary depending on your mode of study

and the stage of the project. It is good practice to plan the pattern of meetings at the start of each academic year so you know what to expect and so that you will be aware of periods when your supervisors are unavailable. If meetings are not pre-booked, the date of the next meeting should be arranged at the end of the preceding meeting.

3.5 Your supervisors could break your larger work goals down into smaller targets. 3.6 Your supervisors should set you realistic deadlines and these should be agreed in advance. 4. Support with Writing 4.1 Academic writing is a skill that all research degree students will need to develop and so you

are encouraged to attend the Academic Writing Workshops offered as part of the Researcher Development programme.

4.2 You can seek support for your writing from the University’s Writer in Residence. 4.3 Some students may qualify for Specialist One to One Study Skills support via DSA and this

can help students develop their writing and proof reading strategies. You should either speak to your DSA Needs Assessor or contact the Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS) for more information about this.

4.4 Your supervisors may sometimes be able offer you additional support with techniques to help you manage your writing. For example, using ‘mind maps’, putting ideas onto a Dictaphone and setting up a template/structure for your work.

4.5 Your supervisors are asked to remember that there may be more spelling, punctuation and

grammar mistakes in your work (although you are advised to get drafts of your work proof read before submitting to a supervisor). There may also be ‘awkwardness in phrasing’ and so your supervisors are asked to approach feedback sympathetically.

4.6 You should talk to your supervisors about the best way to offer feedback. For example, you

might find track changes difficult to navigate and would prefer verbal feedback. It is important that this is discussed with your supervisors at an early stage of the project, preferably during your first meeting with your team and a Disability Advisor.

5. Support with Reading

As an MPhil/PhD student you will be expected to do a large amount of reading. There is a lot of information on the Vitae website. Here are some suggestions (taken from Vitae) of how you might deal with this:

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explain the difficulties reading poses for you and that you are keen to find ways of using your reading time efficiently and effectively

try using a coloured acetate or coloured plastic folder over the text to remove the glare.

use a photocopier to enlarge text. If printed scan text on to a PC and enlarge it or try to read on a PC.

ask a friend to read it aloud to you. Scan text into your PC and use a read back facility.

ask your supervisor(s) to recommend a list of key texts and parts of texts (this is much more efficient if you ask for this list before you start).

discuss ideas you glean from your reading - are you interpreting the writers accurately?

if you disagree with a writer, are you able to challenge their ideas?

ask for feedback on discussions of the literature and the arguments you present

negotiate realistic deadlines for reading key texts.

6. RDB1 - The Research Proposal 6.1 This is the first significant piece of work that you will produce and you may need support

with your writing and reading (see Sections 4 and 5 above).

6.2 Your Director of Studies will alert your expert reviewers of your SpLD and associated possible difficulties.

6.3 Expert reviewers should be asked to feed back their comments in a way that recognises

your specific needs (Director of Studies to advise).

6.4 You should discuss with your team whether you would benefit from extended deadlines for the submission of the first draft of the RDB1 to the RS and submission of the final draft to RDB. The regulations say the following:

It is expected that the research proposal will be submitted to the Research School 6 months after initial registration on the programme for a FT student and 9 months for a PT student. It is expected that the proposal will have been approved by the Research Degrees Board 12 months after initial registration on the programme for a FT students and after 18 months for a part time student. Research Degrees Board will receive regular progress reports of all research degree students and failure to meet these deadlines will normally result in a recommendation of withdrawal from their programme of research.

6.5 You may benefit from an extension to the first deadline (6 or 9 months), however, the

flexibility of the RDB1 review process means that an extension to the final deadline is not normally required, even if the first draft of the RDB1 is received ‘late’.

7. RDB2- Transfer to PhD 7.1 The regulations for transfer to PhD are as follows:

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‘All students registered for MPhil/PhD and who wish to transfer to PhD undertake an upgrade interview. That interview should only be contemplated when enough progress has been made to provide evidence of the development of the project and the student towards a PhD. This will be 12 months after approval of the Research Proposal by the Research Degrees Board for FT students and 18 months for PT students. Research Degrees Board will receive regular progress reports of all research degree students. If FT and PT students have not had their transfer interview 24 and 36 months after approval of the RDB1 respectively, this will normally result in a recommendation of withdrawal from their programme of research’.

7.2 From the outset of the research, on the RDB1, you are required to record the expected

date for Transfer to PhD. This date is recorded by the RS. If your SpLD means that it is likely that you will take longer to reach transfer, then it essential that this is acknowledged and reflected in your RDB1. Once the extra time has been agreed and added on to your record you will be expected to meet these adjusted deadlines.

7.3 Transfer to PhD requires you to submit a substantial piece of written work; approximately

10,000 words. Again, you are reminded of the support available to help your writing and reading(Section 4 and 5). In addition, you will be required to give a 30 minute presentation to the Transfer Panel followed by 1 hour for questions and discussion.

7.4 The Transfer Panel includes your whole supervisory team, an external expert and an

Independent Chair. Your Director of Studies should alert the external expert and Independent Chair of the your SpLD and associated possible difficulties so that appropriate adjustments can be made to the Transfer interview. These adjustments must be made on a case by case basis but might include, for example: a.) Allowing you to see the room in which the interview will take place in advance, and

give you the opportunity to ask for an alternative room if appropriate. b.) Ensuring the room has sufficient table space for you to lay out and organise your

materials. c.) Allowing you 5 minutes at the start of the interview to lay out your materials. d.) Allowing you to use a laptop for easy access to the relevant sections of the work

and/or the use of coloured overlays to help you read the relevant text. e.) Allowing more time for the interview to take place (the interview is normally 1h30). f.) Based on the Transfer report alone, asking the expert reviewer to send a list of

expected questions on the written report to your team one week before the interview to allow you time to prepare your answers (please note, this can only be a guide and it will not be possible to send you some expected questions on your presentation as this will be seen for the first time on the day).

g.) Choosing an appropriate method of presentation. h.) Asking the independent chair to ensure that the panel understand that they must

ensure clear & concise phrasing of questions and instructions and give extra clarification of questions if needed.

i.) Asking the Independent Chair to ensure that the Panel members remain silent whilst you find information or composes a response. Some students may wish to write each

13

question down to avoid memory overload and to give them time to process what they are being asked.

j.) Asking the independent Chair to ensure there is a clear distinction between the questions asked about the presentation and the questions asked about the written work.

k.) Allowing for rest breaks for fatigue or attention issues. Please ask the Independent Chair for a break if you need one.

8. Doctoral Examination by viva voce

8.1 The PhD and Professional Doctorate are examined by a written thesis and an oral examination called the viva voce.

8.2 Supervisors are urged to arrange a mock viva for all students. The RS has produced some

guidance notes around the mock viva and these can be found on the Research Degree Programme Blackboard pages.

8.3 You should consider marking up your thesis, colour code sections etc. beforehand so you

can easily find the relevant section at viva. 8.3 Your Director of Studies should ask the Research School to alert the examiners and

Independent Chair of your SpLD and associated possible difficulties so that appropriate adjustments can be made to your Viva. These adjustments must be made on a case by case basis but might include, for example:

a.) Allowing you to see the room in which the viva will take place in advance, and give you the opportunity to ask for an alternative room if appropriate.

b.) Ensuring the room has sufficient table space for you to lay out and organise your materials.

c.) Allowing you 5 minutes at the start of the viva to lay out your materials. d.) Allowing you to use a laptop for easy access to the relevant sections of your thesis

and/or the use of coloured overlays to help you read the relevant text. e.) Giving open-ended time limit for viva; allowing plenty of time to find a section,

understand the question, reread the text and formulate a considered response. It is essential that the external examiner, who may need to make travel arrangements home, is aware of this in advance.

f.) Asking the independent chair to ensure that the examiners understand that they must ensure clear & concise phrasing of questions and instructions and give extra clarification of questions if needed.

g.) Asking the Independent Chair to explain that the examiners need to remain silent whilst you find information or composes a response.

h.) Allowing you to make brief notes on questions to avoid memory overload i.) Allowance for poor fluency (e.g. word finding, rambling, speed, coherence of

response) j.) Allowing for rest breaks for fatigue or attention issues. Please ask the independent

chair if you wish to take a break.