Disability Statement
Adam Smith College has a strong commitment to equal opportunities and we welcome applications from students 
with Additional Support Needs.
The Learning Support team can help you to manage your work and to be as independent as possible. The team work closely with staff so that students who need additional help are given support. Disability awareness training and advice about adapting teaching methods for students who have particular difficulties is also provided.
The learning support system exists for all students; so don't be afraid to investigate what we have to offer. Although you are most likely to contact the member of the team on your own campus because this is convenient, you are free to use learning support services in the part of the College which suits you at a particular time.
We hope to help you to make your time at College as successful as possible. Our aim is to assist you to achieve your personal, educational and employment goals.
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Learning Support Staff
Angela Dillon is the Team Leader based at Stenton Campus. Telephone 01592 223017 and email angeladillon@adamsmith.ac.uk
Rhona Crisp is based in the Learner Services area in the St Brycedale Campus. Rhona supports most of the students studying in St Brycedale Campus. Telephone 01592 223342 and email rhonacrisp@adamsmith.ac.uk
The Learning Support Team offers a wide variety of support services to students and staff. Learning Assistants and Facilitators also provide support.
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Personal Appointments
Appointments will be arranged for you when you apply to College, if you tell us about your support needs on your application form. You can also make a personal appointment to discuss your learning needs at any time if you feel you have difficulty learning. These can be booked at each library reception desk.
Appointment arrangements are advertised on College notice boards. You can do this by telephone if you prefer, or talk to a lecturer to assist you. Telephone 01592 223010 for Stenton and Levenmouth campuses; 01592 223414 for Kirkcaldy campuses. Alternatively, email LSappts@adamsmith.ac.uk
What you discuss with the Learning Support Staff is confidential . It can help you to succeed, if the staff who work with you are aware of your additional support needs, but information will only be passed on to another member of staff with your permission. The best support comes from you the student, your lecturers/tutors and the Learning Support Staff all working together.
Every student has individual needs, so support provision varies. Please be open about what learning support you need to help you to succeed in your studies Please apply as soon as you can, so your support needs can be planned as soon as possible and agreed in a Personal Learning Support Plan.
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Personal Learning Support Plan
If you have a learning difficulty or disability, or short-term difficulty such as a broken arm, which means you need extra support, a Personal Learning Support Plan (PLSP) will be agreed with you. It takes account of your additional support needs e.g. visual or hearing impairment, specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, a health and/or mobility difficulty. Once you are happy with the support plan, this information will be given, (with your permission) to your Curriculum Head and the staff involved in your course.
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Educational Support
The College has a range of options to help you on your course. In addition to offering study skills workshops and classes in literacy and numeracy, you can come for extra help with your course work or learn how to use assistive technology.
The College provides:
learning support in the learning bases at each campus so that you can keep up to date with work, as well as getting supported study;
double staffing in some classes;
readers and scribes, if necessary for assessments;
assessments for dyslexia and scotopic sensitivity;
dyslexia stickers for assessment pieces to remind tutors, so work is marked sympathetically;
extended loan for library books;
photocopying cards.
Alternative assessment arrangements can be put in place, for example:
reader;
scribe;
extra time;
rest breaks;
use of technology;
interpreter;
adapted material;
transcription;
prompter.
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Reasonable Adjustments and Competence Standards
There are lots of different kinds of support in College. For example, some students have large print materials, use of a computer, use of a scribe and so on. These are called ‘reasonable adjustments’. Under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and the new Equality Act, the College plans all the time for the reasonable adjustments it needs to make.
The College also applies ‘competence standards’ to work out whether or not a person has a particular level of knowledge or a practical skill or ability. Competence standards are applied during assessment. Students may have to complete a written test to show they have knowledge or they may have to complete a practical test to show they have a practical skill or ability.
Under the Disability Discrimination Act, special rules apply when competence standards are applied. This means the College may not be able to make reasonable adjustments because the competence standard is the test.
Unfortunately the offer of a place on a course may be withdrawn if no reasonable adjustment can be made to the assessment process due to a competence standard. It is, therefore, important that you inform the College as early as possible if you have an additional support need. We can then work with you to identify any barriers and consider study aids and support strategies.
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Confidentiality Statement
The College follows data protection legislation and in normal circumstances, confidentiality will be respected at all times. There are times however when we will not keep matters confidential.
These would be:
If we consider that you are a danger to yourself or others;
If children under the age of 16 appear to be at risk;
If we are called upon in legal circumstances to divulge information;
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Useful Websites
Brite
Skill
Dyslexia Scotland
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