Telling the OU about your disability

Telling us about a disability or health condition helps us to support you more effectively while you study.

Why tell us about your support needs

If you need specialised support while studying, we can develop a support plan for you. To do this we need to know more about the support you need, for example:

• how your disability affects you
• how your disability may affect your study
• what specialist support you may need
• what adjustments you may need from your tutor
• what adjustments you may need to attend online or face-to-face tutorials
• how you would like us to communicate with you.

If you don't need specialised support we would still ask that you let us know about your disability or health condition so that we're aware of it, as there may be other ways we can support you. You can find out about the standard adjustments and support available to everyone at Adjustments and support available through the OU.

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Timescale for getting disability support

The timescale for getting disability support will vary depending on your individual needs and the level of support required. As a guide, it takes around six weeks for us to develop a support plan.

We recommend you tell us about any support requirements as soon as you have registered for study. The earlier we know the more likely we can have your support plan in place by the time you start studying.

We would also recommend you apply for Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) as early as you can, to have it in place by the time you start studying too.

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What type of supporting information is needed

For much of our support, we will not need any supporting documentation from you. However, for some of our specialist support you may need to supply supporting information. This helps us to better understand your needs to ensure we put the right support in place. You don't need to send us anything yet. If we need something, one of our advisers will talk you through it.

Things we may ask for can include:

• a medical evidence report completed by a medical professional
• a letter or report from a medical doctor or qualified practitioner (alternative and complementary therapists are not accepted)
• a Statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN)
• a full diagnostic assessment report confirming a Specific Learning Difficulty
• a Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) Needs Assessment report or entitlement letter
• proof of registration as a blind or partially sighted person from your local social services.

This information is held securely and is only ever seen by the staff who decide what specialist support you'll receive.

If you’re concerned that you’ll be asked to pay for evidence, for example by your GP, we can discuss this with you. You can find our contact details in Contacts for disability support.

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How to share your disability with us

Most students can complete a Disability Support Form, however some students will need to call us or send their information in an email. Work through the questions to get to the right route for you.

There are specific request forms if you need additional arrangements for residential school or any exam arrangements.

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What happens next?

We'll contact you for a chat about your needs. We'll then write a personal profile which summarises the discussion. You'll be able to view this profile in Identity, needs and circumstances on your StudentHome profile. This is also available to view by your student support team or tutor who'll support you on your study journey.

We'll also discuss other opportunities for support and funding with you, for example the Government-funded Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) or, if you're an apprentice, Access to Work.

While you're waiting for us to contact you, or to receive support, there may be things you can do yourself to help you start studying. Go to Studying on a screen to find out about the accessible formats available to all students and get tips on setting yourself up to learn online comfortably and successfully.

You’ll also find details of alternative digital format resources, accessibility guides, library resources and other support services under Resources on your module website once it opens, via StudentHome.

If your needs change, you can contact the Disability Support Team to discuss any adjustments.

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How we use your disability information

The information you give will be used to create a summary of your support needs (usually called a profile). You'll be able to see this summary and can request to change or update it at any time.

Your information will be used by your tutor to make sure they can adapt their teaching to meet your requirements.

We keep a record of the information you give us so we can put in place the support you need to help you study successfully. It is only available to those who need to see it and saves you having to repeat what you've already told us.

We're also required to share information with third parties (non-Open University organisations) when dealing with funding applications, for example Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA).

We may also record our phone calls with you to make sure that we have carried out your instructions correctly, and to help us improve our services through staff training.

The information you provide will be used and managed in line with the Student Privacy Notice.

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Contacting us

You can contact the Disability Support Team if you have any questions about supplying supporting evidence or the kind of support you can expect to receive.

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