Services for students with disabilities and special needs

Open Polytechnic is committed to offering people with a disability or specific needs access to all its courses.

If you have a medical condition or disability, which impacts on your ability to study or have specific needs, we may be able to provide you with assistance to complete your studies and examinations.

As a learning service we are able to offer you a flexible, accessible way of learning.

We will endeavour to:

• Assist you to participate fully, as your circumstances allow, in all aspects of study
• Help you to study effectively and on equal terms with other students
• Assist you to build towards national qualifications for your skills, through formal assessment.

Very few of our courses have contact classes or workshops, therefore you can choose to work at your own pace.

Experience has shown that open learning and a combination of personal support is more accessible to many people with disabilities than traditional forms of study.

Learning material

• Course materials in an alternative format
• Course materials for conversion to Braille spiral-bound material
• Course materials in an electronic form
• Enlarged print course material
• Special arrangements for assessment and examinations.

Examination options

• Material in alternative format
• Large print
• Reader
• Writer
• Reader/writer
• Special furniture
• Sitting examination at home
• Extra time and/or rest breaks.

Open Polytechnic is an equal opportunities institution and welcomes application for admission to its academic programmes for all sections of society.

Identification of special needs

You are asked on enrolment to indicate if you have a disability, health problem or specific need that might affect your Polytechnic studies. You will be sent more information on enrolment.

If you require special assistance in an examination you need to contact us at least six weeks prior to your examination. Please also let us know if you will be in an advanced stage of pregnancy (36 weeks or more) at the time of your exam. You can let us know your needs by completing the Application for Special Assistance form, or by contacting us.

Application for Special Assistance  ( .pdf 82kb) document will open in a new window.

Please note that not all services are available for all courses.

For more information contact our Customer Service Representatives or email the Disabilities Co-ordinator