My daughter is doing A levels, and is finding it very hard to concentrate. She has a diagnosis of Aspergers. Is it likely to be the Aspergers causing this, and if so, does anyone know good ways of dealing with it?
My daughter is doing A levels, and is finding it very hard to concentrate. She has a diagnosis of Aspergers. Is it likely to be the Aspergers causing this, and if so, does anyone know good ways of dealing with it?
Hi nmr1991,
This is a tricky one because disability provision in most universities is driven by the social model of disability - that is with certain support you aren't disabled. The support entailed is mostly idiotic, like just one colour of paper handouts or 15 minutes extra time irrespective of exam.
This doesn't work well at all for people with autism or asperger syndrome.
The really silly bit is they are actually more worried they might be seen to give disabled students an unfair advantage over able students. There is a lot of concern that teaching staff are overly generous in making allowances for disabled students, like assignment extensions. Notwithstanding how someone disabled is going to get any unfair advantage???!!!
It means you would have to have demonstrated (with medical evidence) in advance of the exams, usually by a deadline that's not that well publicised, that you had a particular special exam need. Nevertheless teaching staff often try to be more flexible than these rules (despite getting into trouble for it), so you must talk this through with your personal or course tutors, who may be able to argue for some compensatory measure.
However if pre-arranged they may be able to allow you to sit the exam a little later in a private room under supervision before and during.
That means however that you are expected to help yourself - notwithstanding universities ought by now to understand the difficulties that presents for students with autism. You may find that they do not allow retrospective adjustment without a reason that could not have been anticipated. Usually decisions like this tend to go before a review panel, and may only mean a resit being designated a first sit.
Hall of residence noise is unlikely to be allowed as an excuse as it is the same for all. Having been a wing tutor in halls as a postgrad I know how difficult it is to manage nocturnal noise issues, and that was in the days we had authority. Nowadays it is hands-off - halls are literally left to their own devices at night, with maybe someone on for security. But living in rented rooms or a share in studenty parts of town are just as bad.
This is one of those situations where you need to get whatever help you need before you next have exams to ensure you are there for them and able to complete them satisfactorily - might seem harsh, but I think that's what you'll be told.
I've tried to get special measures provision for students with autism but not managed to prove there is sufficient special need, it is that hard.
Hi nmr1991,
This is a tricky one because disability provision in most universities is driven by the social model of disability - that is with certain support you aren't disabled. The support entailed is mostly idiotic, like just one colour of paper handouts or 15 minutes extra time irrespective of exam.
This doesn't work well at all for people with autism or asperger syndrome.
The really silly bit is they are actually more worried they might be seen to give disabled students an unfair advantage over able students. There is a lot of concern that teaching staff are overly generous in making allowances for disabled students, like assignment extensions. Notwithstanding how someone disabled is going to get any unfair advantage???!!!
It means you would have to have demonstrated (with medical evidence) in advance of the exams, usually by a deadline that's not that well publicised, that you had a particular special exam need. Nevertheless teaching staff often try to be more flexible than these rules (despite getting into trouble for it), so you must talk this through with your personal or course tutors, who may be able to argue for some compensatory measure.
However if pre-arranged they may be able to allow you to sit the exam a little later in a private room under supervision before and during.
That means however that you are expected to help yourself - notwithstanding universities ought by now to understand the difficulties that presents for students with autism. You may find that they do not allow retrospective adjustment without a reason that could not have been anticipated. Usually decisions like this tend to go before a review panel, and may only mean a resit being designated a first sit.
Hall of residence noise is unlikely to be allowed as an excuse as it is the same for all. Having been a wing tutor in halls as a postgrad I know how difficult it is to manage nocturnal noise issues, and that was in the days we had authority. Nowadays it is hands-off - halls are literally left to their own devices at night, with maybe someone on for security. But living in rented rooms or a share in studenty parts of town are just as bad.
This is one of those situations where you need to get whatever help you need before you next have exams to ensure you are there for them and able to complete them satisfactorily - might seem harsh, but I think that's what you'll be told.
I've tried to get special measures provision for students with autism but not managed to prove there is sufficient special need, it is that hard.
