Best Practice

Exams, Access Arrangements and assistive technology

Access Arrangements and assistive technology can offer crucial support for many students, but a narrow view of just who these processes are for is causing problems. Andrew Harland explains

What are Access Arrangements?Access Arrangements (AAs) related to general or vocational qualifications can be divided into two categories and both must comply with the Equality Act 2010.

First, a range of AAs can be awarded by the centre, such as the provision of supervised rest breaks. Then there are those that require prior Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and awarding body approval, usually dealt with through the online AAs process.

AAs requested include extra time, the use of readers, scribes, or requests for modified and Braille question papers, including the use of assistive technology, ranging from specialist projectors to speech software on laptops. These are defined and signed off by SENCOs before being implemented by exams office staff.

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