Disability Resource Centre (DRC)

Needs Assessment

Also known as "Study Aids and Study Strategies Assessment".

The Needs Assessment should identify strategies you can use to participate in all aspects of mainstream higher education (despite any adverse effects your disability or learning difficulty might have). These strategies often include assistive technology equipment and specialist support.

How to get a Needs Assessment

  1. Firstly, you will need a formal written diagnosis of your specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), disability, or chronic medical condition (such as a RSI or depression). This must be obtained via a medical or health professional (such as a GP, Educational Psychologist or Specialist Tutor).
  2. You can then apply to Student Finance for Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs).
  3. If Student Finance determines that you are eligible for DSAs, they will then write to you and request you go for a 'Needs Assessment / Study Aids and Study Strategies Assessment'.
  4. At this point you should contact an assessment centre directly to book your assessment.
  5. Following your appointment, the assessment centre will send both you and Student Finance your Needs Assessment report.

Where to get assessed

There are a large number of assessment centres across the UK:

There are two assessment centres in Cambridge:

Anglia Assessment Centre (AAC)
HEL333
Anglia Ruskin University
East Road
Cambridge
CB1 1PT
Telephone
0845 196 2378
Email
dsa@anglia.ac.uk
Website
http://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/central/earac.html
Cambridge Access Centre
9 Orwell House
Orwell Furlong
Cowley Road
Cambridge
CB4 9PP
Telephone
01223 223 701 or 07967 891 154
Email
info@cambridgeaccesscentre.com
Website
http://www.cambridgeaccesscentre.com

Further information


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