Accessibility in Studies

If you need individual study arrangements, proceed as follows:

1. Contact the study psychologist and arrange a meeting. Choose "Individual study arrangements for health reasons" as a topic you would like to discuss. 
2. Bring to the meeting a statement of your condition signed by a doctor, psychologist or other expert. If you wish, you can print two copies of the application form and fill in the "Applicant's personal information and right to study" at the top of the forms. The study psychologist also has application forms.
3. The meeting will consider what arrangements you need. The arrangements granted will be recorded in a certificate for individual study arrangements, which will be valid for five years in the University of Oulu.
4. In order to get individual study arrangements, you need to show the certificate for individual study arrangements to your course teachers and agree on the arrangements needed. You should contact the teacher about your needs immediately at the beginning of the course. Especially arrangements for examinations take a lot of time to prepare.  You can read here the instructions of how to use the electronic examination system. If you email the form to the course teacher, use the secured email. 
5. If problems arise, contact the person who provided the certificate.

Individual study arrangements are granted to the student only when the student verifies his/her/they need by presenting a certificate for individual study arrangements, which is valid in the whole University of Oulu.

The right to individual study arrangements is granted by the study psychologist. The student must verify need for individual study arrangements by presenting a statement by a doctor or other relevant professional. The right to individual study arrangements is granted for five years.

The recommendation on individual study arrangements specifies the arrangements agreed upon but includes no data concerning health as defined in the EU General Data Protection Regulation. Details of the student’s health status are disclosed only to the person in charge of granting the right to individual study arrangements. The contact details of the person in charge will be included in the certificate.

The student must communicate need for individual study arrangements to the course teacher as soon as possible. Students will be given further advice on the practicalities of individual study arrangements when the certificate is being written. 

Separate exam rooms (BF128-1) are for students who need individual arrangements. Premises are available for all staff in Outlook. Staff has free access to the room.  Log in with the staff ID in the univ\username format.  You can read here the instructions of how to use the electronic examination system.  

The Back to Studies cards are free to use. The cards have been designed so that you can quickly glance at them to see what to consider in guidance and teaching situations. Their purpose is to help understand the different needs of students and to provide tools for addressing those needs. 

Dyslexia

• Additional time to do written coursework and during exams.
• Students may also be helped by having the chance to take their exam by computer and use a proofreading program when writing. 
• Flexible procedures and alternative test-taking methods.  Alternatives to traditional tests include: oral exams, student presentations, project work and multi-modal computer-based home exams that may include e.g. examples from different types of materials or the use of different programs or videos.
• Provide students with lecture slides well in advance of the lectures.
• Provide a form of assessment in which spelling mistakes do not lower the grade.
• If you have a print-disability and need accessible media, you can contact Oulu University Library to register for Celia’s services. Most books provided by Celia are in Finnish, but books in English are also available.
• Be aware that students may need a chance to make audio and/or visual recordings for their studying needs. Students have the right to make such recordings for their own use, but not to publish them without permission. A practice for making such recordings should be arranged, however, between the teacher and the student.

Attention deficit and hyperactivity & autism spectrum disorder 

• Additional time to do written coursework and during exams.
• Learning may be demonstrated in alternative ways. E.g. a written examination may be replaced by a verbal one or by written work done at home. 
• Separate room for exam. Note! A student who has been recommended a separate working space for exams, agrees upon the arrangement with the course instructor. The student contacts the course instructor early at the beginning of each course, at least two weeks before the exam, so that the instructor can make needed arrangements for the examination in a timely manner.
• Clear and detailed information on the structure of a course, key dates, examination requirements and practical arrangements.

• Obtaining lecture materials in advance. 

Anxiety & social anxiety 

• Rather than have students discuss in small groups, use pair discussions followed up by a joint wrap-up discussion for the whole class.
• Don’t force a student experiencing performance anxiety to speak in front of the group, e.g. by putting questions to them directly in front of others. Instead, let the students think about their answer in peace and let them choose themselves if they wish to share their answer with the rest of the group.
• For example, performing in a smaller group, bilaterally to the teacher or videotaping performance.
• The student may need additional time to turn in assignments. The need for additional time might also emerge during the course, if his or her condition fluctuates during the course.

Depression

• Clear and detailed information on the structure of a course, key dates, examination requirements and practical arrangements.
• The student may need additional time to turn in assignments. The need for additional time might also emerge during the course, if his or her condition fluctuates during the course.