Our flexible degree structure and Learner Support Team provides peace of mind to many students who carry out their studies with a disability, long-term condition or mental health condition.
You can complete our Disability Support Form where you can use to tell us about your disability, how it affects you, and any support you may need to access the course.
The Student Accessibility Policy covers our approach to ensuring that all students can access their studies and the support they need.
The Learner Support Team can help you with things like:
- Additional time - you can access extensions of up to 3 months per unit for Foundations and Degree students.
- Applying for DSA - help to apply for support through Disabled Students Allowance (eligible degree students only).
- Contact via email/calls or meetings to discuss challenges and support problem-solving.
- Planning for study/prioritising tasks and organising work.
- Organise printed course materials, if you'd prefer this to online resources.
- Writing skills - You will find support for Academic Writing and Harvard Referencing on the OCA Library course on OCA Learn.
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Other study-related support tailored for you - e.g. preparing for assessment once you have tutor feedback for all your work during the course.
Studying with OCA is designed to be flexible, so you can shape your learning in a way that works for you. Here’s what that looks like:
- No lectures to attend - All learning materials are available on our online platform, OCA Learn.
- Accessible course materials - Resources on OCA Learn come in various formats, including audio, to support different learning preferences. Look for this symbol.
- Schedule your study - You have the freedom to plan and manage your time, so you can study when it suits you best as long as you complete by your unit end date.
- Step-by-step learning - You’ll complete exercises that gradually build into a larger body of work, which you’ll submit to your tutor for feedback.
- Flexible deadlines - You can negotiate submission deadlines while working through your unit and receiving tutor feedback.
- Personalised tutor feedback - Feedback is available in written form, via video call, or a mix of both - whichever works best for you. If you choose video calls, you can also request a transcript.
- No exams - You’ll have the opportunity to refine your work based on tutor feedback before submitting it for final assessment.
- Group sessions are optional - You’re welcome to join, and if you’d prefer, you can keep your camera off for comfort.