[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-621104-105":59,"doc-detail-621104-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","ensuring-exams-are-accessible-for-ddeaf-students-access-arrangements","Ensuring exams are accessible for D/deaf students - Access arrangements","","Guide to exam access arrangements for D/deaf students where additional support may be needed despite not being formally recognised as special educational needs. Explains how centres should assess individual needs and trial arrangements during tests and mock exams, while ensuring invigilators provide consistent information. Summarises practical options including supervised rest breaks, extra time, readers and reading technology, communication professionals (often in BSL), language modifiers, and related allowances or exemptions.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/ensuring-exams-are-accessible-for-ddeaf-students-access-arrangements/621104/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/ensuring-exams-are-accessible-for-ddeaf-students-access-arrangements/621104.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Fahsai","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-10-20",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":19},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"Why might D/deaf students need extra support in exams?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Research indicates a pattern of underperformance, often alongside co-occurring conditions that may require additional support. Deafness can also affect processing speed, concentration, and reading/language demands in exam settings.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What is the purpose of access arrangements during tests and mock exams?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Trialling access arrangements helps ensure students are not disadvantaged. It also supports planning so preferences and needs are considered carefully by centres.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What accommodations are available besides extra time?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Options include supervised rest breaks, readers or reading technology, reading aloud (with separate-room accommodation and up to 50% extra time in relevant sections), communication professionals using BSL, language modifiers as a last resort, and certain exemptions or alternatives for specific exam components.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},621104,1792920268,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":19,"category_name":20,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":19,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":14,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":24,"preview_page_count":4},549768702563,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/8000c4aa63b76e948b?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1786536092046926083","While D/deaf students are not formally recognised as having special educational needs, research shows that there is a pattern of underperformance within this group. Many of these students have a co-occurring condition, which can mean they require additional support when taking exams.  \nA range of access arrangements, set out by the Joint Council for Qualifications, are available for students based on evidence of need and normal way of working. Centres should carefully consider a student’s individual needs and preferences, as what works well for one student may not be the best option for another.  \nHaving the opportunity to trial access arrangements during tests and mock exams can help ensure students are not disadvantaged. It’s also important that invigilators are aware of students’ specific needs and ensure that all students receive the same information.  \nBelow, we summarise the access arrangements that may be appropriate for D/deaf students.  \nEnsuring exams are accessible for D/deaf students  \n| Supervised rest breaks\u003Cbr>| D/deaf students often have to concentrate harder than hearing students when it comes to following conversation or instructions. This can cause tiredness, referred to as concentration (or listening) fatigue. Taking breaks in quiet areas and reducing background noise whenever possible can be helpful. |\n| --- | --- |\n| Extra time\u003Cbr>| Extra time may be needed in exams as deafness commonly impacts the speed with which students process information. Students may also require extra time if they use access arrangements such as reading technologies or communication professionals (previously known as sign-language interpreters) . |\n\n| Readers, reading technology and reading aloud | Deafness can sometimes result in linguistic delays, which can impact a student’s ability to read at the speed needed under exam conditions. In such cases, use of a reader or reading technology (e.g. a reading pen or screen reader) may be useful. Where students rely on lip reading, a reader would be more suitable.\u003Cbr>Readers are not permitted for papers or sections of papers that test reading. However, students who would normally be entitled to a reader may benefit from reading aloud in these sections, with a maximum of 50% extra time. Students who choose to read aloud will need to be accommodated in a separate room. |\n| --- | --- |\n| Communication professionals | Communication professionals present exam questions in a different language, usually British Sign Language (BSL), without changing the meaning or providing any explanation/additional information. Centres can provide this access arrangement based on a student’s normal way of working; no supporting evidence is needed.\u003Cbr>As BSL has regional differences, the communication professional must work‘live’ with the student in the exam. They must be familiar to the student, as well as with the subject being examined, and must always work at the student’s pace. |\n| Language modifiers | All AQA’s standard question papers are checked for accessible language, according to the guidelines published by the British Association of Teachers of Deaf Children and Young People. Despite this, some D/deaf students may still find the language used in exams challenging. In such cases, a language modifier may be appropriate – although this option is considered only as a last resort. |\n| Other arrangementsand exemptions | For pre-recorded exam components, such as modern foreign language listening exams, a live speaker is permitted. For example, if a student has difficulties hearing recorded conversations, the speaker can read the transcript to allow students to lip read. Where the initial letter of a word may not be clear in lip reading, it can be finger spelled or written on a board.\u003Cbr>For music, students can have extra time or be given alternatives to listening tests. They may also be entitled to an exemption from the listening exam, or they may be allowed to have the stimulus material repeated.\u003Cbr>Where","cbCaivhSLVyYJiHn","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaivhSLVyYJiHn","pdf",218852,"English","# Ensuring exams are accessible for D/deaf students\n## Access arrangements that may be appropriate\n### Supervised rest breaks\n### Extra time\n### Readers, reading technology and reading aloud\n### Communication professionals\n### Language modifiers\n### Other arrangements and exemptions","[{\"question\":\"Why might D/deaf students need extra support in exams?\",\"answer\":\"Research indicates a pattern of underperformance, often alongside co-occurring conditions that may require additional support. Deafness can also affect processing speed, concentration, and reading/language demands in exam settings.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the purpose of access arrangements during tests and mock exams?\",\"answer\":\"Trialling access arrangements helps ensure students are not disadvantaged. It also supports planning so preferences and needs are considered carefully by centres.\"},{\"question\":\"What accommodations are available besides extra time?\",\"answer\":\"Options include supervised rest breaks, readers or reading technology, reading aloud (with separate-room accommodation and up to 50% extra time in relevant sections), communication professionals using BSL, language modifiers as a last resort, and certain exemptions or alternatives for specific exam components.\"}]","Ensuring exams are accessible for D/deaf students - Access arrangements | PDF",1792464957]