Possible Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled Students in Further Education

Possible Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled Students in Further Education

Possible Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled Students in Further Education

Protected Characteristic of Disability under the Equality Act 2010 (England, Wales and Scotland)

Under the Equality Act 2010, simply having a medical or health condition does not automatically mean you are considered disabled. Instead, the law looks at how much that condition affects your everyday life. In other words, it is not the label or diagnosis on its own that matters, but whether the condition has a substantial, long-term impact on things like studying, moving around campus or communicating with others.

In order to be protected by the Equality Act, a person’s condition must meet a specific definition of “disability”. This means there has to be an underlying physical or mental impairment that causes a real barrier to normal day-to-day activities—more than just a minor annoyance. At the same time, that barrier must last, or be likely to last, for at least twelve months. For example, if someone regularly struggles to concentrate on work because of a mental health difficulty, or if they need extra time simply to walk between classes due to reduced mobility, those effects could be considered substantial and long-term.

There are some conditions that receive automatic protection from the moment of diagnosis, without needing to show how they affect everyday life. These are known as “deemed disabilities”. As soon as someone is diagnosed with cancer, HIV or multiple sclerosis, the law treats it as a disability. Even if a person feels well—perhaps they are still in early treatment or showing no symptoms—the Equality Act regards their condition as meeting the legal definition straight away. 

If you have an impairment that is not one of the deemed conditions – such as autism, ADHD etc – you may still be protected, provided you can show that it has that substantial, long-term impact. In practice, this often happens when you ask for extra support—perhaps extra time in exams, permission to record lectures, or the use of assistive equipment on campus. In such cases, the college may ask for reasonable evidence to confirm the impairment and how it affects you. Typically, this evidence comes from someone like a GP, a specialist doctor, an educational psychologist or an occupational therapist. A short note, report or letter from a qualified professional that explains the difficulties you face, how long they have been in place and why they matter day-to-day can be enough.

Even here, a formal, stamped diagnosis is not always essential. What really counts is proving that your ‘impairment; makes certain activities substantially harder than they would be for the average person. For instance, if you clearly use a wheelchair to get around, that visible need may be enough for the college to arrange ramps etc without demanding a lengthy medical report. Likewise, if you have a history of exam access arrangements from GCSEs or sixth form, those past plans can help demonstrate the ongoing nature of your difficulty. In short, any credible piece of evidence that shows an impairment has a real, lasting impact on daily life will often satisfy the college’s request.

Ultimately, what matters most is whether your impairment places a substantial and lasting barrier in front of you. If it does, the law is there to make sure you are not unfairly disadvantaged. Whether you have an official diagnosis or simply clear evidence of how your condition affects your studies, the Equality Act 2010 is designed to ensure that colleges make reasonable adjustments so you can succeed on an equal footing with your peers. If you think you meet these criteria, the best first step is to speak to the Student Support or Learning Support team at your college. They can guide you through what information to provide and help you arrange the adjustments that will make your college life as smooth as possible.

Duty to Take Reasonable Steps in Further Education

Under the Equality Act 2010, further education providers have a legal duty to take reasonable steps—commonly known as reasonable adjustments—to ensure that disabled students are not placed at a substantial disadvantage when compared to their non-disabled peers. This is an anticipatory duty, which means that colleges must plan ahead by reviewing and, where appropriate, amending their policies, practices, and physical environment. These considerations must be made in advance, not simply when a disabled student enrols.

Crucially, the duty to make reasonable adjustments is individualised. What is reasonable for one disabled student may be unsuitable or inadequate for another. Adjustments must respond to the specific barriers each student experiences due to their impairment. For example, one student with a visual impairment may require electronic copies of written materials, while another may need braille resources or the support of a learning assistant.

The Three Elements of Reasonable Adjustments in Further Education

The duty to make reasonable adjustments is made up of three distinct but interrelated elements. Each is aimed at ensuring that disabled students are not unfairly hindered in accessing education:

1. Adjustments to Policies, Practices, and Procedures

Colleges must examine how standard ways of working may disadvantage disabled students, and make necessary changes. For instance, a rigid punctuality policy may be adjusted for a student whose disability causes fatigue or makes it difficult to arrive on time.

2. Provision of Auxiliary Aids and Services

This involves offering additional equipment or support to remove barriers to learning. Examples include speech-to-text software, hearing loops, a British Sign Language interpreter, or visual aids such as coloured overlays for students with sensory processing difficulties.

3. Physical Adjustments to Premises

Where the physical layout or features of a building create access barriers—such as stairs, narrow doorways or poor signage—reasonable steps must be taken. These might include installing ramps, widening doorways, or enhancing lighting. While such adjustments are required by law, colleges are permitted to implement major structural changes over time through planned accessibility improvements. However, institutions must not ignore foreseeable needs simply because no current student has raised an issue.

Although all three elements are equally important, physical adaptations are sometimes treated differently due to their cost and complexity. Still, failing to make provision for likely future requirements may amount to a breach of the duty.

Judging What is Reasonable

Whether a particular step is reasonable depends on various factors, including the cost involved, the effectiveness of the proposed adjustment, and how far it would disrupt the learning environment. Nonetheless, a failure to consider and meet a disabled student’s individual needs may constitute unlawful discrimination.

Thoughtfully implemented, tailored adjustments foster a more inclusive, supportive environment—one in which all students are enabled to thrive.

Interface Between Reasonable Adjustments and Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCp’s).
A disabled student may have an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan), which is a legal document that sets out the individual’s special educational needs, alongside any related health and social care needs, and the provision required to meet them. While there may be some overlap between the reasonable adjustments required under the Equality Act 2010 and the provision outlined in an EHC plan, these are separate legal duties.

An EHC plan places a statutory obligation on the local authority to secure the educational provision specified within it. However, this duty does not replace or reduce the legal requirement to consider reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act. Where a reasonable adjustment is not explicitly covered by the EHC plan, the education provider must still consider and, where appropriate, implement it to avoid unlawful discrimination.

Equally, if an adjustment is already set out in the EHC plan, there is no need to replicate it solely to comply with the Equality Act. Equivalent planning mechanisms operate in other parts of the UK: Co-ordinated Support Plans (CSPs) in Scotland and Individual Development Plans (IDPs) in Wales serve a similar function and are subject to similar principles.

Fifty Examples of Disabled Students (Aged 16–25) Receiving Reasonable Adjustments in Mainstream Further Education

The following illustrations demonstrate how reasonable adjustments might be applied. Each scenario stresses that these are possible examples: every case will be determined on its individual facts. Students may have more than one condition, and adjustments described here could be combined when relevant.

1. A student diagnosed with dyslexia—a specific learning difficulty affecting reading and spelling that affects roughly ten per cent of the UK population—may struggle with slow word recognition, decoding difficulties and poor spelling. To support the student, the college provides coloured overlays, extra time in examinations and text-to-speech software. These adjustments carry a low cost (software licences and overlay sheets) and cause minimal disruption to timetables, ensuring that the student does not fall behind in written assignments and reading-intensive tasks.

2. A student with dyspraxia (developmental coordination disorder) affecting about five per cent of the UK population experiences motor coordination difficulties that manifest in poor fine and gross motor skills, difficulty with handwriting and organisational challenges. The institution supplies a computer for keyboard access to note-taking, flexible deadlines for handwritten work and an organisational planner. These measures are inexpensive (software or planner provision) and cause negligible disruption, preventing stress caused by illegible handwriting and missed deadlines.

3. A student diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention that affects approximately five per cent of young people in the UK, exhibits impaired executive functioning that impacts planning, time management and organisation. To assist this student, the college provides a structured weekly timetable, regular prompts from a mentor and breakdowns of assignments into manageable chunks. These measures require staff time but involve little or no cost. The adjustments prevent missed deadlines and confusion arising from an inability to manage workload effectively.

4. A student on the autism spectrum (ASD), a developmental condition affecting social interaction, communication and behaviour, which is prevalent in around 1.6 per cent of UK youth, struggles with interpreting social cues, sensory sensitivity and a preference for rigid routines. The college offers a quiet study area, consistent routines and clear written instructions. These low-cost adjustments (room allocation and written guidance) disrupt schedules minimally, preventing sensory overload and misunderstandings of verbal instructions so the student can focus on learning without excessive anxiety.

5. A student with profound hearing loss—meaning very limited hearing even with hearing aids—represents about 0.1 per cent of 16- to 25-year-olds. This student cannot access spoken information in lectures without support. To address this, the institution provides a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter or real-time captioning for lectures and ensures that the student sits near the speaker. Although interpreter costs vary, the college can share resources across multiple classes, thus minimising disruption. These adjustments allow the student to access spoken content fully and participate equally in class discussions.

6. A student with moderate visual impairment, affecting around 0.3 per cent of the UK population aged 16–25, has difficulty reading standard print and seeing board work. The provider supplies enlarged print materials, a larger‐screen computer and magnification software. The cost is limited to purchasing one larger monitor and a software licence, and the changes have minimal effect on the timetable. These adjustments prevent the student from being excluded from class by ensuring they can read textbooks and board information without undue strain.

7. A student with type 1 diabetes—an autoimmune condition requiring insulin injections that affects approximately 0.3 per cent of young people—must regularly monitor blood glucose levels and administer insulin. To support this student, the college permits unscheduled breaks to check blood sugar, stores insulin on site, and allows snacks in class. These steps involve minimal cost (fridge space) and cause little disruption, preventing serious health emergencies and ensuring the student can manage their condition safely while participating in classes.

8. A student with epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterised by recurrent seizures that affects about 0.6 per cent of 16–25-year-olds, is at risk of seizures and may experience post-ictal fatigue or medication side effects such as drowsiness. The institution arranges a buddy system during practical sessions, allows rest breaks and offers alternative assessments if a seizure occurs during an exam. These adjustments involve staff awareness training—at no cost—and minor timetable flexibility, preventing academic penalties and reducing the risk of injury during classes.

9. A student diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (myalgic encephalomyelitis, ME/CFS), a condition causing persistent fatigue that affects roughly 0.2–0.5 per cent of young adults, experiences severe tiredness, cognitive difficulties (commonly called “brain fog”) and heightened sensitivity to exertion. The college provides a part-time timetable, designated rest breaks between classes and the option to record lectures. These measures require no additional funding beyond scheduling adjustments, preventing exhaustion and cognitive overload in lessons, and enabling the student to participate at a sustainable pace.

10. A student with cerebral palsy—a group of disorders affecting movement, posture and coordination that impacts about 0.2 per cent of the UK population—experiences spasticity, difficulty with fine motor tasks and fatigue while moving. The college supplies adapted seating, more time to move between classrooms and ensures that all teaching spaces are accessible. While most ramps and automatic doors already exist, handrails or minor modifications may be needed at low cost. These steps prevent the student from struggling to access classrooms or enduring pain from unsuitable seating.

11. A student with sensory processing disorder (SPD), estimated to affect around five per cent of young people, has atypical responses to sensory input, such as over-sensitivity to lights, sounds or textures and under-sensitivity to touch or movement. To support this student, the institution provides a quiet study space with adjustable lighting, noise-cancelling headphones and small sensory tools like fidget items. These adjustments incur a low cost (headphones and sensory objects) and have minimal impact on schedules, preventing sensory overload and allowing the student to concentrate on academic tasks.

12. A student with type 2 diabetes, a metabolic disorder less common in 16–25-year-olds (prevalence around 0.2 per cent), requires dietary management and regular blood glucose checks. The college permits snacks and breaks for monitoring blood sugar and provides a space to store insulin. These changes involve minimal expense (a designated refrigerator area) and no timetable alterations, preventing hypoglycaemic events and allowing the student to manage their condition without academic penalty.

13. A student with rheumatoid arthritis—an autoimmune disease causing joint inflammation that affects around 0.5 per cent of UK youth—experiences joint pain, stiffness, reduced dexterity and fatigue. The college offers ergonomic equipment, such as wrist supports and adjustable chairs, and allows deadline extensions during flare-ups. These interventions involve low costs for support purchases and cause minimal schedule adjustments, preventing the student from being unable to write or type during flare-ups and avoiding penalisation when mobility temporarily worsens.

14. A student with Crohn’s disease—an inflammatory bowel disease causing abdominal pain, diarrhoea and fatigue that affects about 0.3 per cent of 16–25-year-olds—requires frequent toilet access, and experiences unpredictable flare-ups. The institution allows unrestricted toilet use, provides rest breaks and offers flexible deadlines. These measures are cost-free and involve minor timetable adjustments, preventing embarrassment, health risks and academic penalties due to missed classes.

15. A student with visual field loss (for example, tunnel vision)—partial loss of peripheral vision often due to conditions such as glaucoma—represents around 0.2 per cent of 16–25-year-olds. This student has difficulty navigating corridors and reading wide diagrams. The college provides lecture slides in advance, allows use of scanning software and ensures that the student sits where they can see crucial visual information. These adjustments require only digital copies and free software, with minimal timetable impact, preventing disorientation and major comprehension issues.

16. A student with a cochlear implant—fitted for severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss—constitutes about 0.05 per cent of 16–25-year-olds. Despite the implant, the student struggles in noisy environments and relies on lip-reading or assistive devices. To assist, the institution provides assistive listening devices for lectures and ensures that lecturers face the class so the student can lip-read. While equipment costs are moderate, colleges often share devices, and schedules remain largely unaffected. These adjustments prevent misunderstandings in spoken content and ensure equal participation.

17. A student with blindness—defined as visual acuity worse than 3/60, meaning they cannot see at three metres what others see at 60 metres—comprises around 0.1 per cent of young adults. This student cannot access visual materials without assistance. The college provides course materials in Braille or audio format, supplies screen-reader software and assigns a sighted guide for navigating campus. These measures, while moderately costly (translation and software licences), require minimal ongoing disruption and ensure full access to learning materials and safe mobility.

18. A student with a moderate learning difficulty—meaning cognitive limitations that affect literacy, numeracy and reasoning—represents approximately two per cent of 16–25-year-olds. The student processes information more slowly and struggles with complex writing tasks. The institution offers simplified handouts, allows oral presentations instead of written essays and provides literacy support classes. The cost of additional staffing is modest within budgets, and scheduling alternative assessments has a minor impact, preventing the student from failing due to inability to complete standard written tasks.

19. A student with a severe anxiety disorder, diagnosed by a mental health professional and affecting around eight per cent of 16–25-year-olds, experiences panic attacks in crowded areas and difficulty concentrating under stress. To support this student, the college arranges for examinations to take place in a separate room, allows rest breaks during classes and assigns a mentor for emotional support. These measures incur little cost beyond allocating a room and staff time, preventing exam failure due to panic and ameliorating class-related anxiety.

20. A student with clinical depression—a mood disorder characterised by persistent low mood and lack of interest, affecting about four per cent of 16–25-year-olds—struggles with low motivation, fatigue and concentration issues. The provider offers deadline extensions, access to on-site counselling and flexible attendance requirements. Counselling provisions may already exist, and deadline flexibility causes minimal disruption, preventing academic penalties during severe episodes and supporting the student’s mental health recovery.

21. A student with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)—characterised by intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviours, affecting around one to 1.5 per cent of young people—requires frequent breaks to perform rituals. The college permits short breaks during class, provides a private area for rituals and adopts less rigid scheduling. These adjustments have negligible cost, requiring only minor timetable flexibility, preventing severe anxiety if rituals cannot be completed and enabling the student to remain in class without distress.

22. A student with Tourette’s syndrome—a neurological condition marked by motor and vocal tics that affects approximately 0.5 per cent of young people—experiences uncontrollable tics that can disrupt concentration or speech. The institution allows breaks when tics worsen and offers alternative assessment formats, such as written work instead of oral presentations. These adjustments require no equipment cost and only minor administrative arrangements for alternative assessments, preventing embarrassment and ensuring a fair assessment process.

23. A student with a speech sound disorder, affecting speech intelligibility in roughly one to two per cent of young people, cannot articulate sounds clearly. This student would struggle with oral presentations. As a reasonable adjustment, the college permits recorded presentations in lieu of live speaking and refers the student to speech and language therapy. Recording requires a device, which is often already available, and involves minimal disruption, preventing academic penalties for unintelligible speech and ensuring effective communication.
24. A student with Duchenne muscular dystrophy—a progressive disorder causing muscle weakness—affects about 0.006 per cent of male 16–25-year-olds in the UK. This student experiences increasing mobility loss and fatigue during physical tasks. The institution ensures classrooms are accessible and allows the use of a manual wheelchair. As most ramps and lifts already exist under building regulations, these adjustments involve no additional structural changes and prevent difficulty moving between classes or increased risk of falls.

25. A student with multiple sclerosis (MS)—a chronic neurological condition causing fatigue, mobility issues and cognitive changes—affects around 0.1 per cent of 16–25-year-olds. The student suffers unpredictable fatigue (often known as “MS fatigue”), visual disturbances and reduced mobility. In response, the college provides a part-time timetable, offers rest breaks during classes and allocates seating near exits. These adjustments are cost-free, involving timetable management only, preventing exhaustion and difficulty navigating campus during fatigue episodes.

26. A student with a visual processing disorder—difficulty interpreting visual information despite normal eyesight, affecting an estimated one to two per cent of young people—struggles with reading diagrams, maps and visually dense materials. The college supplies simplified diagrams, provides tactile alternatives and offers detailed oral explanations. The cost of producing tactile diagrams is small, and there is minimal timetable impact. These adjustments prevent confusion when interpreting visual materials and ensure the student can fully access graphical information.

27. A student with a language processing disorder—a specific language impairment affecting understanding and formulation of spoken language, affecting around two per cent of 16–25-year-olds—has difficulty following verbal instructions and producing coherent sentences. To accommodate this student, the institution provides written instructions, allows extra time for class discussions and arranges access to a speech and language therapist. Written instructions cost nothing and scheduling minor allowances, preventing the student from missing essential information due to comprehension struggles.

28. A student with narcolepsy—a sleep disorder characterised by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks, affecting roughly 0.02 per cent of young people—finds it difficult to remain awake in class. The provider implements a flexible attendance policy, designates a rest area for naps during breaks and records all lectures for later review. While establishing a rest area requires allocating a room, existing recording equipment often suffices. These adjustments prevent fatigue-related absence and ensure the student can revisit material they missed.

29. A student with chronic migraines—severe, recurring headaches often accompanied by sensory sensitivity—affects around 15 per cent of 16–25-year-olds. During migraine episodes, the student suffers debilitating pain and cannot concentrate. To support them, the college furnishes a quiet rest area, provides lecture slides in advance and allows deadline extensions when migraines occur. These steps carry minimal cost—sharing slides electronically—and slight timetable flexibility. The approach prevents academic penalties resulting from absence or inability to work during migraine attacks.

30. A student with moderate hearing loss—difficulty hearing sounds below 41–70 dB, affecting about two per cent of 16–25-year-olds—struggles to follow conversations during group work and lectures. The institution provides assistive listening devices, such as radio frequency systems, and ensures lecturers face the class. While the cost of these devices is moderate, colleges often share equipment among students. Minimal disruption to the class structure is required. These adjustments ensure the student comprehends verbal instruction and participates fully in discussions.

31. A student with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)—characterised by perfectionism, orderliness and inflexibility, affecting about two per cent of UK youth—becomes distressed when instructions change suddenly. The college provides clear, consistent instructions for assignments and allows the use of checklists and planners. These adjustments are negligible in cost, requiring only additional staff time to maintain consistency, and they alleviate distress, ensuring the student can complete tasks even if circumstances shift.

32. A student with selective mutism—a social anxiety disorder where the student cannot speak in certain social situations despite normal speech in others—affects roughly 0.1 per cent of young people. This student cannot speak in class and struggles with group work. To accommodate them, the college accepts written responses instead of oral answers and assigns a trusted teaching assistant to facilitate communication. These minor logistical adjustments carry no material cost, preventing exclusion from class participation and assessment due to inability to speak.

33. A student has experienced a moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) after an accident—causing lasting impairments in memory, attention and processing at a prevalence of around 0.1 per cent in this age group. The student forgets important information, struggles to concentrate and processes information slowly. The institution provides lecture recordings, allows memory aids such as smartphone reminders and extends assignment deadlines. These adjustments require minimal cost (existing recording equipment) and slight timetable flexibility, preventing failure due to memory lapses and cognitive fatigue.

34. A student with chronic asthma—a respiratory condition causing breathlessness and wheezing and affecting about ten per cent of young people—runs the risk of asthma attacks triggered by dust or physical exertion and needs quick access to an inhaler. To meet this student’s needs, the college ensures classrooms are clean and dust-free, allows immediate use of inhalers and water, and adopts flexible physical education requirements. Cleaning costs are low, and altering sports schedules has a minor impact, preventing health crises during classes and sports sessions.

35. A student with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)—a functional gastrointestinal disorder that affects approximately ten per cent of 16–25-year-olds—suffers abdominal pain, bloating and urgent toilet needs, making it hard to attend class uninterrupted. The institution provides unrestricted toilet passes, allows breaks during lessons and offers recorded lectures for times when the student cannot attend. These steps have negligible cost and minor timetable disruption, preventing anxiety and embarrassment and ensuring the student does not miss vital course content.

36. A student with spina bifida—a congenital neural tube defect affecting about 0.03 per cent of UK youth—has reduced lower-limb mobility and may experience bladder and bowel incontinence. The college arranges accessible transport between campuses, assigns ground-floor classrooms and permits extra time for bathroom breaks. Most ramps and lifts already exist under regulations, so these adjustments involve minimal additional cost and slight timetable coordination. This ensures the student can move around campus in a timely manner and avoids distress from incontinence.

37. A student with severe astigmatism combined with binocular vision disorder—an ocular condition causing blurred vision and affecting about one per cent of young people—struggles to focus on screens or boards and experiences visual fatigue. The college provides large-print handouts, allows use of an adjustable personal screen and ensures the student sits near the board. The cost of printing materials is modest, and scheduling remains unaffected. These measures prevent eye strain and falling behind because the student can see teaching materials clearly.

38. A student with a prosthetic limb—an amputee resulting from a congenital defect or accident, representing about 0.05 per cent of 16–25-year-olds—experiences reduced mobility and may require periodic prosthetic maintenance. The provider ensures accessible routes, allows longer transition times between classes and verifies that lifts are always functional. Ramps and lifts are usually part of compliance, so these adjustments involve no extra cost and minimal disruption. This prevents the student from struggling to reach classrooms on time and reduces exertion.

39. A student has insulin-dependent hypoglycaemia as a post-bariatric surgery complication, a rare condition affecting approximately 0.1 per cent of young people, causing sudden low blood sugar episodes that lead to dizziness, fainting and confusion. The college permits immediate access to sugary snacks and a glucose monitor and allows the student to rest if symptoms occur. These adjustments involve no significant cost, and only minor timetable flexibility is needed, preventing medical emergencies and academic penalties when fainting or confusion arises.

40. A student with borderline personality disorder (BPD)—a mental health condition characterised by emotional instability, unstable relationships and impulsivity, affecting around 1.5 per cent of 16–25-year-olds—may experience intense emotional crises that cause absences and difficulties coping with feedback. The institution provides mentoring support, allows flexible submission dates and offers on-site counselling. As counselling services may already exist, costs are limited to mentor time, and timetable flexibility is slight. These measures prevent exclusion due to emotional crises and support emotional regulation, enabling continued engagement with studies.

41. A student with severe eczema—a chronic skin condition characterised by itchy, inflamed skin and affecting around ten per cent of young people—suffers discomfort that can distract from learning and risks infection if scratched. The college permits breaks to apply topical treatments, provides non-latex gloves if there is an allergy and ensures classrooms are well ventilated. These negligible costs and staff awareness prevent distraction and minimise infection risk, allowing the student to concentrate on learning without physical discomfort.

42. A student with type 1 diabetes complicated by hypoglycaemia unawareness—where the body no longer produces typical warning signs of low blood sugar, affecting roughly 0.05 per cent of young adults—faces a higher risk of severe, unanticipated hypoglycaemic episodes. To safeguard this student, the college permits continuous glucose monitoring devices in class and arranges for a peer-buddy to monitor their condition. Although monitoring devices can be expensive, they are often covered by the NHS, and minimal disruption is required. These steps prevent sudden health emergencies and ensure the student’s safety.

43. A student with severe asthma requiring daily oral steroids—affecting about one per cent of young people—faces increased susceptibility to infections and fatigue as a side effect of medication. The college ensures clean, low-infection-risk spaces, allows rest breaks when fatigue occurs and provides lecture recordings. Cleaning and recording facilities already exist, so costs remain low, and timetable changes are minimal. These adjustments prevent health complications and reduce missed learning due to illness, promoting consistent academic engagement.

44. A student diagnosed with an  autism spectrum disorder co-occurring with a mild intellectual disability—prevalence around 0.3 per cent of youth—has significant learning delays, communication difficulties and social challenges. The provider supplies highly differentiated teaching materials, one-to-one support and access to speech and language therapy. While additional teaching assistant hours represent a moderate cost, they are essential; scheduling adjustments are marginal. These steps prevent exclusion from mainstream teaching and ensure the student can follow a curriculum tailored to their learning level.

45. A student with complete colour blindness combined with visual acuity loss—an extremely rare condition affecting roughly 0.02 per cent of young adults—cannot distinguish colour-coded information and struggles with low-contrast materials. The college provides high-contrast, black-and-white handouts, avoids reliance on colour-only charts and uses tactile markers when necessary. These printing costs are minor, and scheduling is unaffected. These adjustments prevent misunderstandings and ensure the student can access all visual materials without confusion.

46. A student with chronic kidney disease (stage 3) requiring regular dialysis—prevalence about 0.05 per cent in this age group—must undergo several dialysis sessions each week and experiences fatigue after treatment. To support this student, the college adjusts the timetable to avoid clashes with medical appointments, allows rest days following dialysis and offers course materials online. No additional structural changes are needed, and only minor schedule coordination is required. These steps prevent health deterioration and reduce missed classes due to dialysis.

47. A student with a profound intellectual disability—characterised by significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour, affecting around 0.2 per cent of 16–25-year-olds—has very limited communication skills and basic literacy and numeracy. The institution provides a highly differentiated curriculum, offers continuous one-to-one support and uses frequent repetition and reinforcement in teaching. While increased staffing costs are moderate, they are necessary to facilitate learning; timetable restructuring is slight. These measures prevent exclusion from education entirely and help the student acquire foundational skills.

48. A student recovering from moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI)—lasting cognitive impairments affecting memory, attention and processing, with a prevalence of about 0.1 per cent—suffers memory lapses, concentration difficulties and slower information processing. The college provides lecture recordings, permits use of memory aids such as smartphone reminders and extends deadlines. Existing recording equipment and minor timetable flexibility suffice, preventing failure due to memory lapses and cognitive fatigue, thus supporting academic participation during recovery.

49. A student with moderate cerebral visual impairment—damage to the brain’s visual interpretation centres despite normal eye health, affecting around 0.1 per cent of young adults—finds it challenging to interpret visual information. The college offers simplified visuals, tactile graphics and pre-lesson briefings that verbally describe complex diagrams. Creating tactile graphics has a small cost, and scheduling remains stable. These measures prevent confusion when interpreting visual content and ensure the student comprehends all teaching resources adequately.

50. A student with severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)—a sleep-breathing disorder causing frequent breathing pauses and affecting around 0.5 per cent of 16–25-year-olds—experiences excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating and memory impairment. The college allows flexible attendance, designates a rest room for naps and provides recorded lecture materials. These adjustments carry negligible cost and minimal scheduling complexity. By permitting rest periods and offering recordings, the institution prevents academic penalties due to fatigue and ensures the student can access all learning materials.

Each scenario above is illustrative of how reasonable adjustments can be tailored to a range of impairments, emphasising that actual provisions depend on individual needs. In cases where a student has more than one condition—such as autism combined with anxiety or dyslexia alongside dyspraxia—the adjustments described can be combined to create a fully inclusive learning environment.

Please note that this information is provided solely for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. 

Sean Kennedy
1 June 2025