8 minute read

Learning Support: Concessions

All your details are automatically imported into the library system once you have registered and you will become a member of the library. Your student card is your access to the library services. The loan period for open collection and recreational reading is 7 days with a limit of 3 items for undergraduate students. Postgraduate students may loan 5 items for 14 days. Short loan items such as prescribed books, newspapers, module manuals may only be borrowed for a 2 hour period during the day and overnight from 4pm until 10am the next day (provided that the item is not reserved).

LOAN EXTENSIONS

Loan extension can be done via telephone or you may bring the item to the Information Specialist who will then update the record. Renewals will apply only if the same copy is not on the waiting list to be used by another student.

LATE RETURNS AND FINES:

All loans and returns are processed on the library management system which periodically generates alerts for overdue loans. In that case, a fine up to R10 per day for open shelf and R10 per hour for short loans will be charged for late returns. The fines are capped at R100 for open shelf and R500 for short loan material. After not returning a book for 10 working days, you will be charged the full replacement cost of the book.

Learning Support: Concessions

SPECIAL NEED CONCESSION

Are you faced with challenges that negatively impact on your learning, but you are sceptical about asking for help? The IIE’s Varsity College recognises that some students, by virtue of being differently abled, may have a special learning requirement or an impairment which may require holistic support to enable them to achieve their academic goals. Learning barriers are not always physical or visible. For this reason, you may be experiencing a learning barrier without even realising it. Common barriers to learning include the following: • Learning barrier: e.g. dyslexia presents difficulties with accurate and/or poor spelling and decoding abilities. • Physical impairment: any physical impairment that impacts on your ability to meet the set academic requirements, e.g. hearing loss or any abnormality that hinders the ability to write or type. • Mental illness: e.g. anxiety disorder that makes it difficult for you to complete an assessment within the set time. Ask yourself these questions: • Do I find it difficult to write/type because of a physical impairment? • Do I feel overwhelmingly anxious about my life and studies? • Do I find it difficult, for no apparent reason, to concentrate during lectures and assessments? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it is advisable that you make use of the Public Services available (e.g. hospitals and clinics) or consult a specialist such as an Educational Psychologist or Psychiatrist. It is important that you do not self diagnose. To find out more about specialists who can help you, please visit: www.findhelp.co.za/faq

HOLISTIC SUPPORT

At The IIE’s Varsity College students with learning and/or physical impairment are offered holistic support which is classified into the following categories: • Academic Support: The campus will, as far as possible, accommodate concessions for learning barriers in your lecture venues and with the materials used in lectures. Some of the concessions will also apply to your assessments. These concessions are granted depending on your learning difficulty, medical condition, or physical impairment in question. • Library and IT support: Information Specialists and IT Technicians are able to assist you with any technical concerns e.g. adjusting the font size and display functions in the library computers.

Readers, writers, prompters and personal assistants are utilised at various secondary and tertiary institutions to facilitate the assessment process for students who experience and have been diagnosed with specific barriers to learning, in order to complete an assessment in the allotted time frame. Some students may require one form of assistance, while others may require more than one. In order to qualify for a Special Need Concession for tests and examinations, The IIE needs to provide you with written approval of an assessment concession. A Special Need Concession should be applied for well in advance to ensure that you receive the concession prior to booking an individual to assist with the required services. Special Need Concessions are applicable to distance students as well.

Applying for Special Need Concessions

Previously Undiagnosed Concession Application School Approved Concession Application

STEP 1: To apply at The IIE for a Special Need Concession, you will be required to submit an application form, together with evidence. Evidence referred to is the letter you received from the Department of Education approving your concession for your NSC or IEB examinations and/or a recent report from a relevant health care professional. Should you submit a health care professional report, it cannot be older than 18 months. STEP 2: Speak to a professional. This will either be a private practitioner or a public service provider (clinic or hospital). He/she will assess your condition and, if confirmed, provide a document that describes the condition and recommends the accommodations and/or concessions that can be made to assist you. STEP 3: Log your application/query on VCAssist and select the special concession category. Ensure that you upload the required documentation as detailed in Step 1. Should you need further assistance/ consultation, you are welcome to meet with the Head: Academic on campus. STEP 4: You will receive notification by your Head: Academic that a Special Need Concession has been granted to you (or not). STEP 1: To apply at The IIE for a Special Need Concession, you will be required to submit an application form, together with evidence. Evidence referred to is the letter you received from the Department of Education approving your concession for your NSC or IEB examinations and/or a recent report from a relevant health care professional (note: no older than 18 months). STEP 2: Log your application/query on VCAssist and select the special concession category. Ensure that you upload the required documentation as detailed in Step 1. Should you require further assistance/ consultation, you are welcome to meet with the Head: Academic on campus. STEP 3: You will receive notification by your Head: Academic that a Special Need Concession has been granted to you (or not).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: IS THERE ANY CONCESSION FOR ANXIETY?

A: Feeling anxious before and after a significant event (such as a speech, a class presentation, an assignment, a test or exam) is normal. However, if the anxiety affects your ability to function then it is advisable that you consult a Psychologist/Psychiatrist so that they can make a relevant diagnosis.

Q: WHAT DO I DO IF I WAS GRANTED A SPECIAL NEED CONCESSION AT SCHOOL?

A: A school concession letter can be submitted with your application for a Special Need Concession. However, in the absence of such a letter, you have to submit a completed health professional’s report with a clear indication of the concessions that are being recommended with your application.

Q: WHAT DO I DO IF I HAVE A CHRONIC MEDICAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION THAT WILL AFFECT MY STUDIES?

A: A chronic condition can either be persistent (occurs continuously or without change) or periodic (occurs repeatedly from time to time). In the case of a persistent condition, a Special Need Concession will be granted; however, if it is a periodic condition, a Special Need Concession might not be considered. A detailed medical certificate is critical when evaluating your application.

Partnership with Brightsparkz

The IIE’s Varsity College has an agreement with Brightsparkz Tutors to ensure readers, writers, prompters and personal assistants are available to students who have been granted a Special Need Concession by The IIE. BrightSparkz Tutors have been providing tutors of the highest calibre to satisfied learners and students for over 10 years and have been providing assessment concession services for over 5 years, at both school and university level. Remember: you will have to book and pay for the services provided by Brightsparkz and the contract that you enter into is with them and not with The IIE’s Varsity College.

BRIGHTSPARKZ CONTACT DETAILS

Cape Town, Durban, Pietermaritzburg & Gqeberha: Tel: 084 404 4006 Email: info@brightsparkz.co.za

Johannesburg & Pretoria: Tel: 011 025 7572 Email: tutors@brightsparkz.co.za

Online Centre

Studying in the IIE Distance mode requires careful planning, focus and the need to take responsibility for your own studies. Although every module you register for will have a dedicated Online Tutor (OT), there is a clear expectation for distance students to manage their own learning – relying on your OT to guide you through the content rather than providing you with lectures in the traditional sense. Time management is also really important because, although distance studies do afford you a measure of flexibility, there are still assignment deadlines and exam dates in place that must be adhered to. Please read through the information on the following pages and, should you have any questions, please contact the VC Online Centre for assistance.

If you are a student studying in the IIE Distance Mode, the VCLearn platform becomes your “online classroom” – it is here that you will find:

• Access to your Online Tutor. • All your module content. • Your ICE activities.• Any additional Resources

shared by your Online Tutor. • Announcements that will update you on important information pertaining to your module. • Access to your live Collab sessions and recordings. • A range of tools that your OT will use for engaging and facilitating the content of your module. • Your Grade Centre. • Feedback on the work you complete and submit. If you are a student studying in the IIE Distance mode you will need to participate in both an on-boarding process (On-boarding will take place online. The dates and times of these sessions will be communicated to students via the Online Centre) and an online orientation, using the live Collab platform and the content of the short learning programme entitled, ‘How to Become a Successful Online Student’ (OLLO020).

ON-BOARDING:

• Test your login credentials and access to VCLearn. • Check that your modules display as they should. • Undergo a ‘device-wellness’ check to ensure that your device meets the specifications required for the level of online engagement required for distance studies. • Develop your (VCLearn) platform navigation skills. • Introduction to the Assessment Policy and platforms available

This article is from: