Accessibility in exams for D/deaf students

Abstract

D/deaf students are not formally recognised as having special educational needs, yet there is a pattern of underperformance within this group. Many D/deaf students have a co-occurring condition that can result in them having additional needs.

This review summarises the key findings around exam accessibility for D/deaf students and identifies areas for future exploration. It is part of a series of literature reviews shaped by Ofqual’s consultation on designing and developing accessible assessments. The other reviews focus on students with learning difficulties, students with visual impairment, students on the autism spectrum, students with different cultural backgrounds, and students with English as an additional language.

Keywords

• Accessibility
• Fairness
• Social Equity