5 things you didn’t know about disability support at the RCA

The Royal College of Art (RCA) is committed to celebrating diversity and supporting all of our students to reach their full potential. We provide comprehensive support for students with disabilities, from diagnostic assessment for learning differences to help accessing our buildings, specialist software and support using the library.

If you are a current student and would like to talk about disability support, there are lots of ways to connect! You’re welcome to book an appointment directly with our Disability Advisor, Tom Fisher, through Moodle, and from January you can attend the Student Centre on Wednesday afternoons from 1–4pm for an in-person Disability Drop-in. And you can also speak with one of our Student Advisers.

If you are thinking about studying at the RCA, or have already been offered a place, and would like to speak to someone about disability support, get in touch! You can find contact details on our Disability Support page.

Kimberley Burrows (Painting MA, 2023) in her RCA studio with Tammy the guide dog

We work with all students that disclose a disability or long term health condition to create an Inclusion Plan. This is a tailored support plan created with the relevant departments in the College, which identifies your support needs and any adjustments that will ensure you get the most out of your time at the RCA. The support offered varies from individual to individual, but might include deadline extensions or practical assistance such as help accessing buildings, assistive software or facilities such as the library.

If you are a student or offer holder you can get in touch with the Student Support team to discuss any disability from mental health concerns, to long term health conditions or Specific Learning Differences.

RCA Battersea campus

Specific Learning Differences, or SpLDs, is the name given to a group of neurodevelopmental difficulties including Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, and ADHD. Whilst these are not a barrier to success, some students may feel they’d like additional support to help them get the most out of their time at the RCA.

We want this process to be as accessible as possible for our students. We offer students an assessment which can identify Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, and traits of ADHD, and tailor a plan of support that is useful to you.

If you are a current student, initially you will need to complete a short screening questionnaire, which can be found here Link to SpLD screening form. If you’d rather, you can speak with a member of the SpLD team by booking an appointment here Link to book an appointment with SpLD team.

RCA computer room at White City

The RCA offers inclusive technology to support students in their learning. Inclusive technology, sometimes referred to as enabling technology or assistive technology, aims to boost your study efficiency.

These programmes offer a proofreading tool for your written essays or presentations, strategies to plan and organise your time effectively, spelling and grammar checking and approaches to improving focus while engaging with a Zoom seminar, for example.

This includes: Read and Write Gold, a toolbar which supports reading comprehension, writing and study skills; Mind View, which allows you to make mind maps or spider diagrams; and Glean, an audio-notetaking resource that combines audio, your own text notes, and slides in one place for you.

Current students can learn more about the full range of software we have available, and how to request access, through the intranet here.

The RCA library in Kensington

Our amazing library staff can offer a wide range of additional support to students with disabilities. This includes support from a designated librarian who can act as a point of contact throughout your studies, individual inductions to help you navigate the space, assistance with effective searches, access to a range of accessible formats such as PDF and MP3, book collections across the three campuses, and extra reservation allowance.

Through the library you also access the RNIB Bookshare. This provides accessible books in a variety of formats for free and is aimed at print disabled students. A print disability includes students who are blind or partially sighted, students with specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, dyspraxia, AD(h)D and autism and students where a physical disability makes it difficult to hold, manipulate or focus on a printed book. Titles can be downloaded as PDF, Word, BRF, DAISY or audio files.

If you are a current student you can find out more about accessing the scheme on the intranet.

Any students that have been assessed by Student Support and have an inclusion plan will be contacted by a librarian about these options. However, not every student declares their disability through that route, and any student can get in contact with Library staff and request the above support. You can choose to share as much or as little information as you are comfortable with, and anything you declare is kept confidential.

The Stevens Building in Kensington, where you will find the RCA Student Centre.

There are many ways our students can access disability support at the RCA. This includes getting in contact via email or booking an appointment. We are now launching a Disability Drop-In service on Wednesday afternoons from 1–4pm in the Student Centre in Kensington. This is an opportunity to speak with Tom Fisher, the RCA’s Disability Advisor, and find out more about disability support. You don’t need to book in advance, however if it seems like you might need more than 10–15 minutes to speak, you may be booked in for a further appointment.