How Unisa Students With Disabilities Are Assisted During This Exam Season

The University of South Africa has announced how they will support students with disabilities during exam season. There are a number of accommodations available for students with special needs, mobility issues, physical disabilities, and temporary disabilities.

How Unisa Students With Disabilities Are Assisted During This Exam Season

Some students may be concerned about how they will perform when dealing with special needs or a disability during exam season. University of South Africa (Unisa) has announced measures to ensure that these students are supported during their online and in-person exams.

The term permanent disability refers to a condition that affects a person’s major life functions over a long period of time. Senate approved the following disabilities and special needs as permanent disabilities in May 2015.

List of Possible Permanent Disabilities

• Visually impaired (blind)
• Visually impaired (not blind, difficult to read printed text)
• Visually impaired (not blind, maybe sensitive to light, colour)
• Hearing disability (study material on audio/video should have transcription)
• Hearing impairment (deaf, hard of hearing, deafened students)
• Learning impairments (dyslexia or similar learning disabilities)
• Communication and speech impairment that have a disabling effect and have been medically diagnosed (for example, stuttering)
• Physical impairment (Cerebral palsy, amputations)
• Physical impairment (quadraplegic)
• Physical impairment (paraplegic)
• Epilepsy
• Muscular/skeletal/joint/limb impairment/diseases that have disabling effect
• Neurological impairment such as multiple sclerosis
• Cardiovascular diseases
• Kidney and blood deficiencies
• Stroke/brain disorders that have disabling effect
• Mental/psychological impairment and mental disorders/phobias/chemical imbalances/psychiatric illnesses that have a disabling effect and have been diagnosed as such
• Diabetes
• Serious chronic illnesses that have various disabling effects
• Multiple disabilities