5.4 Access Arrangements and Special Consideration

We have taken note of the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 in developing and administering this specification.

We follow the guidelines in the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) document: Regulations and Guidance Relating to Candidates who are Eligible for Adjustments in Examinations GCSE, GCE, GNVQ, AEA, Entry Level, Basic Skills & Key Skills Access Arrangements and Special Consideration. This is published on the JCQ website (http://www.jcq.org. uk/access_arrangements/) or you can follow the link from our website (http://www.aqa.org.uk/admin/ p_special_3.html).

Section 8.4 of the above JCQ document states that a "practical assistant is not permitted to carry out tasks which are the focus of the assessment".

Accordingly, only candidates who can carry out the tasks themselves can access marks for the Practical Skills Assessment (PSA) in Unit 3 and Unit 6.

However, so that candidates may obtain experimental results that can be used in the Investigative Skills Assignment (ISA), practical assistants may be used to carry out the manipulation under the candidate's instructions. In these circumstances, as stated in section 2.4 of the JCQ document, marks cannot be gained for demonstrating techniques. The candidates will be able to access the marks available for the other skills: for example, handling and evaluating data collected, and drawing conclusions in AO3.

The use of word processors will not be allowed for the drawing of graphs for the Investigative Skills

Assignment (ISA) element of the Centre Assessed Units and, therefore, only candidates who can draw the graph by hand will be able to access the marks available.

Access Arrangements

We can make arrangements so that candidates with disabilities can access the assessment. These arrangements must be made before the examination.

For example, we can produce a Braille paper for a candidate with a visual impairment.

Special Consideration

We can give special consideration to candidates who have had a temporary illness, injury or indisposition at the time of the examination. Where we do this, it is given after the examination.

Applications for access arrangements and special consideration should be submitted to AQA by the Examinations Officer at the centre.