Service catalogue

Our Service Catalogue is a list of services provided by IT Services to members of the University of Sussex and certain categories of visitors.

Each service within the catalogue typically includes a brief description of the service and how to access it, who is entitled to use/request the service, details of availability and service maintenance, and links to further information. This is intended to help improve knowledge within the University of the range of services we currently provide and to help users get more out of them. The range of services offered is reviewed annually with the University IT Consultative Group.

Information and Support
Applications and Tools
Student Workstations
Teaching and Learning
Staff Services
Business Services
Research
Network and Storage

Assistive Technologies

Service ID

35

Summary

Provides a range of assistive software applications and adapted hardware for specific IT Services Open-Access Windows workstations (#32) on campus, and additional desktop PCs and Macs as required for sessional student assessment/examinations.

Permitted users

Members of the University, following referral to IT Services by the Student Support Unit.

Gaining access

Access to the Service requires authentication (issued as part of the enrolment process), together with referral by the Student Support Unit.  

Hours of operation

Assistive workstations accessible when building is open. For IT Services (Shawcross) see: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/its/services/clusterrooms/clustercomputers. For Library see:http://www.sussex.ac.uk/library/info/hours

Supported period

Normal working days: Support is available from the IT Service Desk: Mon-Fri 0900-1900 (term-time); Mon-Fri 0900-1730 (vacation).

Change control

Service provision reviewed annually.

ITS Responsibilities

  1. To install and maintain Assistive Technologies on designated workstations
  2. To ensure that all requests for access to Assistive Technologies are actioned and notified to the user within 24 hours of the request being received.

Service user responsibilities

  1. To consult with the Student Support Unit prior to requesting access to the IT Services Assistive PCs.
  2. To allocate sufficient time for familiarisation with the technology to meet learning needs.
  3. To consult, in the first instance, local and online user guides .
  4. To log out when leaving an Assistive workstation.

Expected availability

As per advertised hours.

Service dependencies

Data Network (#1), Managed Filestore (#2), Windows Service (#4), Mac Service (#6), Workstations for Open Access and Teaching (#32).

Detailed service description

IT Services maintains and supports a specified number of dedicated Assistive PCs, for students with disabilities and specific learning needs, within open-access computing spaces on campus.  Each PC, in addition to the standard Student Desktop, offers a variety of assistive software packages to support students’ learning needs.  All Assistive PCs offer book scanners, and some are mounted on height-adjustable desks.

Following consultation with the Student Support Unit,  students may be referred to the IT Services Disability Advisor for access to the Assistive PCs. To ensure workstation availability, IT Services limit access to the Assistive PCs by adding permitted users to a dedicated group on the University’s central database.

In consultation with the Sussex Regional ACCESS Centre, the service arranges for a suite of assistive software applications to be installed on the Assistive PCs, in addition to the applications comprising the standard Student Desktop.  These may include screen-magnifying programs for visually-impaired users, and planning and multisensory software to aid users with dyslexia.  Support for the assistive software is provided by the IT Services Disability Advisor. A limited number of assistive peripheral devices, e.g. mice,  is available for loan on request

A printing service for students requiring coloured paper is available from IT Services at the request of the Student Support Unit.

The provision of PC and Mac workstations for sessional examinations is delivered and overseen by IT Services in collaboration with the Student Progress and Assessment Office. Provision includes both networked and standalone PCs, networked and standalone printers, double-screen PCs and customized instructions for invigilators, scribes and candidates.

Links to ITS documentation

Definitions

Normal working days
These are defined for all ITS services as Monday – Friday inclusive, but excluding Bank Holidays and University Minimum Service Days.
Scheduled Maintenance
IT username and password
These are the login credentials, issued by IT Services to registered students and current staff of the University of Sussex, enabling access to email, workstations and other services requiring authentication.

New and changed services

Information about changes to services including any scheduled maintenance, are posted on the IT Services website and distributed by the IT Services Facebook, Twitter and RSS feed. Current service status traffic light information is also displayed on the IT Services website.

If the service you are enquiring about is not described below, please get in touch.

User responsibilities

All service users are expected to abide by the rules and regulations described in Regulations for the use of Information and Communication Technology and to report faults, as they arise, to IT Services.

Updated on 17 October 2013