Personal Learning Plans

A Personal Learning Plan is a document produced by Learner Development Advisers, in conjunction with the disabled student. The aim of the document is to indicate suitable modifications to learning and assessment arrangements in order to minimise the impact of the student’s disability on assessment performance.

The value of the PLP process is two-fold. Firstly as a means to facilitate effective communication regarding specific arrangements which need to be put in place, for example, for assessment purposes. Secondly, as a tool to generate discussion concerning the learning and teaching needs of disabled students. As such, every student who has a PLP needs to be given the opportunity to discuss the contents with an academic member of staff (usually a Departmental Disability Rep or personal tutor).

The main aims of this discussion are to:

• Go through the PLP with the student and check out mutual understanding of the recommendations.
• Reassure the student that there is someone they can talk to, in confidence, about their learning and teaching needs if they need to.
• Let the student know that they can come back to see you if their situation changes, or they have any concerns at a later date. This may be particularly important if they are due to go out on placement at a later date in their course and have concerns about disclosing their disability to the placement provider.

Staff should not feel that they need to be an expert in disability. The disabled student will often be the expert on their own disability, so be guided by them. If you do have any queries, contact the Learner Development Service for further advice.

Detailed information about PLPs is available in the document Procedure on the implementation of personal learning plans at MMU

Please also see

• Good Practice Recommendations for staff
• Rationale Document for PLP recommendations (pdf doc)
• Manchester Campuses Facilities recommendations guidance and contacts
• Guidance for Staff on Coursework Submission and PLPs

These guidelines should be used in conjunction with the ‘Assessment Arrangements for Disabled Students’, appendix 4 of the ‘Regulations for Undergraduate Programmes of Study’ and of the ‘Regulations for Taught Postgraduate Programmes of Study’ available on the MMU Assessment Regulations for Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate Programmes of Study page.