Perry Library: Students with Disabilities

Do you think you might have a Specific Learning Difference (SpLD) such as dyslexia, dyspraxia or dyscalculia?

Are you having difficulties with your studies?

The Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS) offer free, confidential screening throughout the year.

Please use 

To take a free online assessment you will need your current student ID number.

To discuss your results and for more information about the resources that may be available to you, contact the University Disability and Dyslexia Team by email: disability@lsbu.ac.uk.

Do you need to contact the Disability and Dyslexia Support team (DDS)?

If you want to declare a disability or discuss the support that might be available to you, get in touch with the LSBU Disability & Dyslexia Support team:

Online: Disability & Dyslexia Support

​ Email: disability@lsbu.ac.uk

or find them at the Student Life Centre help desk in the Student Centre

Eligibility and locations

We have 4 Assistive Technology Rooms in the Perry Library.

Rooms 1 and 2 on Level 3 East  These rooms are only bookable by students registered by the DDS team. If you think you should be eligible to use these rooms but do not currently have access, please inquire with the University DDS team in the Student Centre.
Rooms 3 and 4 on Level 1 West  These rooms can be booked by any student who is registered for support with the University DDS team.

Please note: You can book up to a maximum of 2 bookings per week. Bookings can be made up to 7 days ahead. All bookings are subject to library approval.

*Please note:  Headphones with integrated microphone have been removed from all Assistive Technology Rooms, so you will need to bring your own if you wish to use them.

Headsets with microphones, are now available to buy from the 1 East help desk. Opening Hours.

Your ID card should give you access to the rooms. If there is a problem with your card please email the Student Life Centre help desk studentlife@lsbu.ac.uk.

You can arrange for someone to pick up and return items for you. They will need to bring your ID card, proof of their own identity, and a letter from you saying that they have permission to use your card.

We are also happy to come with you to look for books and other items in the library. Just ask at the help desk.

If you need a helper or support worker to accompany you when using the library then please contact us online to arrange support at library@lsbu.ac.uk

We can copy journal articles or sections from books for you. You can pick up the copies at the library or we can send them to you by post or email. To request your copies please use our  photocopying and scanning request form 

• Online Educational Platform – over 400,000 books
• Access books in a range of formats – Word, PDF, MP3, Braille
• For full details email askalibrarian@lsbu.ac.uk

If a book or other item is available to be borrowed in the library then we can send it to you by post. To request a book or other item please use our  postal loan request form.

We can fetch books and other items from our shelves and keep them on the hold shelf at Perry Library for you to collect. We will keep them for up to a week. To request books to be kept for you please use our put aside request form

The Perry Library has a DaVinci magnifier which can magnify books, change the colour and contrast of the text and background, and read printed text out loud.

To request a coloured page overlay free of charge, email us at llr-it-support-office@lsbu.ac.uk. Please specify which colour you require.

We would like to assist you in any way we can. You can contact us by email at library@lsbu.ac.uk, by phone on 020 7815 6607 or in person at our help points in the Perry Library.

Would MindManager mind mapping software help you?

Mind mapping package with many uses; planning assignments and projects, exam preparation, collaborative working.
Available to download and use on your own PC or laptop.

Click here to download MindManager.

Would you like ClaroRead or MindManager Online Training?

We now provide online training to help you get started using ClaroRead Plus or MindManager using Microsoft Teams.

These sessions will last one hour.

If you are interested please contact us:   

Email: library@lsbu.ac.uk
Subject: Assistive Software Training
Include: Student ID number

You will receive a response to your request within one working day.

MindManager and ClaroRead are on all University PCs.

ClaroRead is available on a temporary license for 30 days, please contact the DDS Team to obtain licensing information. For installation information see ClaroRead Plus at home.

MindManager is also available for download. Please see the next section of this page for information on how to download and install MindManager.

If you are unable to study on campus and do not have ClaroRead on your computer, we can provide training on Windows accessibility tools and possibly look at some other free software as an alternative.

Microsoft Teams will be used to deliver this training.  You can find information on how to access Microsoft Teams and a quick start guide here:  Software for Remote Working

Please note: It may also be possible to provide some advice on the use of other assistive software such as Dragon.  However this will be at the discretion of the trainer and will depend on our familiarity with the software you are using.

Do you need help with e-books?

Some of our e-book platforms have extra accessibility functions.

If you have a specific query with regards to accessing e-books, please email askalibrarian@lsbu.ac.uk.

If you would like help searching for or reading e-books or just want to become more familiar with them, you can book a 1:1 appointment with a librarian.

Are you a current student or are you thinking about coming to LSBU next year?  

For more information and links to other videos and resources, visit the British Assistive Technology Association website.

Did you know you can alter the Accessibility Options on your Windows PC?

Did you know that in Windows 10 you can make onscreen text bigger and brighter? 

Did you know that you can change the mouse pointer and the cursor size? 

Have you heard of the Ease of Access Centre? 

You can find the Ease of Access Centre in Settings in Windows 10.  There you will find these tools and other options – magnify all or part of the screen, try different colour filters or high-contrast schemes, use Windows Narrator to have things read out to you. 

We can provide advice and introductory training on these accessibility tools, just ask at the help desk about booking an appointment.  You can also email us at library@lsbu.ac.uk

Visit this useful Youtube playlist for information on some of these tools

Do you need more accessibility tools on your PC? Have a look at these free online resources

Alongside the accessibility software installed on the library PCs that we support there are a number of external free apps, add ons and resources online that can help study and aid productivity that you might find useful.*

*Please note these are just suggestions and are not applications supported by either Student IT Support or IT Services .

These apps can help you to:

Google offers a number of free Chrome add-ons that help you get organised, view your device how you want it. There are apps that can help you speed read such as Spreed

Applevis is a community powered website for blind and low vision users of apple products. As well as directing users to a range of apps it offers resources and mechanisms for raising awareness of the accessibility of Apple products and related applications, and for promoting further advancement in accessibility.

 My Computer My Way offers a variety of ways that you can alter your devices settings to increase their  accessibility and functionality.

  Audacity is free open source software that allows you to record and edit audio files.

 You may find working in silence or the ambient sounds of a study area distracting, some people can find listening to white, pink or brown noise can help them to mask external distractions and concentrate. This app provides a range of different sounds including rainfall, birdsong, cafe chatter as well as pink, brown and white noise generators.

 The RNIB is a charity that helps support people with sight loss they have an excellent beginners guide to using assistive technology for those with visual impairments

Action on hearing loss provides support for people with hearing loss they have an extensive list of apps that can help you navigate the environment around you. Braci can record sounds in your environment and gives alerts on your smart phone when it recognises them. Let me hear again, can convert speech to text and text to speech.

Microsoft Seeing AI is a free app that narrates the world around you. Designed for the low vision community, this research project harnesses the power of AI to describe people, text and objects

Would you like help with Assistive Technology?
This service is currently unavailable on campus

If you would like any assistance with equipment or software in our Assistive Technology Rooms (ATR) please ask at our help desks on 1 East or 1 West or email: library@lsbu.ac.uk

We also offer one-to-one introductory training sessions online for some of the software in the ATR. Email: library@lsbu.ac.uk.

Do you want to know what Assistive Technology software is available on Campus?

You can find out more about our services for students registered with the LSBU Disability & Dyslexia Support team on our Students with Disabilities page