Perry Library: Students with Disabilities

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.

We also offer one-to-one introductory training sessions for the software in the ATR. Enquire at our help desks and someone will contact your to arrange a convenient time.

Disability and Dyslexia Service offer free, confidential screenings throughout the year.

The booklet above, produced by DDS, shows you the step by step guide to the screening process.

For students who have been asked to take this test by Disability & Dyslexia Support (DDS)

You can find a copy of the help sheet here:

Disability & Dyslexia Support

If you want to declare a disability or discuss the support that might be available to you:

Online: Disability & Dyslexia Support

​ Email: disability@lsbu.ac.uk

 Phone: 0207 815 6454

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

The library can offer you some extra services if you are registered with Disability and Dyslexia Support (DDS). 

Two Assistive technology rooms on Level 3 East and a further two rooms on level 1 West of the Perry Library are reserved for students registered with DDS and who have been assessed as needing this provision. If you think you would benefit by having access to these rooms please contact the DDS team to discuss.

Your ID card should give you access to the rooms. If there is a problem with your card please contact the Student Life Centre help desk.

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 the University DDS team via the Student Life Centre to discuss how best this can be arranged for you 

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

If a book or other item is available to be borrowed in the library then we can send it to you by post. There is a charge for each item we send. 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.

The Help Desk on Level 1 East can supply coloured page overlays free of charge.

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.

Alongside the accessibillity 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 ICT 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

Find out more about the additional Library services for students registered with LSBU Disability & Dyslexia Support team

ClaroRead Plus

Literacy support software that can help with proofing, understanding and checking text onscreen. You can read any on-screen text out loud and enables scanned paper books and documents to be read aloud.

Available on all PCs across campus.

MindManager

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

Available on all PCs across campus.

Spellementary

Word finding software to help find the words that you are really looking for.

Available on all PCs across campus.

Dragon Naturally Speaking

Voice activated software that allows you to input text by speaking into a microphone.

JAWS

Screen-reading program for blind or partially sighted users.

SuperNova

Screen-reading and magnification program for blind or partially sighted users.

Texthelp Read&Write Gold

Literacy Support Software that helps with reading and writing tasks, can also read out screen content.

Inspiration

Mind-mapping package that can be used for creating mind maps and diagrams.