Special Requirements

If you are blind, partially sighted or have a visual impairment, we may be able to help you take your language training or cultural briefing.

What do I need to do?

It may take several months for some special arrangements to be made for you, so you should contact your coordinator as soon as possible.

What will Directors Languages do?

Your coordinator will:

• ask for full details of your visual difficulty
• make the arrangements you need to take your training and/or exam
• recommend a specialist trainer for your specific needs

What special arrangements can I ask for?

There are several options – please see the list below or talk directly with your coordinator.

1. Specialist trainer

You will almost certainly require a specialist trainer, if you are blind or have a visual impairment. Your coordinator will assign one of our specialized trainers to your course, however, it may take longer than usual to set up your programme.

2. Extra time for final exams 

If you have visual difficulties you can ask for an extra 25% of the normal time for exam papers. Your coordinator will arrange this directly with your chosen exam centre.

You can also ask for breaks while taking a paper, in addition to any extra time you need.

3. Help with reading the final exam paper

If you are blind or partially sighted, you can ask to use the following types of equipment:

• hand-held magnifiers
• screen magnification software
• screen reader software

There may also be further options for final exams – your coordinator will discuss this with you.

4. Help with writing your exam answers

If you are blind or partially sighted, you can ask to write your answers in the following ways:

a. Use any of the following machines:

• mechanical Braille keyboard
• electronic Braille keyboard, linked to a printer
• computer or word processor (though you will not be allowed to use the spellcheck, grammar check, thesaurus or similar functions)
• Braille notetaker.

b. Speak your answers to a person who writes them down for you. Please also see

c. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper instead of using the computer-read answer sheet.

5. Large Print Materials 

Some training materials are available in large print.

Most training courses and final exams include Listening and Speaking elements. If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have difficulties speaking, we may be able to help you take your training and/or exam.

What do I need to do?

It may take several months for some special arrangements to be made for you, so you should contact your coordinator as soon as possible.

What will Directors Languages do?

Your coordinator will:

• ask for full details of your difficulty
• make the arrangements or reasonable adjustments you need to take the course and/or exam
• recommend a specialist trainer

What special arrangements can I ask for?

1. Specialist trainer

You will almost certainly require a specialist trainer, if you are deaf or have hearing or speaking difficulties. Your coordinator will assign one of our specialized trainers to your course, however, it may take longer than usual to set up your programme.

2. Hearing aids, headphones and other equipment

Please inform your trainer or coordinator what reasonable adjustments need to be made for you to take your training and/or exam.

You can normally use your preferred hearing equipment for the exams. Your coordinator will advise you on the specific exam centre requirements.

3. Hearing-impaired (lip-reading) versions of materials

Your trainer, instead of playing a listening recording, will read out the material transcript to you.  This will enable you to practice lip reading in the target language.

If you are taking a cultural briefing, you must be able to:

• Lip-read in English

If you have specific learning difficulties or a neurodivergent disorder, like dyslexia or ADHD, we may be able to help you take your training programme and/or final exam.

What do I need to do?

It may take several months for some reasonable adjustments to be made for you, so you should speak to your coordinator as soon as possible.

What will Directors Languages do?

Your coordinator will:

• ask for full details of your learning difficulty or neurodivergent disorder
• make the arrangements you need to take the training
• recommend a specialist trainer

You must give your coordinator a report about your learning difficulty:

• prepared when you were aged 13 or older
• including details of the degree of your learning difficulty and the tests which were carried out
• written by a fully qualified educational, clinical or chartered psychologist, or other appropriately-qualified specialist assessor.

What special arrangements can I ask for?

There are lots of different options – choose what you need from the list below.

1. Specialist trainer 

Your coordinator will assign one of our specialized trainers to your course, however, it may take longer than usual to set up your programme

2. Extra time

You may need extra time to complete a final exam paper (e.g. if it takes you a long time to read the questions or texts, or write your answers).

You can normally ask for an extra 25% of the normal time for a paper. So, if a paper takes one hour, you will get an extra 15 minutes.

Your coordinator will explain the exam centre specific requirements.

3. Using your own computer equipment/software

You can bring your laptop to training sessions, or take your training at your preferred location to make use of your own equipment to help you with writing practice.

4. Materials styling and coloured overlays

Online training materials on our Learning Management System are available to be styled how you best consume content. You are able to customise the website’s colour scheme as well as the text, font style, size, colour, and spacing.

Print materials can be used with coloured overlays if you use them.

5. Flexible scheduling 

Book lessons when it’s convenient and re-arrange when you need to.