Assessment Presentation and Submission Guidelines

Please follow these guidelines when you submit each assignment:

• All assignments must comply with the NextSense Accessible Style Guide
• The assignment title page should include the student’s name, student number, unit code, title of the assessment and submitted word count.
• Allow a left and right-hand margin of at least 2cm in all assignments.
• Please type all assignments using a minimum of Arial, 12-point font and 1.5 spacing.
• All assignments must be submitted through Turnitin as an accessible word document – do not submit as a pdf.
• Faculty assignment cover sheets are NOT required.
• It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all assignments are successfully submitted through Turnitin (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/systems/ilearn/assignments-grades).
• For written assignments, the Turnitin Similarity Report must also be submitted using the correct Turnitin submission point at the time of assignment submission.

Draft Submissions and Turnitin Similarity Reports

Students must use the Turnitin Similarity Report as a learning tool to improve their academic writing and, in consideration of the report outcome, attend to any potential academic integrity issues, prior to submission of the final version of the assignment. Students are strongly encouraged to upload a draft copy of each assignment to Turnitin at least one week prior to the due date to obtain a Similarity Report. The Similarity Report provides students with a similarity index that may indicate if plagiarism has occurred. Students will be able to make amendments to their drafts prior to their final submission on the due date.

Please note:

• Students should regularly save a copy of all assignments before submission.
• Students are responsible for checking that their submission has been successful and has been submitted by the due date and time.
• It is not the responsibility of unit staff to contact students who have failed to submit assignments.  If you have any missing items of assessment, it is your responsibility to make contact with the unit convenor. 

Assignment extensions and late penalties

In general, there should be no need for extensions except through illness or misadventure that would be categorised as serious and unavoidable disruption according to the University definition of same, see: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration.

Applications for extensions must be made via AskMQ according to the Special Consideration policy. Extensions can only be granted if they meet the Special Considerations policy and are submitted via https://ask.mq.edu.au/. This will ensure consistency in the consideration of such requests is maintained.

Students should keep an electronic file of all assessments. Claims regarding "lost" assessments cannot be made if the file cannot be produced. It is also advisable to keep an electronic file of all drafts and the final submission on a USB untouched/unopened after submission. This can be used to demonstrate easily that the assessment has not been amended after the submission date.

Late Assessment Submission Penalty 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm.

A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings, etc.). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs, etc.) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special Consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.

University policy on grading

Criteria for awarding grades for assessment tasks

Assignments will be awarded grades ranging from HD to F according to guidelines set out in the University's Grading Policy. The following descriptive criteria are included for your information.

Descriptive Criteria for awarding grades in the unit

In order to meet the unit outcomes and successfully pass this unit, students must make a genuine attempt at all assessment tasks. Where any submitted assessment task is considered to be unsatisfactory in this regard, the highest possible final grade that can be awarded for the unit will be 45.

Students will be awarded grades ranging from HD to F according to guidelines set out in the policy: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment-in-effect-from-session-2-2016

The following generic grade descriptors provide university-wide standards for awarding final grades.

Note: If you fail a unit with a professional experience component, the fail grade will be on your transcript irrespective of the timing of the placement.

Withdrawing from this unit

If you are considering withdrawing from this unit, please seek academic advice via https://ask.mq.edu.au before doing so as this unit may be a co-requisite or prerequisite for units in the following sessions and may impact on your progression through the degree. Please also contact the Course Director Sue Silveira on 0477202129 or susan.silveira@mq.edu.au, prior to withdrawing, for advice related to your progression.

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Required texts

1. Swenson, A. M. (2016). Beginning with braille: Firsthand experiences with a balanced approach to literacy (2^nd Ed.). AFB Press. ISBN: 978-0-89128-732-2
2. Wormsley, D.P. (2016). I-M-ABLE: Individualized meaning-centered approach to braille literacy education. AFB Press. ISBN: 978-0-89128-723-0

​​​​​​​Options for obtaining the required texts:

Option 1: Free access online is available for the two prescribed texts via MQU library at Multisearch -

     Swenson: https://multisearch.mq.edu.au/permalink/f/1b3gi1p/MQ_ALMA51178579880002171

     Wormsley: https://multisearch.mq.edu.au/permalink/f/1b3gi1p/MQ_ALMA51178589920002171

Option 2: The texts may be purchased at the American Printing House for the Blind - APH

Option 3: Compare prices (of books and postage) at on-line bookshops

Information about the unit iLearn site

SPED8923 has a full web presence through iLearn. All requirements for this unit begin Session 2 Week 1, 2022. Students are expected to access the iLearn site and engage with unit materials regularly during session 2. Students will need regular access to a computer and the Internet to complete this unit.

Access and technical assistance

Information for students about access to the online component of this unit is available at https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/index.php. You will need to enter your student username and password. Please do NOT contact the Unit Convenor regarding iLearn technical help. No extensions will be given for any technical issues. Allow enough time for your submissions. Assistance is available from IT Helpdesk ph: 1800 67 4357 or log a request at help.mq.edu.au. OneHelp is the online IT support service for both students and staff. 

This unit requires students to use several ICT and software skills: 

• Internet access: the iLearn site contains materials for this unit; it is also required for the online submission of all assessment tasks, and for the use of Turnitin submission for ALL tasks.
• Word processing, visual representations, and document formatting: you are required to use an appropriate form of software to present your assignments.
• Uploading of assessment tasks to iLearn.

Students enrolling in SPED8923 need to be aware that this unit includes a series of compulsory online sessions held from 7:00 - 8:00 pm (Sydney time) on Wednesdays or Thursdays during weeks 2 - 8 of the semester (see schedule below).

5Rs Framework

The 5Rs Framework, developed by the School of Education at Macquarie University, is embedded throughout the Master of Disability Studies course. Your use of the 5Rs Framework will help you develop the capabilities that will make your career sustainable and fulfilling. In this unit, you will learn using the 5Rs Framework in the following important ways: