British Sign Language support for Deaf students
Give your Deaf students the communication support they’re entitled to
Deaf students who use BSL have a right to funded support while they’re at college or university.
That support works best if it’s in place before term starts, not scrambled together after the student flags a problem.
Sign Solutions is a registered Non-Medical Help (NMH) provider, supplying BSL interpreters, specialist notetakers, lipspeakers, Deafblind and relay interpreters to universities and colleges across the UK.
We work with disability and student support teams to get Disabled Student Allowance-funded support arranged, booked and running from day one, whether that’s for lectures, seminars, one-to-one supervisions or exams.
Is your institution ready to support Deaf students who use BSL?
Most universities have accessible buildings, hearing loop systems and captioned lecture recordings.
For some students whose first language is BSL, these may not help.
Lecture content delivered at speed, group seminars with several people talking over each other and one-to-one tutorials booked at short notice are all points where support either works or falls apart.
Getting it right isn’t purely about accessibility.
It’s about having interpreters or specialist non-spoken language support booked and briefed before a Deaf student sets foot in a lecture theatre, and a provider who can flex when your timetables change mid-term.
Support we provide
- BSL interpreters
Qualified, NRCPD/RBSLI/SRLPDC-registered interpreters for lectures, seminars, tutorials, exams and placements, either in person or via your preferred video platform.
- Specialist Notetakers/Speech-to-text Reporters
Professional notetakers who understand the specific needs of Deaf students
- Lipspeakers
For Deaf students who lipread rather than sign, delivering spoken content clearly and accurately in real time
- On-demand BSL Interpreters
Our InterpretersLive! platform provides instant access to on-demand BSL interpreters for open days and student support. Students can access university resources over the phone in their first or preferred language of BSL.
- Deaf Awareness Training
For lecturers, personal tutors and student services staff who want the confidence to communicate directly with Deaf students.
- BSL Translations
Course handbooks, induction materials and key documents translated into BSL video format, as well as existing videos overlayed with BSL in-vision.
DSA and the Non-Medical Help register
The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) funds the non-medical help a Deaf student needs to study on equal terms, including BSL interpreters and other specialist non-spoken language support. To access DSA funding, support must be delivered by a provider registered on the Department for Education’s Non-Medical Help (NMH) Register.
Sign Solutions is registered for BSL Interpreting, Specialist Notetaking and Lipspeaking, so support booked through us is DSA-compliant from the outset. That matters for your institution as much as for the student. Funding delays and provider disputes are one of the most common reasons support falls through in the first term. Using an approved provider like Sign Solutions removes that risk.
How it works
- The student identifies their support needs when applying for student finance or through their university’s disability support team.
- They’re referred for a Study Needs Assessment to determine the specialist support required.
- Following the assessment, the student receives a DSA2 entitlement letter confirming the support that has been approved and funded through the DSA.
- Once support has been approved, the student or your institution contacts Sign Solutions with course details, timetables and support requirements.
- We arrange suitable professionals depending on the student’s requirements, and manage all bookings throughout the academic year.
- We also handle all the logistics, so your disability support team or student isn’t chasing bookings every time a timetable changes.
Why universities and colleges choose Sign Solutions
Sign Solutions is an approved NMH provider with NRCPD/RBSLI/SRLPDC-registered interpreters and nationwide coverage, both in person and remote. Higher education has its own rhythm, with block bookings for term-time timetables, last-minute room changes and exam season surges. We’re set up to handle that rather than treat every request as a one-off booking.
Institutions come to us because our support is reliable and we provide one point of contact for all non-spoken language support, staff training and translation, rather than multiple different suppliers.
How much does it cost?
Our rates are DSA-compatible and set out clearly so your finance and disability support teams can plan ahead.
Download our ratecard to share with your Deaf students or get in touch for a quote tailored to your students’ needs.
Frequently asked questions
The Disabled Student Allowance provides funding to eligible disabled students to help meet the additional costs of studying. Depending on the recommendations made during a Study Needs Assessment, this funding may cover support such as BSL interpreting, specialist notetaking and lipspeaking. The approved support is confirmed in the student’s DSA entitlement letter and must be provided by an organisation registered on the Department for Education’s Non-Medical Help Register.
In most cases, students liaise directly with their approved provider to arrange the support confirmed in their DSA entitlement letter. However, universities may also be involved, particularly where additional coordination is required. We’re happy to work with students and institutions and can keep everyone updated on the booking and delivery arrangements, where appropriate.
Both, and everything in between. We cover lectures, seminars, one-to-one tutorials, supervisions, exams, placements and any other university setting where a Deaf student needs to communicate with hearing staff or peers, including open days, graduations and social or pastoral appointments.
Yes. Â We provide both remote and in-person BSL interpreting, making it suitable for online, hybrid and face-to-face courses. We can work through the student's preferred video platform, ensuring they can access support wherever and however their learning is delivered.
It depends on notice and interpreter availability, but we’d always recommend contacting us as soon as DSA funding is confirmed, ideally before term starts, since the busiest weeks of the year are when demand for our interpreters is highest.