Learning Disabilities
Whether you're a new student starting your first assignment, further on in your studies, or starting a research project, this page will help you find and use the best information for your subject. You will also find resources to help develop your academic, study and digital skills.
If you can’t find what you need here, please contact your Academic Support Team: library-healthandsociety@salford.ac.uk
Key resources for Learning Disabilities students
Books and Journals
The first place you should look is your reading list – you will find a link to this in your Blackboard modules. It lists all the core texts for your subject as recommended by your lecturers. all our other books and journals can be found in Library Search
Databases
These give you focused access to key journal articles and research:
- Social Sciences Databases ProQuest - This provides access to key UK and worldwide articles and research, including the British Journal of Social Work.
- CINAHL - Offers a systemized approach to searching for articles and research in the areas of Health and Social Care
- Community Care Inform - Adults and Children - Guidance to key pieces of legislation, expert articles and practice guides
Useful websites
These sites may have some journals but also other key research:
Evidence Search: Provides free access to clinical and non-clinical information including evidence, guidance and Government policy.
British Association of Social Work: Provides discussion and information current topics in the field.
SCIE - Social Care Institute for Excellence: Shares and supports the use of knowledge and evidence about what works in practice.
Employability
These resources can help you gain further skills to assist in your future career:
LinkedIn Learning - Offers over 9,000 professionally produced online courses covering a wide range of technical, creative and professional skills.
Microsoft Office Specialist Certification - Boost your CV with this globally recognised IT qualification.
Current affairs
Guardian Society: Latest Society news, comment and analysis from the Guardian.
The Student Social Work Hub Twitter - @SWbohemians Instagram – student_social_work_hub
Browse your Reading Lists

Your tutors select books, articles, videos and other resources for your reading lists and the Library buys them so you don't have to.
Find the lists for your modules in Blackboard, or in Library Search.
Referencing

APA 7th Edition is the main referencing style in use at the University. We've compiled an easy to follow list of guidebooks and examples to help you get to grips with complexities of referencing.
Newspapers

Newspapers are a valuable source of information. They provide insight into what interests and concerns people both now and in the past.
The Library provides some excellent newspaper sources that allow you to search simply and easily across many newspapers at once.
Dissertations and Theses

During the course of your studies, you may find that you need to search for dissertations or theses.
You can use Library Search to help you find them and there are a number of different ways to search, depending on what you want to find.
New Learning Disabilities Students
Book a one to one
If you’ve tried our eLearning and classroom sessions and need more help, you can request a one to one appointment for information finding, academic and writing or digital skills. Select your chosen time slot and book on through Advantage.
Book on a workshop
We offer a wide range of face-to-face skills training. If you need to improve your IT skills, learn how to find information for your assignments or improve your study skills this is a great place to start.
All workshops are bookable through Advantage by clicking on the workshop title. Where a session has no remaining spaces you can add yourself to the waiting list.
Constructing and Deconstructing Arguments [ONLINE]
Starts: 4 Dec 2023, 12:00 pmFinishes: 4 Dec 2023, 1:00 pmRemaining places: 36This workshop explores the content of academic arguments, examples of good and bad argumentation, and some common logical fallacies.Develop your Digital Notemaking skills [online]
Starts: 6 Dec 2023, 1:00 pmFinishes: 6 Dec 2023, 2:15 pmRemaining places: 38This workshop introduces some free digital tools for improving your notemaking and explores some little known features of software we all have access to. It is aimed at anyone who wants to get more organised for studying.
Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Exam session [Online]
Starts: 29 Nov 2023, 4:30 pmFinishes: 29 Nov 2023, 5:30 pmVenue: MOS Exam - Certiport exam providerRemaining places: 12This is a one-hour online EXAM SESSION for MOS certification. At the time of booking, you must have scored over 70% in GMetrix's 'Testing' mode for your chosen application. Bookings not meeting this criterion will be cancelled.Get IT qualifications with Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) [Online]
Starts: 6 Dec 2023, 12:00 pmFinishes: 6 Dec 2023, 1:00 pmRemaining places: 46This one-hour webinar will introduce you to our free Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) programme which allows you prove your Microsoft Office IT skills to potential employers, by studying for and sitting Microsoft certified exams in a range of Microsoft Office applications. This webinar is online.Develop your Digital Notemaking skills [online]
Starts: 6 Dec 2023, 1:00 pmFinishes: 6 Dec 2023, 2:15 pmRemaining places: 38This workshop introduces some free digital tools for improving your notemaking and explores some little known features of software we all have access to. It is aimed at anyone who wants to get more organised for studying.