FAQs

DARA has been designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, with input from assessors throughout the development process. Most users can start using it right away. Demonstration webinars and short videos are available here on the DARA website to guide you through specific aspects of writing reports using the tool.

DARA does not monitor or verify assessors’ qualifications. Different reports will have different requirements. In order to produce a SASC diagnostic assessment report, you need to confirm on the cover page that you are a qualified specialist teacher and/or psychologist, holding an approved qualification, and either a current Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) Assessment Practising Certificate or that you are Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered. There are no specific requirements at the moment for producing a Workplace Needs Assessment (WPNA) report.

Yes. DARA ensures your reports have the correct structure, headings, and information placement according to SASC standards, which supports APC compliance. However, the APC renewal process also evaluates your analysis and diagnostic decision-making, so your professional judgement remains central to the process.

No. DARA does not generate analytical content or recommendations. Instead, it handles the administrative, compliance and formatting aspects of report writing, freeing your time and mental energy so you can fully focus on your analysis.

DARA provides formatting and structure that fully conforms to the latest SASC standards. It is automatically updated whenever SASC makes changes, so every time you open DARA, you’re working with the most current guidance.

DARA complies with the latest data protection regulations. For detailed information, please see the Terms and Conditionsand privacy information on the DARA website.

Yes. DARA streamlines the report-writing process, allowing you to work methodically through it. Many users find they can write more reports each month using DARA, or alternatively use the time saved for a better work/life balance.

Yes. DARA uses Atkinson Hyperlegible, which was specifically designed to improve accessibility and readability across different digital platforms.

Currently, the font, text colour, and background colour cannot be customised. These design choices support accessibility and consistency. If you have specific accessibility needs or feedback, please contact the DARA team — they regularly review requests for alternative options.

Yes. If you use Windows, macOS, or common browsers (Chrome, Edge, Safari), you likely already have a built-in spelling and grammar checker. You can also use popular browser plugins like Grammarly to help spot mistakes.

Yes. DARA has been designed to work well with common Text-to-Speech apps. If you experience any issues or have feedback, contact the DARA team.

Yes. The DARA logo appears by default. If you prefer not to use it, you can simply delete it when you create your own report formats.

This feature is coming soon. If you’re interested in using your own logo, please email info@dysguisediagnostics.com and the team will get back to you.

Yes. You can choose the range descriptor labels you’d like to use per report. This is also where you indicate whether your assessment was conducted face-to-face, remotely, or as a combination of both. Each report can use different sets of range descriptor labels if needed.

Yes. A numbered Contents page is produced automatically by DARA. If you make changes to the report, the Contents page updates automatically.

Yes. You can return to your report at any time to make adjustments. Changes are reflected throughout the document, including in the Contents page.

Any changes to SASC guidance are incorporated into DARA as soon as they’re published. This means every time you open DARA, you’re working with the most up-to-date standards.

Yes. When you enter scores, you have the option to note which version of a test you used.

Yes. There is a checkbox next to every test in DARA where you can mark whether you used it to gather qualitative data. This is useful, for example, if you used DASH 2 with someone above the age threshold, or if a test was interrupted and couldn’t be properly scored. You can also choose to use any test qualitatively even if the person falls within the test’s standard age range.

For some tests, yes. For example, DARA automatically calculates and displays confidence intervals for Tests of Dyslexia (TOD), which use the same intervals regardless of age. For other tests like the Woodcock & Johnson series that provide individual confidence intervals, you can enter these manually. DARA is continuously expanding automatic confidence interval support where possible.

No. Statistical significance analysis forms part of your professional analysis, so DARA leaves this for you to determine and include in your report narrative where appropriate.

Some of the time-saving features offered by DARA include: handy contextual guidance as you work through your report helping you to stay focused on your assessment, a “preset text” feature that allows you to store your own banks of commonly used information such as age-appropriate recommendations or common observations which you can then easily insert and customise for individual reports, and it automatically password-protects your reports for greater security.