From 2:1 to First: How Present Pal Supports the Full Presentation Journey for Disabled Students

For many disabled students, presentations can be one of the most daunting and difficult parts of university life.

Whether it’s remembering what to say, managing anxiety, or trying to deliver a well-paced performance, the barriers often go far beyond typical nerves. Yet presentations continue to carry weight in assessment criteria across courses — sometimes accounting for a significant percentage of a student's final grade.

That was the case for Isabella, a dyslexic student studying Media Communications and Culture at Nottingham Trent University. Her second-year presentations contributed 20% to her overall degree classification — and the pressure to perform well, despite the challenges, was real.

The Challenge: Memory, Anxiety, and the Pressure to Perform

Before being recommended Present Pal through the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), Isabella faced a familiar set of barriers:

• Memory difficulties that caused her to forget key talking points

• A tendency to rely heavily on scripts — making eye contact and audience engagement difficult

• Presentation anxiety that only intensified when she felt underprepared

“I would usually forget what I planned to say, meaning I’d end up skipping parts of my presentation. Anxiety probably played a role too — it all goes hand in hand.”

— Isabella

Her approach, like many students in a similar position, was to overprepare with dense notes and scripts. But this often made things worse — increasing cognitive load and reducing spontaneity, connection, and confidence.

The Solution: A Tool That Supports the Full Presentation Journey

Isabella’s DSA Needs Assessor introduced her to Present Pal, a tool designed to support disabled students through every stage of the presentation process — not just rehearsal.

With Present Pal, Isabella was able to:

• Replace full scripts with bullet point prompts, helping her retain key ideas without overloading her working memory

• Use the built-in stopwatch to manage timing and improve pacing — essential when presentations had to meet strict time limits

• Practice with clear structure, reducing anxiety and improving confidence

“Now I don’t read paragraphs from my notes. I’m prompted, which means I can remember my point and look up - not just read off the board.”

— Isabella

She also explored Present Pal’s in-app training, including sections like Engaging the Audience, which broke down key skills using simple, relatable language and scenarios.

The Result: Better Grades, Better Confidence, Better Experience

The impact was immediate — and measurable.

📊 Isabella earned a low 2:1 on her first presentation using Present Pal.
🔥 For her second, a Dragons’ Den-style pitch where she used Present Pal throughout, she achieved a First.

“It’s improved my confidence and prompted me to practice beforehand — not just read my notes out on the day.”

— Isabella

Why Support Staff and DSA Assessors Trust Present Pal

Present Pal helps students like Isabella to move from overwhelm to structure, from anxiety to confidence, and from underperformance to academic success.

While other tools focus solely on rehearsal, Present Pal is purpose-built to support the entire presentation journey:

• Structuring talking points

• Practicing with prompts

• Managing time

• Reducing stress

• Building lasting communication skills

It’s designed with accessibility in mind, offering a clean, intuitive interface that meets the needs of students with a wide range of cognitive, processing, and emotional support needs — including dyslexia, ADHD, and mental health conditions.

Ready to Support Your Students Differently?

If you're a disability adviser, study skills tutor, or DSA Needs Assessor, and you work with students who struggle with verbal communication, memory, or confidence, Present Pal could be the support they need to thrive.

📩 Book a demo with our Education Manager, Joe Dawber.
🔗 Learn more about Present Pal: Present Pal for DSA