Disability & Access Support Services

What considerations need to be made by students with disabilities before applying to college?

As with all students preparing for college, it is essential that students with disabilities are well informed about the range of supports available to them. Being well informed will help ensure that students have the opportunity to enjoy all the benefits of college. Almost all colleges now have a disability policy which outlines the range of services available to students with disabilities. It is worth finding out therefore what each college has to offer. Students and Guidance Counsellors should try to find out as much information as possible. Some useful questions are listed below:

How many students with disabilities are currently registered with the college?
Does the college have an alternative admission system for students with disabilities?
Is there any funding support available to students with disabilities?
Is there a Disability / Access Service in the college?
What sort of documentation is required to register with the Disability / Access Service?
What types of educational supports are available and if so, how are these accessed (e.g. tutors, scribes, note takers)?
What types of support are available in the Library (e.g. extended book loans, text access)?
What supports are available during examinations (e.g. extra time, use of a laptop with spell checker)?
What kinds of on-campus and off-campus transportation services are available during weekdays and at weekends?
What supports are available to students with hearing-impairments (e.g. Sign Language Interpreters, assistive listening devices, visual alarms)?
What supports are available to students with visual impairments (e.g. campus orientation, accessible format support)?
What supports are available to students with mobility difficulties (e.g. adequate access to facilities, lecture halls, libraries, assistive technology support)?
What supports are available to students with specific learning difficulties, speech difficulties, mental health or medical difficulties?

Student and Guidance Counsellors can discuss their individual needs or queries with the Disability / Access Service or check out individual Disability / Access Service websites for a better idea of the types of support available.

What is the role of the Disability / Access Service?

Most third level institutions now provide a range of services to students with disabilities through the Disability / Access Service. The main role of these services is to ensure that students with disabilities can participate fully in all aspects of student life. All are deeply committed to the provision of an inclusive and equitable learning environment.

The Disability / Access Service liases closely with other college departments including academic, administrative and service departments to help provide a range of reasonable support services for students, based on individual need and within the context of course choice. Providing reasonable accommodation ensures that a student with a disability is not disadvantaged in any way by comparison with his/her able bodied peers.

All Disability / Access Services will encourage students to disclose their disability as early as possible, so that any supports required can be put in place. Confidentiality is maintained at all times and students can use the service as little or as often as they choose.

Though specific services will differ between one college and the next, the main function of the Disability / Access Service will include:

Providing information to the student on the availability of educational supports and arranging educational support workers where appropriate (e.g. tutors, note-takers, scribes, readers etc)
Liasing with relevant college personnel and co-ordinating various supports as required, including examination, teaching and learning, accommodation and library supports
Assisting the student with applications for various funding schemes
Organising Assistive Technology and in many cases, providing on-going training and support.

Many Disability / Access Services are also involved in the development of college policies and procedures in relation to students with disabilities, and also provide disability awareness training programmes to college staff. They also network with other colleges, institutes and organisations to raise awareness of the ability of students both nationally and internationally. All maintain strong links with many external disability organisations.

Who can register with the Disability / Access Service?

To register with the Disability / Access service, students will need to make an appointment with the Disability / Access Officer. In most cases, students can register with the Disability / Access Service if they:

are blind or visually impaired
are Deaf or hearing impaired
are wheelchair users or students with mobility difficulties
have specific learning difficulties
have significant ongoing illness / medical conditions
have mental health difficulties

In order to register, most services will require written confirmation of disability from a recognised practitioner (e.g. Specialist or a Chartered Psychologist). Again, students are encouraged to register as early as possible so that the Disability / Access Service can arrange and implement appropriate supports to meet individual need.

Should a student disclose their disability to the college?

While there is no obligation on a student to disclose their disability, there are enormous benefits to disclosing. Under government legislation, educational institutions are obliged to make reasonable accommodations available to students with disabilties. Once a student discloses their disability, the college can then take steps to arrange particular accommodations for them. If a student chooses not to disclose, then there is no obligation by the college to provide accommodations to the student.

It is important to realise that all personal or sensitive information about a student is handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act. In other words, personal information will not be disclosed without the student's consent.

In order to put supports in place however, the Disability / Access Service will need to convey some information to other college staff (e.g. examinations office). But this information is generally shared on a limited and need-to-know basis only. In that respect, many Disability / Access Services will ask students to sign a Disability Disclosure Form when they register.

What happens if a student discloses their disability to the college?

If a student chooses to disclose their disability, then the Disability / Access Service can arrange educational support services for them.

Students who disclose their disability at the admissions stage (i.e. by highlighting their disability on the CAO Form) are at a distinct advantage because the earlier the college knows about a student's disability, the better. Supports are addressed quickly, implemented as far as possible and modified in response to the student's need.

But while every effort will be made by the Disability / Access Service to provide accommodations to students, there is no guarantee that all accommodations will be available or will be made available on time. Sometimes it can take several weeks to arrange for a Sign Language Interpreter, for example. Providing texts in alternative formats (such as Braille) can take several weeks or even months, depending on the availability of readers, the use of outside agencies and co-operation of publishers. Alternative examination arrangements (such as the use of a laptop, or extra time) will need to be arranged several weeks in advance of exams taking place. Furthermore, the Fund for students with disabilities covers the cost of most educational supports, but in some cases funding is insufficient to cover all costs and expenses.

It is also important to remember that while the Disability / Access Service will liase with other college staff (e.g. lecturers) to ensure that supports are implemented, it is always important for the student to take a certain level of responsibility for their own learning and support. Students should introduce themselves to lecturers at the start of term and discuss their needs with them independently. They are the best person to clarify their own needs and to expain their disability to those who may be unfamiliar with it.

What happens if a student does not disclose their disability to the college?

If a student chooses not to disclose their disability, it is almost impossible for the college to make the adjustments that could help meet their educational support needs.

Where can I find out more information about Disability / Access Services?

For a direct link to a particular Disability / Access Service, click on the relevant college below:

Institutes of Technology

Universities

Are there any other useful links?

Quest for Learning

Quest for Learning is an excellent website targeted at students, teachers and employers around disability issues. It inlcudes topics on study skills, disability awarenss and employability skills.

The Quest For Learning website provides a virtual learning support network designed to support all students making the move into third level courses. The academic demands of a third level course are very different from those at second level and this website has very useful tips on how to deal with those demands and quickly improve ones study skills in third level, guiding the student on how to set up an effective study system, how to take effective lecture notes and retain that key information. QFL has information on how to do all of the following:

Planning your study programme.
Finding out your learning preferences.
Making most use of your time.
Organising your writing.
Taking notes.
Planning and writing an academic paper.
Writing bibliographies.
Writing summaries.
Improving your writing techniques.
Answering examination questions.
Memorising vast amounts of information.
Supports available for students with disabilities.

Students with disabilities or specific learning difficulties such as Dyslexia may need additional study skills tuition due to the disadvantage of their disability or learning difficulty in a new learning situation. For example a student with dyslexia may need additional tuition in learning how to lay out an academic paper and may benefit from additional hours with a study skills tutor. If you have a disability or a specific learning difficulty you should approach the disability support services in the college or the access office for advice. Click the link below to visit the Quest For Learning website: http://questforlearning.org.

HEAG database

The HEAG database is a guide to accessibility services in Higher Education Institutions across Europe, and provides information on disability support services in seventeen European countries.