AHEAD: Association for Higher Education Access & Disability
Creating inclusive environments in education & employment for people with disabilities.

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Getting Disability Support

Requesting disability related supports is an important step of the Erasmus application process. Once you have been accepted, you need to decide whether and how to disclose your disability. This is important because in order to receive accommodations such as note takers, sign language interpreters, extra time in examinations, personal attendants, accessibility to rooms or buildings, it is necessary to disclose your disability in a timely manner so that pre-arrangements can be made.

It is important to remember that the type of disability supports you receive in Ireland may not be available in every location around the world, so you may need to be flexible and creative.

If you have disability support needs in Ireland then you will need disability support while you are away. Find out information about the sort of facilities available at your host college before going abroad by contacting the person responsible for disability in the college. The ERASMUS/international office and Disability Support Service of your home university should be able to assist you with this.

In general, your home college should ensure that the necessary arrangements are being made at the host institution to meet your specific needs.

To help to determine what accommodations you may need, consider the following:

  • What will you need to maintain your health and well-being especially when dealing with stressful situations (i.e. medicines, medical facilities, backups to equipment such as wheelchairs or prostheses, therapists, self-help groups, nutritional foods, limited stimulation, etc.)?
  • How willing are you to be flexible if certain types of adaptive equipment, sign language interpreters, personal assistants, or public resources are not available?
  • Do you know the disability laws and rights of the country to which you are going?
  • Do you know how to contact disability organizations in the country of destination for backup resources?
  • If studying, researching or teaching, does the host facility have a disability services office?
  • What is the accessibility of public buildings, public transport, and streets in the country of destination, and what plans are you making to adjust?
  • Do you know enough about the culture to understand the country's cultural values and attitudes about your disability?

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Creating Inclusive Environments in Education and Employment for People with Disabilities

East Hall, UCD, Carysfort Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin.
T +353 1 592 1467 E ahead@ahead.ie W www.ahead.ie RCN 20025182