Support Services for Disabled Students at UCL
An overview of provisionSeptember 2009
Student Disability Services
Core staff:• Disability Co-ordinator Marion Hingston Lamb• Dyslexia Co-ordinator Claire Jamieson• Disability Adviser Jenny Alsop• Disability Adviser (Mental Health) Danny Marfany• Administrator Alison Angel
Plus part time specialist staff:
tuition for students with dyslexia and other splds,
mentors for students with mental health difficulties
mentors for students with Asperger syndrome
The Student Disability Centre
• G16, Registry• South Wing
• Tel: 020 7679 0100
• [email protected]• c.jamieson @ucl.ac.uk• [email protected]• d.marfany@ucl• [email protected]
The SEN IT suiteMain Building- South Junction
• IT suite for disabled students • 8 PCs with specialist software- mind-
mapping; voice activated; screen reading; Braille translation
• Printer, scanners, Braille embosser• Support and training provided by the
Disability IT Support Officer Michele Farmer
What do we do for students?
• Provide information about UCL for disabled students
• Advise disabled applicants and students
• Support current students
• Provide specialist equipment
• Arrange specialist support
Disabled students at UCL 2008-09
• 1247 disabled students
• 5.47% of total student population
• 668 with a diagnosis of dyslexia or another specific leaning difficulty
• Specific learning difficulties – e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia / developmental coordination disorder
• Autism/Asperger syndrome• Sensory impairment• Physical disability (including Repetitive Strain
Injury/upper limb disorder)• Mental illness• Unseen disability- e.g. epilepsy, asthma and
diabetes• Medical condition (including fluctuating
conditions)• Any other condition which has a significant effect
on the ability to study.
The Disability Discrimination Act
Since September 2002 it has been illegal to
• treat disabled students less favourably for a disability related reason
• Fail to make reasonable adjustments where existing arrangements or provision place disabled students at substantial disadvantage
Definition of disability
• A person has a disability if he has a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities
• Anyone who has HIV, Cancer or Multiple Sclerosis is automatically treated as disabled under the Act.
The duties are ANTICIPATORY
• the needs of disabled users taken into account in all new builds, new facility design, alterations and maintenance. HEFCE have awarded UCL over £2million to improve its estates.
• Audit of all buildings
• New programmes are examined to ensure no illegal discrimination
The duties are ANTICIPATORY
• All processes from admissions to graduation eg:
• Publicity available in alternative formats• Invitations to interview ask about
adjustments a disabled applicant might need
• Person responsible for booking rooms aware of need to take needs of eg student with mobility difficulties into account
How do we know if a student is disabled?
• Duty to take reasonable steps to find out about a person’s disability
• Duty to be proactive
• But confidentiality must be respected (Data Protection Act)
Finding out (2)
• Creating a culture that encourages disclosure eg:
• Current disabled students participate in programme inductions for new students
• Importance of personal tutor
• Students asked (confidentially) before field trips etc
Passing on information(with student’s permission)
• SDS asks students to sign agreement that information can be passed on - on a ‘need to know basis’
• A summary of needs is put together after discussion with the student and sent to the academic department (usually personal tutor and Departmental Administrator).
• It is important that the information is passed to all those who teach the student
Funding support (1)
• Almost all UK disabled students will be able to claim Disabled Students Allowances
• Non means tested, for specific support- unrelated to DLA and other government benefits
• Examples: PC with mind-mapping software; someone to take notes in lecture; specialist dyslexia tuition
• We support and guide students through the application/ assessment process and liaise with funding body on their behalf
Funding support (2)
• Disabled international students can apply for support directly to Student Disability Services
• Necessary equipment is loaned (eg laptop, radio aid, digital recorder)
• SDS will fund required support workers including dyslexia tuition
What might be reasonable adjustments for a deaf student? DEPARTMENT• Provide hard copies of
any OHTs/slides and written list of key words (if not available on-line)
• Establish clear protocol in discussions- eg only one speaker at a time
• Lecturer to face audience
UCL• Extra time in exams• Install induction loop in
teaching rooms• Individual library
inductions
What might be reasonable adjustments for a deaf student?
Funded by DSA (UK student) or UCL if international student
• Arrange for student to have note taker/interpreter in lectures
• Radio aid
What might be reasonable adjustments for a blind student?
DEPARTMENT• Provide course
information on disk• Booklists on disk well
in advance• Directed reading• Provide
OHTs/slides/board information on disk or large print in advance
UCL• Extra time in exams,
paper in accessible format
• Use of amanuensis/ wp
• Specialist pc software in SEnIT Suite/ teaching labs
What might be reasonable adjustments for a blind student?
Funded by DSA (UK student) or UCL if international student
• Note taker
• Library assistance
• reader
What might be reasonable adjustments for a student with a medical condition?
Department• Allow some flexibility
in attendance requirements
• Allow some flexibility in coursework deadlines (with caution!)
UCL• Special exam
arrangements eg rest breaks
• Additional library services
• Provide suitable seating
What might be reasonable adjustments for a student with a medical condition?
Funded by DSA (UK student) or UCL if international student
• Pc and other equipment to enable student to work from home
• digital recorder for lectures• Note taker • General assistant (library/photocopying
etc)