140 likes | 268 Views
May 4 th 2011. Supporting Disabled Students Assistant Director Disability Office. Disabled students. Disabled students by College 2010/11. Disability Office. 2 Advisory teams – Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) and Disability Advisors plus Student Support Assistants
E N D
May 4th 2011 Supporting Disabled Students Assistant Director Disability Office
Disability Office • 2 Advisory teams – Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) and Disability • Advisors plus Student Support Assistants • SSAs include Study Skills Tutors, Mental Health Mentors, Note takers, Library Assistants, Proofreaders
What the Disability Office does • Pre-application visits • Liaise over building adaptations • Assess individual evidence and requirements and create Learning Profiles • Advise on technology and equipment • Loan equipment • Assist students to claim funding
What the Disability Office does • Source and match personal assistants • Dyslexia screening, referral for Ed Psych assessment, tutoring • Advise University on disability policy issues • Staff development/ training • Liaison with Schools
What the University does • Disability Policy • Disability Committee and 5 sub-groups • Disability Equality Scheme (soon to be a Single Equality Scheme) • Equality and Diversity functions
Equality Act 2010 • Passed in April 2010 • Effective from 1 October 2010 • Now covers 9 “protected characteristics” (equality strands) • Brings together existing legislation on disability (Disability Discrimination Act), race and gender • Harmonises and strengthens previous discrimination legislation. Equality Act 2010
Equality Act 2010 Definition of Disability A physical or mental impairment that has a Substantial and long-term adverse effect on the ability to carry out normal day to day activities. • “substantial” = more than minor or trivial • “impairment” = long term medical conditions and fluctuating or progressive conditions.
Equality Act 2010 • New protections include: • discrimination by association or perception • discrimination arising out of disability - replaces the DDA's "disability related discrimination“. • indirect discrimination.
Equality Act 2010 • Draft Code of Practice: Further and Higher Education (consultation ended December 2010) • The Equality Act retains the objective justification test that a measure must be a “proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim” • However, it is not discrimination to treat a disabled person more favourably than a person who is not disabled • The Public Sector Duty replaces the Disability Equality Duty from April 2011.
Liaison with Schools/Colleges • DO recent initiative = • Key contact or contacts from DO allocated to each School • Liaison is about processes, procedures, issues – not individual student adjustments • Liaison – Vet School - Dr Geoff Pearson and Lorna Hume; Disability Office - Melanie Scott, Jan Gardiner and Sheila Williams
Key areas for discussion: • Adjustments • Competence standards • Fitness to practice/Fitness to study (in relation to disability) - (Claire Phillips – has drafted a document relating to Students studying veterinary medicine with a disability for admissions webpage)
For Further Information 6-8 South College St From 1st August 2011: 3rd Floor, Main Library Tel: 650 6828 disability.office@ed.ac.uk Visit our website: www.ed.ac.uk/disability-office