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DISABLED STUDENTS IN ERASMUS EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES Alenka Bera Slovenian Association of Disabled Students

DISABLED STUDENTS IN ERASMUS EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES Alenka Bera Slovenian Association of Disabled Students. THE SLOVENIAN ASSOCIATION OF DISABLED STUDENTS May 1996 the Disabled Students Club was established

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DISABLED STUDENTS IN ERASMUS EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES Alenka Bera Slovenian Association of Disabled Students

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  1. DISABLED STUDENTS IN ERASMUS EXCHANGE PROGRAMMESAlenka BeraSlovenian Association of Disabled Students The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  2. THE SLOVENIAN ASSOCIATION OF DISABLED STUDENTS • May 1996 the Disabled Students Club was established • January 2000 - changed into The Slovenian Associationof Disabled Students - an independent, non-government and non-profit disability organization. The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  3. The aim of the Association is to promote the rights and interests of disabled students and to provide information, services and supports to improve educational and employment opportunities, and encourage and enable them to live a full and independent life. The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  4. Rok is a blind student • He was in a six months Erasmus exchange programme in Antwerp, Belgium studying history • PREPARATION: • Erasmus coordinator at his faculty • DSIS for additional funding, travel, health insurance, etc. • Contacting Slovenian students already studying in Antwerp • International office arranged accommodation in Antwerp The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  5. PROBLEMS: • Finding appropriate accommodation near the place of study • Having no assistant/guide • Bringing a friend to help him with orientation and mobility, changing accommodation after she left The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  6. GOOD EXPERIENCES: • Receiving support from other international students • Receiving help and support from the international office staff • Getting help from professors – attends lectures in Flemish, takes exams in English • Friends at home and DSIS who scan and digitalize his study materials • Erasmus disability scholarship covered all additional costs The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  7. REFLECTIONS: • Good Flemish language course • Improve English language skills • Personal independence • Ice-breaking week - go out, meet people relax • Didn’t get to know Belgian culture very much – lived with international students • Would be good to have some organized support and assistance The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  8. Meta is a dyslexic student • She was in an Erasmus exchange programme in Amsterdam, the Netherlands • PREPARATION: • Support of Erasmus coordinators at home and host HEI for research arrangements and accomodation • Support of DSIS for practical arrangemnts for travel and insurance The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  9. GOOD EXPEIENCES • Did a lot of practical field work and interviews and thus avoided great amounts of reading • On arrival she was met by a student from her host institution • Relied a lot also on the international student network • Got involved with Dutch scouts association and participated in other youth events The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  10. REFLEXIONS • Hasn’t encountered any major problems • Becoming more independent • Improving English and Dutch language skills • Gaining new knowledge in the field of occupational therapy • Seeing a new city and culture and meeting new people and making friendships The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  11. Nina is a blind student • She was in CEEPUS exchange programme in Zagreb, Croatia • PREPARATION: • CEEPUS office arranged accommodation on student campus • Office for students with disabilities at the University of Zagreb arranged orientation and mobility training and provided other information The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  12. GOOD EXPERIENCES: • Help of a friend when she arrived to Zagreb • People are very open, they like to help • Support for disabled students is well organized on University and NGO level • Good to be independent • Wants to return to do a postgraduate course The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  13. REFLECTIONS: • Disabled people in Croatia are more organized and active than in Slovenia • Exchange officers should know more about the needs of disabled students • Additional grants should cover all additional costs such as orientation and mobility training, guides, readers, etc. • Information on available supports in one place • A tutor which helps you in the first weeks The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  14. Rok is a student with a mobility impairment Wanted to go to Amsterdam for a semester Found host institution Made accommodation arrangements Found a volunteer to be his personal assistant His request for additional funds to cover travel and accommodation costs for the volunteer was denied. The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  15. Tina is a student with mobility impairment Wnated to do a semester of social work in Barcelona Found communication and preparation for finding accessible accommodation, transport and above all personal assistance too tiring Despite the support of our organization, she decided not to follow through with her placement The 7th International Conference on Higher Education & Disability Innsbruck, Austria, July 20-23, 2010

  16. THE SLOVENIAN ASSOCIATION OF DISABLED STUDENTS www.dsis-drustvo.si info@dsis-drustvo.si Alenka Bera Alenka@dsis-drustvo.si +386 41 632 865

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