05

Improving the
experience
of disabled
students
Improving As a Forum, we recognise that any discussion We welcome this focus, and look forward to the
surrounding disabled students sits within the improvements that these initiatives will hopefully
the broader context of equality and diversity within bring. However, we don’t think that there is room
experience higher education. We certainly don’t consider for complacency, and there is still more to be
of disabled disability to be more important than any other done to ensure that all disabled students have a
aspect of equality and diversity, and when we positive experience of higher education.
students develop recommendations for key topics we
aim to ensure that our approach is inclusive of With this in mind, and in order to further develop
as wide a range of perspectives as possible. our recommendations from last year in this area,
Nevertheless, having considered issues that were we reviewed some of the persisting issues faced
raised by the student juries and in the light of by disabled students as identified by the Forum’s
some of our own experiences, last year we held a subgroup in 07/08. In summary these comprise:
subgroup to explore some of the issues that are
1. The need for more tailored information
particular to this group of students in more detail.
before entry into higher education
The subgroup developed draft proposals for about:
improving the experience of disabled students, what learning support is available
for further consideration and refinement by
how accessible different aspects of university
the full Forum this year. We invited the Equality
life are
Challenge Unit to work alongside us to identify
a number of ways in which universities can 2. Insufficient awareness of the specialist
support disabled students, along with several financial support available
recommendations for Government and 3. Misconceptions and stigma that
partner organisations. unwittingly perpetuate discrimination,
such as:
We were delighted to learn that much is already
happening in the sector to improve the disabled well-intentioned assumption e.g. some
student experience. Some examples both at a staff assume that all disabled students will
national and institutional level include: automatically have issues with time management
subconscious discrimination e.g. when
Government published a statistical report on disclosure of a disability sometimes leads
disabled students in higher education in May to subsequent problems in obtaining work
2009, exploring both the issues faced by, and placements or affects expectations of
the progression of, disabled students* performance during assessment processes
HE Academy convened a year long summit 4. Academic disadvantage arising from:
programme on inclusive learning and teaching in
association with the ECU and Equality Forward uneven access to electronic textbooks and
in 2009. It is completing research on the the inconsistent provision of transcription and
experiences of ten institutions developing and interpretation services
embedding inclusive policy and practice. It has insufficient training and awareness for teaching
published a series of resource bulletins focusing staff about accessible approaches
on inclusive learning and teaching. With the ECU, patchy use of personal development plans
it is in the process of updating its current version (PDPs), which can be a particularly powerful
of Disability Legislation: Practical Guidance for support tool for disabled students when
Academics, which highlights inclusive practice implemented effectively
when teaching disabled students
5. Non-academic challenges arising from
ECU (funded by HEFCE) has commissioned insufficiently accessible:
the Inclusive campus: practical guidance
on sensory accessibility research project orientation processes
to improve general accessibility and the accommodation
accessibility of student services and teaching social activities and opportunities
environments for sensory-impaired students.
Findings will be available later in 2009 A more comprehensive overview of our
discussions last year can be found in our 2008
Aimhigher North London (now Aimhigher report†. We outline below our suggestions for the
WECAN) is continuing with its successful ways in which universities can help to support
This-Ability ambassador programme in which disabled students, along with some examples
disabled students and recent graduates work of institutions who are already implementing
with disabled school pupils to encourage them excellent initiatives to do so.
to enter higher education
Anglia Ruskin University has developed a *
http://www.dius.gov.uk/~/media/publications/D/DIUS_RR_09_06
blended learning module on inclusive practice †
http://www.dius.gov.uk/higher_education/students/student_
(accredited by the Staff and Educational listening_programme/national_student_forum
Development Association), which will shortly be
available to academic and support staff

73 National Student Forum – Annual Report

How can universities and
disabled students?
The NSF was set up to help to define ‘a reasonable
student experience’ and to make recommendations
to Government to help to achieve this. However,
many of our suggestions for improvement fall within 1. Improve IAG for prospective disabled
the gift of individual universities and colleges, rather students
than government policy. Therefore, we have outlined actively promote the involvement of disabled
recommended practice for universities and colleges in students in all student ambassador schemes
each of our key discussion areas, against which we invite
individual institutions to measure their current practice. include tailored information, advice and
guidance on the specific provision for disabled
We readily acknowledge that many universities and students at individual universities
colleges may already be implementing some of these
practices, but urge all institutions to consider whether
adopting new ways of working and/or reviewing the
extent to which guidance is being implemented in
practice, could lead to further improvement in this area.

To improve the experience of disabled students, we

would like to see all universities and colleges:

ility
ising awareness of disab
26 ra
h awareness
issues throug s into CPD fo
r
y awarene s
weeks 27embedding dis
abilit
staff
on is one of man
y universities
aching and management
Un ive rs ity of the Arts Lond s th roug h disability te
Th e
of disability issue for all staff ining
s aw ar en es s
, University thof e Arts y awareness tra
that raise
s. In March 2009 ess of art ity of Li ve rp oo l offers disabilit stu de nt s and those
awareness week Disability Week to raise awaren Example 1: The
Univers
os e wh o have contact wi
th
y and equality
on he ld its fir st of disab led artists rsity, particular ly th
y training in div
er sit
Lond
y an d the experiences d by within the unive ies. It of fe rs ha lf da
ent programme.
The course
informed by dis ab ilit
the access iss ue s fa ce ent responsibilit sional developm
well as explore eness of with managem inu ing pr of es of dis ab ility and the
stu de nt s, as ra ising aw ar rt of its cont and awareness
an d
. The week focu
sed on d practices as pa de rs ta nd ing nt s wh o are
arts institutions ental health an hance staff’s un ing with stude
d hid de n dis ab ilities such as m inc lus ive?’ is designed to en ive rs ity an d staff when work od _P ra ct ice .htm for
both visible an Arts of the Un ls_and_ Go
adline ‘Are the responsibilities /hr/equality/Too
ened with a he luding the scre
ening tp://www.liv.ac.uk
dyslexia and op d by 17 ev en ts, inc
ng, a disabled. See ht
s fo llo we en es s tra ini
debate. It wa , disability awar more information
. fund
lks , exhib itions
d careers deve
lop m ent from HEFCE to
of films, artist ta d consultation an ity of Yo rk ob tained £14,000 eg ra te d eq uality
student as se m bly , an
am ple 2: In 20 04 the Univers m en t pr oject s which have int lud ed:
dents. Ex l develop ing. Projects inc
for disabled stu e departmenta aching and learn
and support nin cu lum an d te
&D) into curri
and diversity (E monitor
y department to
Ap pr ais al Gr oup in the biolog lum . Th e de partment has
Staff Peer thin the curricu
• setting up a d div er sit y wi D eq ua lity and
g equality an ormation on E&
issues concernin r’s ha nd bo ok to include inf hin g or pa sto ral role.
rviso a te ac
produced a supe r individuals with staff to support
and guidance fo ol for academic
diversity training e- ba se d lea rn ing to
ing .
t of an lea rn
• the developm
en teaching and
y aw aren es s in the context of
disabilit

74 National Student Forum – Annual Report

colleges support

2. Review and, where necessary, revise widely promote the benefits of using personal
enrolment and induction procedures development plans (PDPs), especially for
to ensure that they are inclusive disabled students; ensure facilities and
and tailored to meet the needs of resources are available to support students to
make PDPs when they choose to; and ensure
disabled students
new e-versions of PDPs are accessible for
work with current disabled students to evaluate disabled students
how effectively current guidance* on enrolment
and induction for disabled students is 4. Improve awareness of disability
being implemented issues amongst academic staff
3. Raise awareness of disability issues ensure staff with pastoral responsibilities are
within universities and colleges able to signpost students to relevant people
amongst the wider student community and organisations

establish disability awareness activities within ensure all staff are trained in accessible
universities and colleges e.g. encourage halls approaches to teaching and learning as part of
of residences to run specific events26 standard training and development processes27
5. Ensure that institutional feedback
embed equality and diversity training into the
mechanisms capture data for
student curriculum and/or offer certificate
short courses on equality and diversity disabled students, and use to
improve future provision

Empowering and supporting disabled international students

The issues faced by disabled students can be particularly exacerbated for students from overseas,
who are also dealing with cultural differences and a lack of knowledge of how the UK system
works. It is important that these students feel that the university or college understands the
particular issues they are facing (culturally, physically and emotionally) and that they can talk to
other students who are in a similar situation.

We encourage individual institutions and/or sector organisations to consider how the needs of this
student group might be met more effectively. For example:

setting up an association of disabled international students, or the equivalent mechanism, to

meet the needs of this student group via peer support
promoting awareness in universities about the particular needs of disabled international students
tailoring information advice and guidance to this specific student group, perhaps through an
extension of the NSF’s proposed IAG portal

*
Currently (September 09) Precept 7, section 3 of the QAA Code of
Practice

75 National Student Forum – Annual Report

Recommendations We have drawn upon our expertise in what it implemented, along with some potential
for supporting is like to study in higher education to develop indicators of success. As students we are not
disabled recommendations that we believe require experts in the workings of the sector, and we
attention at a national strategic level. Some both value and respect the sector’s autonomy.
students
recommendations may involve a shift in current We therefore urge Government and/or national
policy or practice, or new collaborations at sector organisations as appropriate to consider
a national level. However, others may more how these recommendations might be taken
appropriately require careful consideration of how forward most effectively – either individually or
effectively or how widely existing programmes of collaboratively. We invite stakeholders to view our
work or specific initiatives are being implemented. work as an invitation to engage in an ongoing
dialogue to bring about improvement for all
We have indicated what it would mean for students in future
students in our day to day lives if these
recommendations were successfully

What would this mean to students? How could we measure success?

4. Develop a national strategy It is easy for me to access the E-books are in widespread use,
to increase students’ access academic texts I need, regardless particularly by distance learners
to academic texts through of what type of student I am and disabled students
electronic means
Disabled students routinely have
(also featured in Teaching and
access to software that ensures
Learning, Chapter 1)
academic texts are accessible
In the longer term, all texts
are simultaneously published
electronically at the time of initial
hard copy publication
6. Identify ways in which university I am satisfied that I have been All university IAG services offer
careers services can be better able to access satisfactory dedicated, tailored support for
supported to meet the needs of specialist careers guidance disabled students – and this is
particular student groups (e.g. widely acknowledged to be the
disabled students) case by these students
(also featured in Employability,
Chapter 2)
12. Improve disability awareness I am able to access course Disability awareness training
training in universities and teaching and materials, is standard in all initial lecturer
colleges regardless of my disability training
I am confident my tutor can Disability awareness events are
support me standard at all universities
and colleges (e.g. during
I find my university/college
induction weeks)
experience inclusive and equal,
and do not face active or Lecturers tailor their teaching to
inadvertent discrimination ensure it is accessible by
from my peers or university/ all students
college staff
Disabled students report
consistently high levels of
satisfaction with all aspects of
their higher education experience

76 National Student Forum – Annual Report

77 National Student Forum – Annual Report