Guidance for students with disabilities on work experience

 

Before applying for a course:

Students with disabilities are advised to research courses and Universities prior to making an application. Students will wish to discuss the support mechanisms within the university. They may also wish to visit the University to investigate access. Disability Alliance/Skill (the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities, tel. 0800 328 5050, www.skill.org.uk) provide advice and information about the sorts of questions an applicant might wish to ask.

Where a course has a work placement component the student should ask questions about the department’s experience of supporting students with disabilities on placements. This might involve contacting the University’s Disability Advisor to discuss your needs.

Disability Advice at the University of Chichester

The University of Chichester has a Disability Service which provides advice and assistance with the needs of existing students and applicants with disabilities. The Service can be contacted on 01243 812076, or via e-mail: disabilityacademicskills@chi.ac.uk. Advice is confidential, and no information is released to any parts of the University without the student’s written permission.

Disclosure

Disclosure of disability is a matter of personal choice. However, if the University or work placement is not aware of your disability they will be unable to make reasonable adjustments. It is therefore your responsibility to contact the University’s Disability and Academic Skills Service to begin the process of disclosure.  The Disability Advisor can discuss with you who will be informed of your disability and what reasonable adjustments might be made.

Process

• If you think you may need adjustments to your work placement you should alert your tutor and/or the Disability and Academic Skills Service as early as possible. The Disability Advisor will discuss your needs with you and make recommendations to the Placement Co-ordinator or, in the case of Education, the Head of School Partnership.
• The Placement Co-ordinator/Head of School Partnership should then consider the recommendations made. They may need to meet with you to discuss them further and agree what information will be released to the placement.
• In some cases the student may need to visit the placement to view the premises and discuss reasonable adjustments.
• The adjustments may need to be reviewed and adjusted further. Reviews will take place informally on a regular basis with the placement mentor/ITT Co-ordinator/Professional Tutor, visiting tutor, and Placement Co-ordinator/Head of School Partnership. A formal review of adjustments should take place during any Placement Review.
• N.B. It is the student’s responsibility to alert the placement and/or the University if there are difficulties with the placement or the adjustments. Students should alert the Placement Mentor, or the University Tutor or Placement Co-ordinator/Head of School Partnership where the adjustments are not working, or where any agreed adjustments are not taking place.
• The Placement Co-ordinator/Head of School Partnership may involve the University Disability Advisor where there are major issues with adjustments.
• For students on professional courses, such as teaching and Social Work, you are required to take responsibility for informing the appropriate authority if there are any personal difficulties that might affect your ability to do your job competently and safely.

 

Disabled Student Allowance

The Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) can fund a wide range of support for students with disabilities at university. The DSA can also cover extra expenditure and equipment needed to accommodate a student’s disability on work placement. The student should discuss possible needs with the assessor during the Assessment of Need. Further information on the DSA can be obtained from the University Disability and Academic Skills Service on 01243 812076, or online at www.dfes.goc.uk/studentsupport/formsandguides and also at www.studentfinancedirect.co.uk.

 

Further useful contacts

 

University of Chichester, Disability and Academic Skills Team,

tel: 01243 812076. e-mail disabilityacademicskills@chi.ac.uk

Disability Rights Commission. Helpline: 08457 622 633. www.drc.org.uk

Skill:the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities. Helpline:0800 3285050. www.skill.org.uk. E-mail info@skill.org.uk. (Currently based with Disability Alliance

The British Dyslexia Association. Helpline: 0118 9668271. www.bdaweb.co.uk.

The Dyslexic Teachers Association for teachers who are dyslexic. Contact through: http://thedta.tripod.com/

Stephen C. O’Melia,

Disability and Academic Skills Co-ordinator

August 2011