Third Level Education for Student with Special Needs
There are a growing number of support systems for students with disabilities who are undertaking courses at third level in Ireland.
These support systems include the setting up of the post of Disability Officer in several universities. Where the full time post of Disability Officer does not exist, one staff member may be given responsibility for giving support and advice to students with disabilities. The European Commision have also produced a useful Guide for Students with Disabilities (available in the English language only) that outlines the various student supports that are in existence in universities throughout the European Union.
The organisation AHEAD (Association for Higher Education Access and Disability) is a voluntary organisation that promotes the participation of students with disabilities in third-level education. 
AHEAD has produced a handbook for students with disabilities and learning difficulties that gives a vast amount of information about educational supports for students with disabilities at third level.
The handbook offers advice to students about how to deal with lectures and tutorials and how to use the library.
It gives factual information about admissions procedures, grants, accommodation, student services and disability benefits.
It provides names and addresses of associations that could be of assistance to students, as well as addresses and telephone numbers for state bodies and agencies.
Rules
Application procedures for students with a disability
Students with disabilities apply to third-level institutions using the standard procedures .
Students with disabilities are encouraged to disclose their disability by writing "Medical Condition/Disability" along the bottom of Page 1 of their application form (in the space below the box for the applicant's signature). Students with a disability do not have to make this disclosure. Students who indicate a disability in this way will get a supplementary form in March. The purpose of this procedure is to alert colleges and universities to the particular needs of the student, so that preparations can be made to provide the necessary supports and make appropriate arrangements for the student.
It is also possible that a student with a disability may qualify for non-standard entry if, because of their disability, learning difficulty or health difficulty, they cannot compete equally in the Leaving Certificate examination and, as a result, do not meet the admission criteria.
The arrangements for non-standard entry vary from college to college. A student who wants to be considered for non-standard entry would have to look for direction from the institution where they hope to study. |
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