Friday January 11 2008
Q - I have a specific learning difficulty. Have I anything to lose if I disclose this information in my CAO application?
A - You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain, by doing so. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are anxious to make appropriate provision for applicants who have difficulties with a medical or physical condition, or a specific learning disability. Higher education institutions have a legal obligation to support students who fall into the category 'disabled'.
If an applicant has a difficulty which he or she believes should be brought to the attention of a HEI, they should tick the appropriate box provided on the application form. Applicants are not obliged to disclose such details, but CAO encourages them to do so. Students who tick the box will be required to complete a supplementary CAO
application form, which CAO will forward to the higher education institutes to which the student is applying.
CAO's supplementary information form may be viewed or downloaded from its website. It lists the types of difficulty that an applicant may have, and the evidence that will be required to support their application. Conditions may range from sight or audio problems to physical or movement impaired disability, a medical or mental health condition, conditions such as dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties, ADD, ADHD, Asperger's Syndrome, head or traumatic brain injury, or other disabilities. The website also includes guidelines for diagnostic assessment of a specific learning difficulty.
Q - Do colleges differ in the special consideration they give to applicants with special difficulties?
A - Some colleges may concentrate on providing practical assistance to applicants when they reach college, depending on their need; in the form of assistive learning technologies, for example, or a personal assistant, or wheelchair access or accommodation, depending on the specific conditions.
About a dozen colleges operate a supplementary admissions procedure, and may give additional special consideration in the selection process to students with a specific learning difficulty, for example, exemptions from specific subject requirements, or an allowance on points.
CAO lists the following colleges in this category: Athlone IT, UCC, Cork IT, Dublin City University, UCD, DIT, NUI Galway, University of Limerick, NUI Maynooth, National College of Ireland, Mater Dei and Trinity.
There is no uniform selection process for special case applicants. One university may give a language exemption on the basis of an applicant's dyslexia, for example, whereas another university may deem it not serious enough.
Applicants with specific learning difficulties should discuss their application with each college, and check the progress of their request for an exemption. All colleges have access officers who will guide applicants with special difficulties through what help the college can give. So, even if you complete the CAO Supplementary Application form for students with a disability, you should contact the college/s of your choice to discuss how they are likely to view your application.
AHEAD, the Association for Higher Education Access and Disability, works with higher education institutions, and statutory and non-statutory bodies, to promote the rights of people with disabilities to access in third level education and employment. AHEAD can be contacted at 01-7164396.
Meanwhile, as the month of January progresses, intending CAO applicants should submit their CAO application online, if they have not already done so. Last year, thousands of applicants waited until the last two days of January to make their online application. As a result, they had anxious times waiting to get through. CAO is determined to avoid such a situation again. Online applicants are entitled to a €10 discount (€35 instead of the normal fee of €45) if they apply before January 20.
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