How to support students with disability could enhance inclusion at University and student’s future

independent livingDisability Awareness – New Challanges for Education

Krakow 23 October 2009Elisa Di Luca

Disability Support Service, University of Padova, Italy

www.unipd.it/disabilita serv.disabilita@unipd.it

University of Padova

Established in 1222, is one of the oldest University in the world

65.000 students

13 Faculties and 65 Departments

104 three-year Degree Courses

79 Higher Degree Courses

7 one cycle higher degree courses in healthcare and education

Employs

2358 Teaching Staff

2279 Administrative Staff

Disability and UniversityWho supports students with disabilities at UP

• Rector’s Delegate for Disability

• Disability Commission (named by the Rector): Rector’s Delegate, Teaching staff,

Head of the Regional Body for Supporting the Right to Higher Education , 2

students representative of student union, 1 representative of students with

disability

• Faculty Referees: 13 teachers supporting the Disability Support Office mainly for

admission counselling and study support service

• Disability Support Service: 4 full-time staff, 1 Librarian, 2 drivers, 2 Sign

Language Interpreters

Statistics on students with disabilities in Italian Universities

(CNUDD and University of Padova)

• How many– 0.5-1% of Universities population (8500 to 17.000)

• 60% self-declared / 40% not declared

• ImpairmentsCNUDD (0.38%) Padova (0.7%)– Mobility I. 34% 44%– Sensorial I. 17% 20%

• Visual (10%) (10%)

• Hearing (7%) (10%)

– Other 49% 36%

• Recently identified disabilities:

– Behavioural disorders– Processing disabilities (Dyslexia – Head injury)

CNUDDNational Conference of the Delegates (of Rectors) for

Disabilities

Guidelines (based on Law 17/99)

Accessibility of the Universities (architectural barriers)

•Counselling

•Peer Tutoring and study support

•International Mobility

•Stage and Job Placement

•Role of the Delegate

•Information Technologies

•Disability Support Services

http://www.cnudd.it

Dis

ab

ility

< 3

3 %

Dis

ab

ility

33

-65

%

Dis

ab

ility

66

-99

%

Dis

ab

ility

10

0 %

To

t

%

Mobility 7 44 57 92 200 39,6%

Other 4 37 72 56 169 33,5%

Visual 2 13 13 19 47 9,3%

Hearing 0 10 19 16 45 8,9%

Multiple 0 9 16 2 27 5,3%

Tot 13 104 161 183 488 Dislexia 17 505 17 3,4%

% 3% 21% 33% 38%

Students with disability 2008/2009

Supports of DSO of UPBasic:• Exemption and reduction of University fee• Accessible accommodation (2 domotic apartments)• Architectural Barriers

Specific:• Counselling and choice• Assistance and Transport services• Support to students with hearing impairment: sign language

interpreters, transcription service and FM technologies• Study support• Assistive Technologies• Library service• International Mobility• Stage and Job placement

Assistance and Transport Service

Transport Service

- Mainly for students with a mobility impairment (8 am to 18 pm)

- 3 adapted van driven by

2 drivers and volunteers

Assistance

- Mainly for students with mobility and visual impairment

- Students can reach all Department and Faculties that are spread all around the city, administrative and student’s office, Libraries and University Canteen

Supports for students with Hearing Impairment

Sign Language Interpreters

Students can have a Sign Language Interpreter during classes and for all accademic activities

Transcription service with stenotype

Transcription of teacher’s speech during classes. Students can read subtitles during the lesson and at the end can have a word file saved on a pen drive.

FM Technologies provided by the Disability Support Office to use during classes

Study supportTo help students to learn a new study method more specific for University studies (students with disability in Italian High Schools have very often a “supporting” teacher to help them during classes)

This is a peer support and senior students are specifically selected and before strating their activity they have to attend 20 hours course

International Mobility Programs• Organization of an annual meeting

on international mobility programs available at the University of Padova (Erasmus, Leonardo, bilateral agreements etc)

• Support in filling in forms (application, accommodation, request of special funds etc.)

• Organization of their stay (assistance, special transport service, nursing service, assistive technologies) in collaboration with the hosting University

Erasmus students with severe disabilities

12

35

11

21

2

1

11

11

11

21

1

3

0 2 4 6 8

1999/002001/022002/032003/042004/052005/062006/072007/082008/09

Mobility I Visually I

Library of the DSS

• support in bibliographical research inside and outside University Libraries

• Transform, with the help of volunteers, printed books into digital books and Braille

•Update our on-line digital library where students with disabilities (print disabled) can download the books they need to study

At the Disability Support Office there is a Digital Library with a specialized librarian to help students with:

Assistive Technologies

• At the Disability Support Service there are: a computer room equipped with assistive technologies, a Multimedia room and a room where they can study

• Students can have: - laptops for classes and examinations

- assistive technologies for the whole accademic year- computer with hardware and software for blind and with low vision students in all University Libraries and language laboratories- interactive blackboards in some Departments

Wheelchair Basket Team

• This is a project connected with students with disabilities’ participation to sport activities and in general to broaden the knowledge of paralympics.

Case studyStudent with 100% mobility impairment while in the 4th

year of Odontoiatry (5 years)

Problems:

to guarantee frequency at courses while in the hospital

to guarantee that the student could continue the same degree without loosing the professionality acquired

to guarantee frequency of compulsory technical laboratories in the Odontoiatric Clinic

Case study

Solutions and support:

- Sensibilization of teaching staff and classmates

- Notes delivered in the Hospital with all the didactical material

- Evaluation of special needs and decision to try the use of a special electrical wheelchair only for technical laboratories

Case study

Foto di proprietà del dott. F.Pedretti

Foto di proprietà del dott. F.Pedretti

DIMENSION

A B C D E F G H I L

65 73 83 56 19,5 47 45,5 42,5 42,5 58

Case StudyResults

Disability Support Service bought the wheelchair with some adaptations for student’s specif needs

Student could continue the career even though with some limitations

Teaching staff at first suggesting a Faculty change helped the student organizing a placement in a public hospital

Case studyDescription

• 44 years old student with a severe mobility impairment (spastic tetraparesys)

• Living with his mother

• Financial support from National Health Service (not properly used)

• University career started in the past but never completed (lack of support services)

• No autonomy in writing and eating

• Dysarthrias

Case studySupport

• First meeting (student, teaching and disability staff): assessment of needs and organization of support

• Meeting with Local Social Service (family situation and given support)

Case study: support

• Personal care support (LSS and Professional organization)

• Study support (DSO), note-takers and tutors

• Transport (local taxi service and LSS)

• Accompanying (DSO), volunteers of National Civil Service and

German objectors

• Books in electronic format (DSO throught Editors or specialized

centers for blinds)

• Exams adapted to students needs (DSO and teaching staff)

Case studyResults

• Positive accademic results

• More self confident

• Increased IT abilities

• Ability to understand needs and limits of his disability

• Desire of autonomy and independence

Rethinking of goals

Universities should:

• Increase contacts with Local Social and Health Service to improve the support to all the students

• Adapt teaching and assessment methods:- extended time- assessment organized in small parts of the course program- increse activities to stimulate cognitive functions

University Family

SocialService

Student

Social Community

Rethinking of goalsDisability Support Service should:• train tutor and volunteers on support to adult with disabilities

too

• organize training on assistive technologies

• get in contact with Social and Health Service to cooperate in the support program and, eventually, to provide personal care

• provide updated information on how to obtain support and facilities (e.g. assistive technologies) from the Health Service and help students going throught administrative procedures

ConclusionUniversities have an important role in the social inclusion of people with disabilities and particularly for adults and foreigner.

This role has been increasing with the growing number of adult students.

While for youngsters is important to get a future employment, for adults, in our experience, plays an important role to remove or to contrast the lack of autonomy, the social exclusion and the tediousness of life usually supported by the National Pension Scheme.