CommittmentCanterbury Christ Church University College is committed to enabling disabled students to participate as fully as possible in all aspects of the College's academic and social programmes.By "disabled" we mean any person who has a physical or mental impairment or medical condition that may affect their ability to study. This definition includes impairments that may not be visible such as dyslexia or depression and those of a temporary nature such as injuries caused by accidents. The terms "disabled students" and "students with disabilities" are used interchangeably throughout. By "student" we mean all those who participate as learners in the College's programmes.
About the CollegeThe main College Campus lies very near to the centre of Canterbury, on a site intimately linked with the history of the city. Whilst this means that we study and live in very attractive and interesting surroundings it also brings with it some real problems in terms of access for physically disabled people. The most recent buildings have been constructed so that they are accessible, however some of the older buildings have not been adapted to bring them up to modern standards of accessibility. Some disabled people may find difficulty in moving easily from one part of the campus to another due to the changes in level and mixture of old and new buildings. As the College has grown other buildings in Canterbury have been acquired and renovated for College use, however they are mainly in the old part of the city and have similar problems of access as the main campus.The College will be opening a new Campus in Thanet in September 2000. This is a new building and will be accessible to disabled people. The Salomons Centre near Tunbridge Wells, which is primarily for post-graduate qualifications in the health and social care sectors, dates from the nineteenth century and is a listed building. As such there are some problems of access which the College is working to resolve as funding becomes available. Within the various buildings, care is taken to ensure that facilities and equipment are as accessible as possible to disabled students. Details of some of the adaptations, such as the availability of accessible toilet facilities for students with mobility difficulties, the inclusion of induction loops in recently built lecture theatres etc., are given below under the sections providing more specific information for students with particular disabilities.
Support for Disabled StudentsCollege Student Support Services provide a range of services for disabled students, including the provision of advice and practical support by the Disability Adviser and the Student Study Support Unit (SSSU). A Campus Tutor will be based at the new Thanet site, who will work closely with both the Disability Adviser and the SSSU to make their support available to students studying in Thanet. All of the support and facilities detailed below are open to all students of Canterbury Christ Church University College to use, no matter where they are studying or what programme they are following. Staff from Student Support Services at the Canterbury campus will be working with their colleagues at the Thanet Campus and at the Salomons Centre to ensure that students and staff are aware of the support offered and that they are able to use it.The Disability Adviser assists potential and existing disabled students to assess what they need in order to take a full part in the academic and social life of the College and to obtain the appropriate support. The help we can offer ranges from providing note-takers to sorting out problems with car parking for students with Orange/Blue Badges.
Location:In providing support for students, the Disability Adviser does not work in isolation. As well as accessing useful external sources of advice and support, the Disability Adviser is able to draw on a wealth of in-house expertise. Included amongst the range of programmes offered by the College are those which are specifically designed to develop skills and understanding for supporting people with disabilities. These include programmes such as the BSc in Occupational Therapy, programmes in Special Educational Needs, accreditation of programmes for the Royal London Society for the Blind, and Sign Language courses. The College is able to draw on this in-house expertise in its commitment to supporting students with disabilities. The Student Study Support Unit helps and advises students with specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia, as well as students with language difficulties who need additional help to participate fully in lectures, seminars or classes and to produce work of a suitable standard. The staff in the Student Study Support Unit and the Disability Adviser work closely together to make sure that all disabled students receive the best support and advice appropriate to their needs.
AdmissionsWe give special consideration to applications from disabled people. In terms of academic qualifications and suitability, such applications are considered on an equal basis with all other applications received. However, we also consider how the College can meet the specific needs of disabled applicants. We want applicants with disabilities to be thoroughly aware of how well the College can provide for their needs, so you are recommended to visit the College if you can before making an application or accepting a place. If you visit on a College Open Day, the Admissions Department will try to arrange for you to meet with staff who may be involved with either teaching or supporting you during your course of study. It would also be helpful if you could let us know what is your preferred format of communication (large print, sign language interpreter etc) when you contact us to arrange the visit.We will be open and honest about any problem areas we envisage concerning resources, facilities and practicalities of the course you wish to follow. We will also do our best to help you through the application process. If you gain a place and accept it, the Admissions Officer (or other staff responsible for arrangements for admission to other specific programmes throughout the College) will maintain contact with you until you register formally at the College. Once you have registered, responsibility then passes to Student Support Services and the academic departments concerned.
Information for Dyslexic Students and those with Specific Learning DifficultiesThe Student Study Support Unit (SSSU) provides academic support to all students at the College, whatever their level of study ( from Diploma to MPhil/PhD). The support is offered on a confidential, non-judgemental basis and is independent of the various teaching departments of the College. We can offer regular help with your academic studies and we run a full programme of study skills workshops. Together with the Disability Adviser, the SSSU will assist you to obtain specialist advice from both within and outside the College on your particular disability and the support that may be available to you, such as IT equipment, note-takers and special arrangements for examinations.
Information for Visually Impaired and Blind StudentsInformation about the College and the courses it offers are available on request in Braille, large print, on tape or on disk. Academic departments will discuss the best way to supply you with course materials and other information that you may require at the initial interview. The Disability Adviser together with the SSSU will assist you to obtain the specialist equipment and support identified in your learning assessment. We can also help you with the provision of other non-academic support such as orientation training. Guide Dogs are welcomed into College buildings and grounds during the time they are working with you. A relief area is provided for Guide Dogs at the Canterbury campus.
Information for Deaf and Hearing Impaired StudentsThe College will arrange for communication support for hearing impaired people for interviews and open days provided you give sufficient notice of what you need. Once you are a registered student at the College, the Disability Adviser and SSSU will assist you to obtain the support identified in your learning assessment. We will also try to ensure that the lecture rooms which have been fitted with induction loops are available when you need them, that staff are made aware of the communication devices that you use and of any difficulties you may have with language.
Information for Physically Disabled StudentsWe have been working hard to bring the College buildings up to an acceptable standard of access for physically disabled people, within the constraints of our budget and the layout of the campus. Lifts and ramps have been installed and accessible toilets are available in most of the College buildings. When you visit the campus for the first time we will be on hand to discuss your particular mobility needs and practical solutions. We will try to ensure that accessible lecture and class rooms are available for you and that academic staff are aware of your needs. The Disability Adviser will assist you to obtain specific equipment and support for your learning needs, as well as helping with domestic issues such as car parking.
Information for Students with Mental Health ProblemsMany people experience mental health problems during their life and you may find that you do too at some point during your time at the College. You may have experienced this before coming to College and may feel worried about coping with the additional stress of examinations, a heavy work load or leaving home for the first time. It is important that you come to the Disability Adviser or speak to your tutor if you feel that your mental health is affecting your academic progress or your participation in College life. We can arrange for you to see a member of the College's medical staff or one of the counsellors from the student Counselling Service. We can also liaise on your behalf with academic staff and the examinations office to make sure that your mental health problem is recognised and that you are treated fairly, within the bounds of agreed confidentiality procedures.
Accommodation, Medical Care and Personal Care SupportThe College's Accommodation Office makes every effort to meet the individual needs of disabled students. Residential accommodation is a mixture of catered and self-catering and there are adapted rooms available in both types. You should make an appointment to view the accommodation before your acceptance of a place to make sure that we have a room that is suitable for you. The adapted accommodation is in ground floor rooms, which have computer, telephone and emergency alarm connections. If you need to have a carer in a room near or next to you, you should inform the Accommodation Office of this as soon as possible so that it can be arranged and financial arrangements explored.If you are aware that you have a particular medical condition you may find it helpful to talk about Medical Care with the staff at the College's Medical Centre on the Canterbury campus.. Most full-time students coming to the College register with the College Doctor, although this is not obligatory. There are both male and female practitioners offering a full range of medical services during every weekday throughout each term and where possible during the vacations. If you require Personal Care because of your disability, the Disability Adviser will help you to arrange this and will liaise with other College personnel who need to be aware of your personal care needs. You are responsible for funding personal care and should talk to the Disability Adviser as soon as possible if you become aware of any problems with this funding. If you become disabled during your time at the College we will advise you about your rights to assistance from your Local Authority and from the state benefits system.
Arrangements for Studying, Examinations and AssessmentTo enable new students to settle into College, there is an induction programme for all students. The arrangements for induction take account of the needs of disabled students, including arranging for an orientation visit if required and ensuring that there are accessible arrangements for registration. You will be given a Student Handbook describing all the services of the College as part of your induction. The Disability Adviser will arrange for the Handbook to be available, on request, in your preferred format (e.g. large print, Braille etc).The Disability Adviser and the SSSU will discuss with you how best to support your learning with the provision of specialist equipment or a particular type of support. If you have not already done so, we can advise you about obtaining a professional assessment of your learning needs. The Disability Adviser will talk to the academic staff about using items of equipment such as radio microphones or how to convert materials into Braille so that you experience the minimum amount of difficulty when using the equipment whilst studying. The College's Library aims to support all students, including those who are disabled or who have additional needs, to make good use of the Library services and resources. We offer a personal tour of the Library so that potential problems of access can be identified and solutions discussed. This may mean that we arrange with individual students to locate and retrieve items from the shelves should they not be accessible to you. There is a low level computer catalogue in the Library foyer, there are lifts to the different floors, photocopiers can be set to enlarge printed material, there is a scanner in the Open Access Area, and there is an accessible toilet within the Library. The Library also offers Remote Access to the library catalogue and to some databases from home. The College's Audio-Visual service also offers support to disabled students. There is a stock of audio cassette recorders and transcribing machines that can be borrowed and advice can be given on other types of equipment and recording material. IT facilities offering support to disabled students are located in the Library Open Access Area and also in the Student Study Support Unit. You can book a PC, CD-Rom workstation or a scanner in the Open Access Area, whilst the SSSU can provide a PC with a text-reader, an essay organiser and a typing tutorial. The College's IT Department is also happy to advise and assist where disabled students need particular computer programmes or packages installed to assist them with their academic study. The Resources Office is responsible for room allocation and will work with the academic departments to make sure that disabled students are able to attend and participate in all of their lectures and classes. Occasionally it may be impossible for you to see academic or administrative staff in their own office if it happens to be on one of the inaccessible floors in one of the older buildings. If this is the case staff will make alternative arrangements to see you in an accessible room. It is important that you make the College aware of your disability and apply for special arrangements for examinations and assessment in good time. Provided that your application is supported by evidence such as a medical certificate in the case of physical or sensory disabilities, or a report from a chartered educational psychologist in the case of specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, the appropriate arrangements will be put in place. These arrangements will vary according to your needs, but typical examples are providing a tape recorder for later transcription, giving special consideration for grammar and spelling, or allowing additional time for the completion of assessed work. The College has a set up procedures to ensure that these arrangements apply for coursework assessed assignments as well as examinations.
Sporting and Leisure FacilitiesThe St. George's Fitness Centre, situated about a quarter of a mile away from the main College campus, houses a fully equipped Gym exclusively for the use of students and staff. Sadly it is not accessible to wheelchair users or to those with severe mobility difficulties due to its location. However the staff are very keen to assist those disabled students who are able to use the Centre to make the best use of the excellent facilities. The Disability Adviser has details of other sporting venues in the area which are accessible to wheelchair users.The Students' Union and the Sports and Recreation Officer organise many sporting activities and the sports teams welcome new members with any level of sporting ability. At the moment the SU minibuses are not suitable for wheelchair users, but the Disability Adviser is able to provide information on other local accessible transport. The Students' Union 'home service' provides some transport to your home after evening social events. The Students' Union also organises many clubs and societies, has its own Television and Radio Stations and runs a packed programme of events. The Students' Union has level access into the ground floor where most events take place, and has an accessible toilet in the building. An external ramp leads to the upper floor to give access to the Students' Union offices. The Disability Adviser will be able to supply details of leisure facilities outside of the College in Canterbury, Thanet and the surrounding area. There is an Access Guide to Canterbury giving details of shops, pubs, restaurants and other premises in the city you may like to use in addition to those available on campus. Other services for students:
CounsellingThe College's Counselling Service is accessible for disabled people and forms part of the Student Support Services available in the Erasmus building on the Canterbury campus. The Counsellors offer confidential on-campus counselling support for all students in need of advice and personal help. There is an external referral system for those who require further specialist advice including referral to agencies specialising in counselling disabled people. Counselling arrangements for students at the Thanet site will be provided via the Campus Tutor.
Careers AdviceThe College's Careers Advisory Service is accessible to disabled people and is situated on the ground floor of the Erasmus building. The staff have produced a leaflet on Careers Resources for Students with Disabilities which lists relevant materials available on loan or as a reference for students. The Careers Advisory Service maintains close links with local recruitment services for disabled people, publicises the CANDO web site and has audiotape versions of some relevant careers materials. The service is also very successful in finding suitable work experience placements for disabled students.
The ChapelThe Chapel is accessible to wheelchair users through the adjoining Quiet Room. The Dean of Chapel's office is accessible to disabled people and is situated on the ground floor of the Erasmus building. Confidential counselling and spiritual support are offered for all students, whatever their personal beliefs. The Chaplaincy is in regular personal contact with people in the local churches who work for and with people with disabilities, including hearing and visual impairment, and it maintains information resources on church agencies dealing with disability issues. Through its network of persons interested in service, the Chaplaincy aims to link up students with disabilities with other students as campus guides and assistants.
College BookshopThe Bookshop is situated in the Library building on the ground floor, however due to the layout physically disabled students may need to seek assistance from the bookshop staff when making purchases.
Student Welfare and Financial SupportAs a disabled student your first port of call for any questions you may have concerning money or your welfare generally should be the Disability Adviser. The Adviser will advise and assist you to find the most appropriate solution.Disabled students on designated programmes, including part-time students studying for the equivalent of at least 50% of a full-time course. (from September 2000), are entitled to apply for Disabled Students Allowance, This allowance covers additional expenses that you will incur as a result of your study, such as using a note-taker or purchasing a lap-top computer. The allowance does not cover expenses you would incur due to your disability if you were not a student, such as personal care or laundry expenses. There are special arrangements in place for disabled students regarding student loans and grants, such as the repayment rules and the amount allowed for transport. The Disability Adviser will be able to give you further details on these arrangements as required. The Adviser will also be able to tell you about the state benefits that disabled students are entitled to apply for and about other sources of funding for students facing financial hardship. In May 2000 the Government announced the extension of Disabled Student Allowances for part-time and full-time post-graduates of up to £5000 per annum. At present, students following the PGCE are entitled to claim Disabled Students Allowance. Those receiving government funding through a research council or a major discretionary award from their LEA may also be able to claim but you should get up to date information on this directly from the appropriate funding body.
Monitoring of quality, complaints and disciplinary proceduresThe College is committed to improving the quality of provision for disabled students. The Disability Adviser will set up focus groups for disabled students to attend in order to give their views of current provision and to give suggestions for improvements.Individual students progress is monitored by their academic tutors and the Disability Adviser will advise on how the monitoring of the quality of the specialist equipment and support should be brought into the discussions. If the student takes out an official complaint against the College, their disability will be taken into account in terms of producing documentation or accessibility of meetings. Similarly if the student is disciplined by the College, appropriate arrangements will be made for them to receive fair treatment. The College's Student Procedures booklet which details procedures for all students concerning appeals, complaints and the code of student discipline is available on request from the Disability Adviser in alternative formats. Student satisfaction with College services is monitored through a triennial student satisfaction survey. Every effort will be made to include students with disabilities in the representative sample and to produce the questionnaire in alternative formats as required.
Plans for the futureWe have plans to improve the quality and quantity of the support we offered to disabled students. At present these include:
Further InformationIf you require any further information about the College not contained in this document please contact the Disability Adviser. There are other sources of information about Higher Education for disabled people and a few of them are listed below:Skill: National Bureau for Students with DisabilitiesPlease note Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that this information is as accurate as possible, the College reserves the right to discontinue any class or programme or to alter programmes or to amend any further information, including that contained in this document, without notice. The College undertakes to take all reasonable steps to provide educational services in the manner set out in the prospectus and in this supplementary information. It does not however guarantee the provision of such services. Should industrial action or circumstances beyond the control of the College interfere with its ability to provide educational services, the College undertakes to use all reasonable steps to minimise the resultant disruption to those services.
The Disability Adviser |