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This is a statement of the services provided by the University of East London to support applicants and students with disability.
This Statement relates only to facilities at UEL; Colleges working collaboratively with the university will publish their own Statements.
Copies of this statement are available in disc, tape, large print and Braille formats on request.
For ease of reading on the web, the Statement has been broken down into sections, as follows. To read any section, click on its name. At the end of each section you can either carry on reading or click on a link to return you to the contents list or to exit to the Disability Support home page.
The University welcomes applications from students with disabilities and dyslexia and has been actively working to improve access and support since 1990. If you have a disability, a special need or dyslexia this Statement is intended to help you decide if we offer the support you need to study here successfully.
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Current Policy and Provision
Introduction
Equal Opportunities
Our general policy on access is defined by the University Mission Statement, which commits the University to promote equality of opportunity in all its activities and by the Equal Opportunities Policy Statement. The Equal Opportunities Advisory Group and the Disability Advisory Group make recommendations for monitoring and improving provision within the University. Our Student Charter identifies the basic support and advice a student with a disability may expect. It states:
We aim to ensure that disability of whatever nature is not a reason for applicants to be refused a place or to find it impossible to study successfully at the University".
The Equal Opportunities Policy Statement requires all staff and students to take responsibility for promoting equality of opportunity in their own area of work. In addition, the University employs specialists in a number of areas, such as dyslexia support, disability, study skills, language support, and academic guidance for black students. The University recognises that there is a spectrum of need, which varies according to person, disability, context, and individual circumstances. It also recognises that a positive environment for students with disabilities, dyslexia and special needs requires both an integrated approach involving all University staff and services, as well as specialist staff and services.
The University is a multi-cultural and multi-racial community.
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If you are thinking of applying to the University but wish to know more about us, or if you have already decided to apply, we invite you to identify any special need/disability on your form and then to contact the Administrator for Students with Special Needs to discuss your needs and our ability to meet them. You may wish to make an informal visit to the site to meet with tutors: we can arrange a visit if you wish. You also may find it helpful to contact staff in our Centre for Access, Advice and Continuing Education (CAACE) or the Schools and Colleges Liaison Officer, Patrick Sorrell.
The Co-ordinators for Students with Disabilties/Dyslexia will also advise you on preparing for University study. If your disability/dyslexia is likely to affect your performance during the entrance procedure itself (for example, if your subject area sets written tests) you should speak to the Disability Administrator about any help which may be available. We are committed to treating all applicants on an equal footing.
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The Co-ordinators will discuss with you everything you need to enable you to study effectively at the University. To begin with, we offer you an assessment of your study support needs in higher education. This process identifies the approaches, resources and equipment that will help you in the classroom and in other learning environments. Teaching staff are then encouraged to provide support where this is possible: for example, by offering students copies of lecture notes and OHP slides, or study materials in enlarged print. Departments are asked to make allowances in their budget for the costs of enabling access to learning for all students.
We also:
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After discussion with the Co-ordinators, you may request changes to the course assessment process, including examinations, to meet your special needs. The Co-ordinators will make recomendations to subject tutors about your requirements. Once changes have been agreed, failure to implement them may be the basis of an appeal. Early notification of your needs is essential if we are to take them into account in examination processes.
On graduation, all students are invited to a graduation ceremony held at the Barbican Centre in central London.
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Equipment to enable access to the learning resources of the University has been acquired over recent years.
A "talking computer" laboratory (with headphones and optical scanner) offers a quiet space for students who are dyslexic or who have difficulties with attention or high distractibility. Texthelp! (software designed for dyslexic students) is available on any networked PC which has a soundcard.
PCs with large screens are available at some points of the Learning Resource Centres and the IT laboratories. There are also Reading Edge and Arkenstone text scanners, a Braille printer, CCTV, screen enlarging and screen reading software such as Lunar, Hal and Texthelp, Dragon Dictate (voice to speech software) and CD Rom.
A trained IT support tutor can offer an introduction to these facilities.
Applicants purchasing specialist equipment should contact the University and subject tutors to make sure it is compatible with the University equipment and software.
The University has a small number of tape-recorders, word processors, personal computers, portable spell-checkers, radio microphones, "back friends", CCTVs and other items which students may borrow.
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If you need personal support we can help with the recruitment, management and payment of support staff such as notetakers, library assistants, scribes, individualised learning support and readers. Usually the contract of employment will be between you and the support worker. In exceptional circumstance where this is difficult for various reasons, and where you request it, the University will arrange to employ and manage the support. This arrangement is subject always to confirmation by the LEA or the student that funds are available to meet the full cost.
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The University offers dyslexia workshops, dyslexia-drop-ins and some specialist one-to-one support for study skills. More extensive one-to-one individual support for study skills and IT support can be arranged for students whose LEAs agree to finance this through the disabled students allowance.
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Access to the University sites varies. A detailed access audit was undertaken in 1992. A copy of the report is held by Mr E Wood (Head of Estate Services). The Handbook for Students with Disabilities includes a summary of access limitations at each main site and further details may be obtained on request from Estate Services and by a visit to the site arranged with the Disability Co-ordinator. Estate Services are committed to ensure that all site refurbishments conform to current building standards and if possible to improve upon the minimum requirements for good physical access. A new Docklands Campus is currently in the planning stage and is designed to include all the latest requirements for good access for those with physical and sensory impairments.
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A number of purpose built study bedrooms are available on the Barking campus and priority is given in allocating these to students with disabilities. You should make early contact with the Residential Services Department if you wish to apply for one of these study bedrooms. If you so need you may request keys to all key operated lifts, a barrier card to allow parking in the staff car park and access to designated parking bays. Where a service is located at an inaccessible site it is policy to offer to meet you at an accessible venue if you wish.
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We collect student views on the service each year through a student questionnaire distributed to all students who have indicated a disability or who have been in contact with the service. We also conduct selected interviews with students.
At University level, the quality assurance system monitors the extent to which equality of opportunity is being achieved for all UEL students.
All service providers work to agreed service standards which are monitored annually.
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The University aims to:
All new staff are informed about the University policy and provision and information is distributed regularly during the year. Specific staff development sessions have been provided to staff across all departments on many different aspects of disability, such as awareness training for Admissions Tutors. A general staff development programme, which includes aspects of disability, is offered across the University.
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We will help you in seeking funding from the disabled student allowances operated by your Local Education Authority. The University does additionally have a small bank of loan items of equipment that may be suitable and useful for you to borrow if you cannot buy your own.
You may also make an application to the University Access Funds if you are a full-time home based student.
There is otherwise no budget within the University to meet the costs of special support. This means that the provision of such support cannot be guaranteed, although we will do all that we can to help you find it.
Part-time students, overseas students, and those not eligible for maintenance awards are not eligible for the disabled students allowance or Access Funds. Some University services are provided only if the cost can be met by the student, the LEA or other sources. Other services such as an evaluation of needs, dyslexia workshops, and some one-to-one support are available to students without cost. The cost attached to any particular service will be made clear to you on request.
The Co-ordinators will endeavour to advise on alternative sources of support if you are not eligible for the disabled students allowances.
If you are assessed as needing specialised individual study support, or any form of personal support such as a notetaker, scribe or personal assistant, we will help to find suitable persons to fulfil these roles. A charge may be made for the assessment of your study support needs, for the written report of this assessment and our recommendations for your study support needs in higher education, and for the support provided for you. These charges will normally be made to the LEA against the disabled student allowances.
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The University has a general counselling and welfare service open to all students. The service is not located in wholly accessible buildings but you may ask staff for an appointment at a suitable venue. They will also try to provide an interpreter and other appropriate communication aids if that is appropriate and necessary to enable you to use the service.
The university offers guidance on careers, accomodation and welfare matters. The medical service has a doctor and nurse on each main campus on a regular weekly basis. There is a campus chaplain and prayer rooms are also available. The Barking campus offers sports facilities which are mainly accessible and include a gym and swimming pool.
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The Royal National Institute for the Blind Physiotherapy Support Service is based at the Stratford Campus. This is a national service for all visually impaired students on physiotherapy degree courses. It offers a comprehensive support service for all these students which includes a state-of-the-art technology centre, technician support for producing equipment and teaching/learning aids and materials, and a tutor to work within UEL classroom settings. The centre is able to offer support to other UEL students with visual impairment if it has spare capacity after meeting the needs of all physiotherapy students and subject to charges for its services. Staff to contact about this are Jane Hutchinson, the Centre Manager and Karen Atkinson the support tutor/co-ordinator tel no: 0181 590 7000 ext 4950.
We have close links with Skill, the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities, at local and national level; we work closely with Skill to improve facilities and policies for students. Skill offers an advice and information service to all students and staff working with them in further and higher education.
Redbridge Technical College is a useful source of support staff for UEL students with hearing impairments. Barking and Dagenham Disablement Association provides transport and various kinds of personal support services to students. Newham College and NewVIC have been a valuable source of advice and support staff over recent years. The local job centre and the University careers advertising service has been used to recruit staff to support students.
The University is also a member of the FEALDS network (for adults with dyslexia in Further Education), has links with ADO (the Adult Dyslexia Organisation) and has undertaken dyslexia awareness training for NELAF (an Access course accreditation body) in order to facilitate transition between further and higher education.
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There are approximately one hundred and eighty students with disabilities/dyslexia per year, or over five hundred students at any one time (about half of whom are dyslexic), studying at UEL. The number coming to the University has increased each year.
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Our service is continually under review and we use the comments of staff and students to identify improvements and developments that are needed. The University has just been awarded funding to set up an Access centre at the Stratford campus to assess the needs of students with disabilities and to improve the support offered to them and their tutors. This will be the main focus of our future activity over the next three years.
The University is well known for its progressive policies in providing for students with disabilities and special needs and will seek wherever possible to develops its services
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A range of more detailed information leaflets may be obtained from the enquiries desk at each main campus. These include
Advice and guidance in person, by telephone or e-mail is given on request by the Administrator and Co-ordinators. The University Minicom number is 0181 849 3553.
Written information is also available from the Centre for Access, Advice and Continuing Education and the Schools and Colleges Liaison Unit.
Advice on study support and equipment and software to reduce study difficulties is available from staff in the Department of Educational Development Services. The Learning Resource Centres have named personnel with a particular responsibility for organising support for students with disabilities (including dyslexia) in the libraries.
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Alan Ingle
University Secretary and Registrar
Chair of Equal Opportunities Advisory Group
Barking Campus
Longbridge Road
Dagenham
Essex RM8 2AS
tel: 0181 849 3557/0181 590 7000 ext 2286
e-mail: A.Ingle@uel.ac.uk
fax: 0181 849 3468
David Gosling
Head of Educational Development Services
Vice-Chair of Equal Opportunities Advisory Group
Barking Campus
Longbridge Road
Dagenham
Essex RM8 2AS
tel: 0181 849 3633/0181 590 7000 ext 2185
e-mail: D.Gosling@uel.ac.uk
fax: 0181 849 3637
Ros Gahan
Administrator for Students with Special Needs
Stratford Campus
Romford Road
Stratford
London E15 4LZ
tel: 0181 590 7000 ext 4596/6211
e-mail: R.Gahan@uel.ac.uk
Viv Parker
Co-ordinator for Students with Disabilities
Barking Campus
Longbridge Road
Dagenham
Essex RM8 2AS
tel: 0181 590 7000 ext 2248
e-mail: V.M.Parker@uel.ac.uk
Stella Cottrell
Co-ordinator for Students with Dyslexia
Stratford Campus
Romford Road
Stratford
London E15 4LZ
tel: 0181 590 7000 ext 4593
e-mail: S.M.Cottrell@uel.ac.uk
Educational Development Services Homepage
Edited by
Dave O'Reilly
University of East London
