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Minister Harris approves €5.4 million to help students with disabilities in higher education institutions

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD has today (22 January 2021) approved a number of initiatives aimed at supporting students with disabilities to access and engage with higher education.

The initiatives, which involve 23 higher education institutions (HEI) and €5.4m in expenditure, are broad and are aimed at improving access to higher education for people with a disability, to improving college campuses and to assist staff with training and development.

Among the projects are a number of projects for students with autism including the establishment of autism friendly rooms across nine different campuses, the development of assistive technology including for students with disabilities, an app to help students with visual or hearing impairment navigate their way around campus and specialist assistance for students who are deaf.

Speaking today, Minister Harris said:

"College can be an overwhelming experience but for people with disabilities, it can be extremely daunting.

"These projects will make a transformational difference to people’s lives. For people with autism, there are autism-friendly rooms being established in nine colleges for when things get overwhelming. We are funding projects to make our colleges more accessible.

"We will also fund tactile wayfinding maps, loop systems for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Education is for everyone and people with disabilities need to be supported by their third level institutions.

"Importantly, we will use some of the funding for training staff and hiring new ones to help students with additional needs."

The initiatives will support the overall strategic development of disability services in higher education institutions.

The Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) aims to support students with a range of conditions and disabilities including sensory and physical disabilities, specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism, mental health conditions and significant ongoing illness.

The scope and reach of the FSD has changed significantly over the past twenty years. In 1999, it supported 300 students. By 2018/2019, the fund supported 13,000 students.

Dr Alan Wall, Chief Executive of the HEA, also welcomed the Minister’s announcement:

"For many years now the FSD has been a key enabler in ensuring that students with disabilities can participate in higher education on an equal basis with their peers. It already provides funding that allow HEIs provide essential supports to students. The announcement today not only gives HEIs the opportunity to further develop and enhance these supports but also allows them to focus on the strategic development of disability supports and services. This is critical when we bear in mind the particular impact COVID-19 has had on vulnerable and disadvantaged learners and as we move to the development of next National Access Plan."

ENDS

Notes

These strategic initiatives involve 23 higher education institutions (HEI) and €5.4m in expenditure.

List of approved proposals

Dublin City University

  • Universal Design and Inclusive Teaching practices - Creation of an Online Module (joint proposal with MIC)
  • Universal Design and Technology – Improving Accessibility
  • Universal Design and Physical Accessibility
  • Contribution to sectoral project led by UL

National University of Ireland Galway

  • Embedding UDL
  • Accessible Campus
  • Assistive Technology (including contribution to sectoral project led by UL)
  • Fostering Mental Health and Well-being
  • Supporting Transitions

Trinity College Dublin

  • Sensory Processing Project
  • Inclusive Online Technology Project (including contribution to sectoral project led by UL)
  • Global Safety and Security Solution, for example sensory assistance reporting
  • Physical Access Improvements

University College Cork

  • UDL Project Coordinator
  • Transitions in Canvas Module (virtual learning environment training)
  • UDL Modules
  • UDL Case Study Videos
  • Universal Design Champions
  • Postdoctoral Researcher
  • Accessibility add-on to Canvas
  • Upgrade Access Control to enable independent use by students with disabilities
  • Wayfinding (campus navigation for students with disabilities)
  • Sensory Spaces
  • Wheelchair accessible chemistry lab bench
  • Contribution to sectoral project led by UL
  • Accessibility Guidelines and Checklist for Buildings in UCC

University College Dublin

  • Faculty development programme
  • Programme and module redesign
  • Technology-enhanced learning stage
  • Contribution to sectoral project led by UL

University of Limerick

  • Strategic development of DSS student supports through an occupational therapy (OT) framework
  • Blended Learning Programme on AT, UDL and Accessibility in Higher Education
  • Captioning Outsourcing Project in Education (COPE) – Pilot
  • Exploring Best Practice for Hard of Hearing (HoH) students using technology in HE (joint project with TU Dublin)
  • Promoting Inclusive Mainstream Practice through the provision of Gaeilge and Irish English Text-To-Speech (TTS) resources (sectoral project led by UL and including DCU, NUIG, TCD, UCC, UCD, TU Dublin and MIC)
  • Developing a UL Universal Design Strategy

Maynooth University

  • Expand AT supports and build digital
  • Increase the accessibility of the virtual learning environment
  • Develop a UDL toolkit to guide inclusive teaching and learning practice

Technological University Dublin

  • High-Level Accessibility/Universal Design Audit
  • Wayfinding App
  • Universally Accessible/Inclusive Work and Social Spaces/ Energy/Napping Pods
  • Purchase of new and upgrade of AT
  • Deaf and Hard of Hearing Pilot Programme
  • 'Work in Mind’ Programme
  • TU Dublin Sensory Modulation Project including Project Manager
  • Sensory Project - Sensory App (joint project with TCD)
  • Contribution to sectoral project led by UL)
  • Pilot Hard of Hearing (HoH) Project (joint project with UL)

Athlone Institute of Technology

  • Upgrading and purchasing shared software and computing facilities
  • Learning support and AT training for students
  • Targeted ASD and mental health supports
  • UDL Symposium

TU Munster

  • Provision and mainstreaming of alternative formatting service
  • AT for Munster Technological University (MTU)
  • Developing accessibility and universal design of campuses

Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology

  • Mainstreaming AT supports
  • Mainstreaming student learning supports
  • Staff UDL investment
  • AT hardware

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology

  • Work Package 1: (A) Occupational Therapist Support Worker & (B) Autism-Friendly Sensory Pods
  • Work Package 2: Mental Health and Well-Being Learning Support Coordinators
  • Work Package 3: AT Support Coordinator
  • Work Package 4: Development Coordinator for UDL in GMIT
  • Miscellaneous: Equipment, licences, training

Institute of Technology Carlow

  • Autism Sensory Room
  • Implementing Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG) standards across IT Carlow Learning Management System
  • Mobile technology supports for students with disabilities

Institute of Technology Sligo

  • AT service in collaboration with the current Disability and Learning support services
  • PC/laptop and relevant work materials

Letterkenny Institute of Technology

  • Skills for Study Software Package
  • Training

Limerick Institute of Technology

  • UDL development project
  • Provision of additional highly focussed learning support for students with disabilities
  • Provision of relevant AT to students with the most severe need
  • Provision of expert AT training and support, with a focus on blended learning provision

Waterford Institute of Technology

  • Autism-friendly initiative to develop a sensory room
  • Enhancement of existing learning support services and upgrading of learning support and AT equipment
  • Development of Static Tactile Wayfinding Maps for the Blind/Visually Impaired

Mary Immaculate College

  • UDL Quiet Zone project
  • Partnerships for Digital Education Readiness
  • AT Room
  • Contribution to sectoral project led by UL
  • Universal Design and Inclusive Teaching practices - Creation of an Online Module (joint proposal with DCU)

National College of Art and Design

  • Additional AT support hours
  • AT devices
  • AT software licencing

St Angela’s College

  • Installation of loop system for deaf and hard-of-hearing students
  • Accessibility audit

National College of Ireland

  • Sensory pod
  • ASD Training
  • Creating an autism-friendly environment in the library
  • Silvercloud license fee
  • UDL Audit and specialist

Shannon College

  • OCR Scanner
  • UDL expert
  • Student intern and other costs

Law Society of Ireland

  • Development of an AT loan service to students
  • Development of an access handbook