Disability

Although universities and colleges have become increasingly aware of the needs of disabled students and the support they need, disabled people are currently one of the groups who are under-represented in higher education.  The ‘Disability’* strand works with local education providers, advisers and disability networks to raise the aspirations in relation to higher education of disabled people.

Membership of the Disability Strand includes disability advisers from all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Further Education Colleges (FECs) in the region.

Activities include:

• Providing information resources and events aimed at encouraging and supporting disabled learners in school, college, or workplace learning to aspire to enter HE
• Drawing up a good practice checklist for the Partnership to ensure that considerations of equality and diversity inform all our activities.   Ensuring Inclusion: Good Practice Guidelines
• Sharing and disseminating good practice
• Visits for schools or colleges students to HEIs and FECs which include demonstrations of Assistive Technology and advice on funding for support including Disabled Students' Allowance (DSAs)
• Visits by Aimhigher Student Ambassadors to schools/colleges to provide aspiration raising activities and advices regarding support and applying for funding (DSA) 
• Promoting or developing resources aimed at improvement in the assessment of disabled student needs for HE in schools and FE.

Please note:
*In Higher Education the term 'disability' includes some impairments or difficulties that schools and colleges may not currently understand as a disability e.g. dyslexia or other learning difference, dyspraxia, Asperger's Syndrome, mental health issues, as well as physical and sensory impairments

The strand is lead by Bath University.

Contact: Iryna Withington at Bath University

Tel: 01225 386803

Email: I.Withington@bath.ac.uk