SPECIAL ADJUSTMENTS IN THE SLOVENIAN HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM

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SPECIAL ADJUSTMENTS IN THE SLOVENIAN HIGHER
EDUCATION SYSTEM

• The Slovenian Association of Disabled Students
• Alenka Bera, Nataša Mauko

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• There is no specific national policy for
  supporting disabled students in higher education.
• There is no definition of disability in the
  Higher education act.
• There is no special funding for supports or
  special arrangements which higher education
  institutions should provide.

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• On the institutional level, each higher education
  institution has its own procedure for granting
  the status of a disabled student.
• The institution lists the documents the student
  needs to provide to prove his/her disability or
  long term illness.
• Status is granted either for one academic year or
  the whole academic course.

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• Adjustments and supports depend greatly on
• how many disabled students study at a specific
  faculty,
• how successful these students are in advocating
  for their rights and
• how understanding the academic and management
  staff are about equal opportunities in higher
  education.

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• Forms of special arrangements
• help in reading exam questions or writing exam
  answers in a special room,
• use of assistive technology,
• breaking up larger exams into smaller units,
• taking the exam on an individually agreed exam
  date,
• longer time to complete the exam,

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• taking a written exam by using a computer or
  other accessible device,
• using the help of a third person to write down
  exam answers,
• using a reader to read out exam questions,
• individually agreed deadlines to submit seminar
  papers, home assignments, reports,
• taking a written exam orally,

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• taking an oral exam in written form,
• alternative forms of exam papers (electronic,
  large or Braille print),
• having a sign language interpreter during the
  exam,
• having breaks during the exam,
• taking certain assignments in pair with a
  non-disabled student,

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• adjustments in practical assignments,
• electronic study materials on-line,
• compulsory reading lists available in advance so
  that students have enough time to arrange
  alternative forms (electronic, audio, large or
  Braille print) of these materials,
• using an audio recorder to record lectures or
  seminars,

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• using a sign language interpreter during
  lectures,
• submitting written works in electronic form,
• doing certain assignments form home (a type of
  distance or e-learning)
• adjusting work placement programmes to the
  abilities and needs of the student.

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• Adjustments in the library
• longer deadlines to return loaned materials,
• possibility to take out materials which are
  available for in-library use, when they need to
  be adapted or the student uses special devices
  for reading which are not available in the
  library,
• help in searching and locating library materials

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• According to certain institutional regulations,
  disabled students also have the right to
• lower attendance at lectures, seminars due to
  medical checkups, hospitalization, treatment or
  rehabilitation,
• progressing to the next academic year if they
  meet at least 50 of the study requirements,
• prolonging the student status for a whole
  academic year, if the disability prevents the
  student to meet all study requirements in the
  current academic year.

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• Recent study showed most academic staff are
  familiar with architectural barriers.
• Partly familiar with difficulties of reading
  print for the visually impaired.
• But are not so much aware about the implicit
  barriers in their teaching methods.
• All said they would talk to the student about
  his/her needs and exchange experiences with
  colleagues.

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• Other forms of support, such as personal
  assistance, adapted transport, adapting study
  materials in accessible forms, etc. are offered
  by different disability organizations.
• Study assistance and in rare cases adaptation of
  study materials is provided by student tutors.

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• In most cases the services are free for the
  disabled student or they pay a symbolic
  contribution.
• They are financed as projects, therefore the
  funding is not permanent, meaning not all
  services are always available and are coordinated
  among different users.

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• THE SLOVENIAN ASSOCIATION OF DISABLED STUDENTS
• www.dsis-drustvo.si
• info_at_dsis-drustvo.si
• Alenka Bera Nataša Mauko
• Alenka_at_dsis-drustvo.si Natasa_at_dsis-drustvo.si
• 386 41 632 865 386 31 564 349