“By creating we think, by living we learn” Patrick Geddes
6.1 University's Commitment: The University is committed to embedding disability equality in all relevant policies, practices, and procedures, and ensuring that disability issues are routinely considered in all decisions regarding strategic planning and resource allocation.
6.2 Progression of Disability Issues: General disability issues are progressed through the University's Equality and Diversity Working Group (a subgroup of the University's Human Resources Committee, which reports to the University Court) and forwarded to the appropriate University Committee for approval. The President of the Students' Association is a member of the Equality and Diversity Working Group together with the University Secretary, the Director of Human Resources, the Director of Student Services, the Head of the Student Advisory Service, the Equality and Diversity Officer and the Head of Disability Services.
6.3 Physical Access: A physical access audit of the main University campus was undertaken in 2000 by the Joint Mobility Unit (JMU). Areas for improvement have been responded to on a priority basis, taking account of new developments on campus. Physical access issues are progressed through the University's DDA Estates Steering and Implementation Groups. In addition, consultation groups involving disabled people play a key role in the development of the University's Estates programme and planning for new projects and builds. Funding is set aside each year from the University's capital programme budget to ensure that the accessibility of the University campus and buildings is prioritised and continuously improved in line with legal requirements and best practice guidance. This includes a commitment to the increased provision of accessible student accommodation on campus. New student residences available on the main campus from Academic Year (AY) 06/07 include four new wheelchair accessible rooms in addition to the existing accessible provision in other University residences. In relation to staff accommodation, a fully wheelchair-accessible office, complete with toilet facilities, was completed during the summer of July 2007 on the ground floor of the University's Tower Building.
6.4 Parking and Transportation: Accessible parking bays are available on all four campuses and wheelchair accessible routes around the main campus are identified and publicised. Blue badge holders (whether staff, students or visitors to the University) are permitted to park anywhere on campus free of charge provided that their vehicle does not cause an obstruction to other road users. A free minibus service operates between the main campus and the University's campuses at Gardyne Road and Ninewells Hospital. This minibus is currently not wheelchair accessible but alternative provision is arranged as required. There are plans to replace this minibus with a wheelchair accessible model by 2008.
6.5 Auxiliary Aids and Services: Induction loop systems are fitted in all of the University's main lecture theatres and reception areas, and an annual maintenance programme is in place. Accessible toilets are provided in all main teaching and visitor areas, and there are plans to provide at least one accessible toilet on the main campus to meet the needs of people with profound disabilities.
The University's Fire Safety Policy includes emergency evacuation arrangements for disabled people and Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) are prepared for individual students and members of staff as appropriate. A loan bank of equipment and ergonomic furniture is available and additional services (e.g. sign language interpretation) are arranged as required to meet individual needs for both staff and students.
6.6 Learning and Teaching: The University's Learning and Teaching Strategy 2006-10 requires all of the University's Colleges to promote inclusiveness in their programme design and delivery, and to assess the impact of their inclusiveness strategies on disabled students. Progress is monitored by the College Boards and the University's Learning and Teaching Committee.
6.7 Quality Assurance: All academic schools are required to undertake a Teachability audit as part of their programme approval and review process. Teachability is a SFC funded project based at the University of Strathclyde that provides a range of staff development materials and training opportunities designed to encourage reflection on, and evaluation of, the accessibility of the higher education curriculum. From AY 06/07, the use of the Teachability approach across all areas of teaching and assessment activity will be supported by the provision of targeted staff development opportunities and sharing of good practice across all University Colleges. Progress will be monitored by the University's Academic Quality Committee which has a remit to support the maintenance of academic standards and quality enhancement across the University.
6.8 Staff Development: The University provides a range of disability-related staff development opportunities and web-based resources, including training through its staff development and Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education (Pg CertTHE) programmes, directly to specific groups of staff and schools, and online via the University's virtual learning environment (VLE) 'My Dundee'. Specific training on visual and deaf awareness is targeted at key staff, including staff in Disability Services, Disability Support Officers (DSOs) and front-line reception staff. Staff are also encouraged to attend external disability-related training opportunities, including those offered by the Scottish Disability Team and the Teachability Project, that will support the development of inclusive practice and their response to the Disability Equality Duty.
6.9 Disability Services: The University has a dedicated Disability Services department which provides a range of confidential services and facilities for disabled students, including specialist advice and support, dyslexia screening and diagnostic services, support with recruiting and managing support workers, and a loan equipment service. The department also includes a regional Access Centre offering assessment and training services for students studying at institutions throughout Tayside and North Fife who are in receipt of the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). Disability Services also provides information and advice to all staff across the University on reasonable adjustments to support disabled students' needs, and provides Access to Work assessments for disabled staff in liaison with the University's Occupational Health Service.
The department has developed a range of disability-related guidance for staff including, implications of the DDA, handling confidentiality and disclosure (including at interview and during Clearing), marking dyslexic students' work, arranging student placements, and inclusive teaching and assessment practices, and regularly advises staff of disability-related training opportunities and web-based resources. The department is based within the University's Student Services' Directorate and has close links with the Mental Health Nursing Service and Peer Connections.
6.10 Student Support Services: Disabled students have access to the range of support services available to all students, including those offered through the University's Student Services Directorate and Learning Enhancement Unit (LEU). The LEU has developed an extensive online study skills learning resource, Advance@Dundee, which provides undergraduate and postgraduate students with guidance on all aspects of learning and studying in a higher education environment and on developing personal transferable skills.
6.11 Careers Service: The University's Careers Service provides a range of dedicated support services for disabled students and recently completed a project investigating the opportunities for enhancing the employability of disabled students through internship programmes and through the development of an online accessible Personal Development Planning resource, My PDP. Further details of the services offered to disabled students by the Careers Services.
6.12 Disability Support Officers (DSOs): The University has established a network of Disability Support Officers (DSOs) in all academic schools and support departments across the University. Their role is to be the initial point of contact for disabled students in their school, to disseminate disability-related information to other staff in their school, including any adjustments to support disabled students' individual needs, and to assist disabled students with any course-related problems. They work in close collaboration with Disability Services to ensure that disabled students' needs are effectively and appropriately communicated in line with the University's confidentiality and disclosure procedures. This includes restricted access to information on the reasonable adjustments required for individual disabled students using the University's student management system, SITS. This information is available on a module basis to enable staff involved in the delivery of those modules to identify the required adjustments for each programme of study.
6.13 Information and Communication: Information on disabled applicants is communicated to Disability Services by University Admissions staff and follow-up procedures allow students to be contacted in advance of starting their course to identify and arrange any individual support requirements. Guidance on handling disability disclosure at the application and interview stage has been developed in consultation with individual Schools and the University is currently developing a University-wide Admissions Policy to ensure consistency of approach across all entry routes. The University's Student Placement Policy has also recently been revised and guidance for staff produced to support the appropriate communication of disabled students' needs, where necessary, for placement activity purposes.
6.14 Student Feedback: The University has established a range of feedback mechanisms for disabled students, including questionnaires and online open forums. All students also have the opportunity to comment on any aspect of the University's operation via their student class representatives on the University's staff/student liaison committees and online via the 'My Representation' resource on the University's VLE. The University has a Student Complaints' Procedure which aims to provide all students with an accessible, quick, and informal method of resolving complaints. Disabled students can seek support from Disability Services if their complaint is disability-related and are directed to other sources of support as appropriate.
Students also have recourse to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman if their complaint cannot be resolved through internal mechanisms.
6.15 Support for Disabled Staff: The University has established an Occupational Health Service to support the identification of adjustments for individual disabled staff and to support applications for 'Access to Work' funding, in liaison with the University's Disability Services' department. Systems have also been developed to identify any adjustments required for staff recruitment and development purposes. Formal opportunities for disclosure of a disability are currently requested at the application stage of the recruitment process and on the Staff Record Form following issue of a new contract, although staff can disclose a disability at any time after appointment. In addition, a staff data verification exercise is carried out every three years, during which time staff can confirm or change their record in relation to their personal details, including those relating to disability.
6.16 IT Provision: The University has expanded the availability of accessible IT facilities with the provision of E-Access areas on all four University campuses, the provision of networked assistive software in all IT suites and the provision of ergonomic computer workstations in some site libraries. An IT Disability Support Specialist has been appointed to ensure the University is advised of the accessibility of new and existing C&IT systems and to provide direct IT support to disabled students. The University's IT induction procedures have been reviewed to ensure accessibility for disabled students and provision of individual adjustments where necessary.
6.17 Library Provision: The University Library has established an Accessibility Team that meets regularly to review provision for disabled users of the University's library services, in consultation with disabled people, and has recently completed an audit of all of the University's libraries. Development of an online disability awareness training package for library staff is also in progress.
6.18 Disability-Related Research and Web Accessibility: The University has a strong reputation in a number of disability-related areas. This includes the White Top Research Unit, based in the School of Social Work, which undertakes research into profound and multiple intellectual disabilities, and PAMIS a voluntary organisation supporting people with profound disabilities and their families. PAMIS has been at the forefrount of a national 'Changing Places' campaign to highlight the need for fully accessible toilet facilities in public places that are suitable for people with profound disabilities.
The University's School of Computing contains one of the largest and most influential academic groups in the world researching into communication systems for disabled people and also houses the Digital Media Access Group (DMAG) who offer expert consultancy and advice to improve the accessibility of web and other digital resources.
The University has recently seconded a member of staff from DMAG to review the accessibility of the University's web pages and to provide support and guidance for departmental web administrators with the aim of improving the consistency of compliance with web accessibility standards across the University.
6.19 External Links: The Head of Disability Services is a member of the Scottish Executive's Disabled Students' Stakeholder Group (DSSG), is a consultant for the BRITE initiative providing mentoring support for staff involved in the needs assessment process, is a member of the Scottish Network of Disability Advisers, the National Association of Disability Officers and the British Psychological Society's Division of Teachers and Researchers of Psychology.
The University is a full member of SKILL (the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities) and maintains links with many external disability organisations, including the RNIB, the RNID and the BDA, and local disability groups. The University is also the base for the Scottish Disability Team who provide disability-related staff development opportunities and guidance for a range of staff across the HE sector in Scotland.
Next - 7. Development of Disability Equality Scheme
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