1. Bridges to College Darrelle Keegan, UCC March 4 th 2011

2. Objective of the Presentation To give an overview of: UCC “Fun Days” Pre-entry supports and DARE Scheme Post-Entry Supports: What is Available Graduate supports after you leave University

3. Supports at Pre-Entry Stage Fun Days Liaison with Guidance Counsellors at second level Careers Advisor for students with disabilities meets and advises students on possible degree programme options Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) – more later Collaboration with SENOS and Dept of Education & Skills (Visiting Teachers)

4. UCC Growth in Numbers by Disability 2005 - 2010

5. UCC Fun Days Purpose of Fun Days: Aspiration raising Information dissemination 1 st Fun Day – July 1 st 2008 12 Deaf/Hard of Hearing attendees + 9 siblings and 7 parents Age range 6 -12 3 Males, 9 females Chemistry magic show, Hootie the Owl Tour of UCC, Belly dancing Students asked if they will attend third level. Most say no. Age range considered to be too young

6. Second Fun Day 9/10 th June 2009 Joint Initiative with Pathways to Education Project 9th June Parallel sessions for both parents and students. TTRS, Music Workshop and current students’ experiences 10 th June -Students only TTRS, Chemistry Magic Show, Hootie the Owl Tour, Assistive Technology Information 17 attendees. 11 Females, 6 Males Junior Cert Cycle, Ages 12-16

7. Third Fun Day, May 5 th 2010 Joint Initiative with Pathways Project Sensory disabilities i.e. deaf/ hard of hearing and blind or vision impaired students 11 attendees 3 female, 8 male 2 vision impaired, 9 deaf/hard of hearing Rap demo, Make your Own CD and Art Therapy Very significant: Students asked to draw a timeline of their future. All students included third level in their timeline.

8. Winter Fun Day 17 th Dec 2010 Aimed at Junior Cycle group Covering new technology, Chinese culture and sports at the Mardyke arena All sensory disabilities included 20 students attended Age range 14-17

9. Parent information sessions Held alongside the student activities A forum for parents to voice concerns Parents can ask about university life, fees Can find out about supports at Third level Given details on DARE and how it works

10. Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) Process Explained

11. What is DARE? The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) is a supplementary admissions scheme which offers college places on reduced points to school leavers with disabilities. DARE has been established by a number of higher education institutions with evidence showing that disability can have a negative impact on educational attainment at school and progression to higher education.

12. What Colleges Participate? Athlone Institute of Technology Dublin City University Dublin Institute of Technology Mater Dei Institute of Education National College of Ireland NUI Galway NUI Maynooth Pontifical University, Maynooth Trinity College Dublin University College Cork University College Dublin University of Limerick

13. Why Should a Student Apply? Students who are eligible for DARE may secure a place on a reduced points basis. Participating colleges have reserved a number of places to offer students at lower Leaving Certificate points. If a student gets a place through DARE they will have access to a variety of academic, personal and social supports while at college.

14. Who Should Apply? Applicants whose disability had a significant impact on educational performance in school Applicants who may not be able to meet the points for their preferred course due to the impact of disability. Applicants under 23 years as at 1 st January 2011

15. How To Apply Step 1 You must apply to the CAO (www.cao.ie) by February 1 st, 2011 and indicate that you have a disability or learning difficulty by 1 st March 2011. You will be directed to an online Supplementary Information Form to give details of your disability or learning difficulty. Step 2 You must complete Section A (Questions 1-4) of the Supplementary Information Form by March 1 st, 2011. This section gathers details of your disability and a personal statement. Step 3 You must indicate your wish to be considered for DARE by ticking ‘Yes’ to Question 5 by March 1 st 2011. Step 4 Return the Second Level Academic Reference (Section B) and Evidence of Disability (Section C) to the CAO by April 1 st 2011. Section B must be completed by the school, with information on your educational experience. This helps determine appropriate supports in 3rd level. A School teacher/Guidance Counsellor/Visiting Teacher AND school principal must complete the form and the form MUST BE stamped.

16. Section C – Evidence of Disability The form MUST BE STAMPED by the Medical Consultant/ Specialist or accompanied by the Medical Consultant/ Specialist’s card or headed paper If the form is not verified in this way, IT WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED and you will be ineligible for DARE. Evidence from a General Practitioner/ family doctor or support organisation will not be accepted as verification of a disability It is your responsibility to ensure all sections of the form are completed. The Evidence of Disability must be returned to the CAO by 1 st April 2011

17. Supplementary Admissions Routes You must ‘opt in’ (Question 5) to be eligible for consideration under DARE You must do this by March 1 st 2011 If you do not ‘opt in’ you will not be considered under DARE If you do not ‘opt in’ you can still avail of supports in college

18. How are applications screened for eligibility? Applications to DARE are assessed by professionals in participating HEIs who have expertise of the impact of disability on educational attainment. To assess an applicant’s eligibility for DARE, criteria is developed to determine the significance of each disability and the impact on educational attainment. The criteria used for assessing the impact of disability were developed by Disability Advisory Boards, which included HEI professionals and representatives from expert external organisations. Eligibility criteria are available on accesscollege.ie and the CAO website

19. Screening Criteria – Deaf/Hearing Impaired Accepted Medical Consultant/SpecialistProfessionally qualified Audiologist. Evidence of Disability Complete the Evidence of Disability Form. OR Submit an existing report completed by the appropriate professional which contains the same detail as the Evidence of Disability Form. All applicants must also enclose a Bilateral Audiogram from a qualified Audiologist. It is recommended where possible that audiograms include details on air & bone conduction. Failure to include the audiogram will result in you being made ineligible for DARE. Age of Report While there is no age limit on diagnostic evidence submitted it is advisable to submit a recent report. DARE Eligibility We will consider your application for DARE once the audiogram provided by the appropriate professional shows a bilateral moderate to profound hearing loss (i.e. anything above 40dB). Other Disabilities/Medical Conditions Submit an Evidence of Disability Form for each disability / medical condition to be considered (link to Evidence of Disability Form) Personal Statement and Academic ReferenceYour personal statement should outline the impact of disability on your academic and educational experience to date. Your academic reference gives background information on your educational experience, including the impact your disability has had on your education. It also describes the supports and adaptations you will need in third level. Your Academic Reference can be completed by your school OR by the Department of Education and Science Visiting Teacher service

20. Next steps in the application process You will be informed of your DARE status in June 2011. If you are not eligible for DARE you will be informed of the reasons for your ineligibility. If you believe your ineligibility resulted from an administrative error, you can request that your application is rechecked. If you are not eligible for DARE you can still get into college via the CAO if you meet the entry requirements for your course of your choice.

21. What college places are available? Each participating HEI has allocated a quota of places on a reduced points basis for students entering through DARE. The quota of places available through DARE differs from one institution to another. You must matriculate and meet specific course requirements. Details of quotas and admissions policies can be found on individual HEI websites and accesscollege.ie

22. Common errors from 2010 Failing to disclose a disability on the CAO application form – You must apply to the CAO at www.cao.ie by 1 st February 2011 and indicate that you have a disability/specific learning difficulty on your CAO application form by 1 st March 2011 Failure to apply to DARE – You must indicate your wish to be considered for DARE by ticking ‘Yes’ to Question 5 by 1 st March 2011 Failure to submit documentation by specified date – You must return the Second Level Academic Reference (Section B) and Evidence of Disability (Section C) to the CAO by 1 st April 2011 Documentation completed by inappropriate professionals – Your Evidence of Disability must be by the accepted medical Consultant/Specialist Evidence of Disability form not stamped – The Evidence of Disability must be stamped by the accepted Medical Consultant/Specialist OR accompanied by their business card or headed paper. Deaf/Hard of Hearing – No audiogram – You must provide a Bilateral Audiogram. Evidence of Disability– Missing Information – You must ensure that reports provide the same detail as the Evidence of Disability Form. See Acceptable Report for SLD and Summary Sheet.

23. Post-Entry Supports

24. Goals of the Service To increase the access, participation and retention of students with disabilities in UCC To address the physical, communication and attitudinal barriers To develop policies and procedures that increase the inclusion of students with disabilities within the University To mainstream facilities for students with disabilities across campus To assess and train students in the use of assistive technologies for independent learning

25. Courses currently being pursued No of Undergraduates: 26 – Architecture1 – Environmental Science2 – Arts5 – Nursing1 – Social work2 – Occupational Therapy1 – Civil Engineering2 – Food Science1 – Commerce1 – Genetics1 – Nutritional Science1 – Pharmaceutical compounds1 – Medicine1 – Biological Sciences1 – Music11 – Early Childhood Studies1 – Business Information systems1 – Law11 – Government11 No of Postgraduates:5

26. Supports for current students A needs assessment is conducted with all students who register with the service Individual educational plan is developed depending on impact of disability on degree programme being pursued The Individual Educational Plan (IEP) may include a combination of educational, personal or technical supports, depending on students’ needs Supports can include: Stereotype In-Class Note-taking Subject Specific Tuition

27. Funding of Supports The “Fund for Students with Disabilities” (administered by the National Office for Equity of Access) funds the needs of students with disabilities in Higher Education. Students’ educational, technological and personal supports are funded based on submission of funding application, needs assessment and medical verification Quarterly reports are submitted to NAO on use of fund allocated to students Audits conducted by NAO yearly to ensure good practice in use of fund

28. After College

29. Support to Graduates Liaison with employers positive to disability Assistance with the job seeking process Liaison with FAS re. grants and incentives to employment

30. Contact Details Darrelle Keegan Disability Advisor to Students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing Phone: 021 4902985 Text: 0879150697 Email: d.keegan@ucc.ie