Creating Accessible Teaching and Support

Study beyond the classroom offers rich learning opportunities and is increasingly important to many areas of study. The participation of students with a variety of learning preferences, life experience, cultural backgrounds and disability can enhance the learning experience of everyone.  With careful planning and monitoring, work placements and field and study-abroad trips can be accessible to most students with disability.

Ensuring that students with disability benefit as much from these experiences as their peers can sometimes be challenging.   Preparation is key: the fieldwork teacher should discuss with the student any learning support needs, and ensure that reasonable steps are taken to create a supportive, inclusive environment.

However, students should not be singled out for apparently "special" treatment. Academic standards must be maintained; it is therefore important that course requirements are made explicit from the outset. If the participation of students with disability in fieldwork activities is not practical, alternatives may be found, such as changing location, replacing fieldwork with laboratory exercises, or offering the option of virtual fieldwork.

Adapted from Learning and Teaching Good Practice Guide published by the DRC in partnership with Skill, Universities UK and others.

Some staff members are concerned that the involvement of students with disability in fieldwork somehow increases the risk of accidents, or leaves staff themselves open to being sued for negligence.

This is based on the incorrect assumption that the safety record of people with disability is poorer than that of other people (in fact, the opposite is true). The presence of a disability does not pose an inherent safety hazard, however staff do have a duty of care to all students and the people that they work with in the field.

The following checklist will help to ensure that students with disability are able to benefit as much as their peers from the experience.

• Audit venues, activities and overseas partner institutions for accessibility.
• When possible, organise excursions or trips abroad to places that are accessible.
• Ensure that work-placement providers or overseas partner institutions are aware of the disability-related needs of your students, and of required accommodations.
• Give students further opportunity to disclose a disability or particular needs when trips and placements are being organised.
• Consult with students in finding placements.
• Make arrangements to ensure that people with disability can take personal assistants or assistive technology with them.
• Make clear with placement providers or overseas partners respective responsibilities. Who will take responsibility for making adjustments, and providing assistive technology?
• Arrange for tutors to keep in touch with students with disability on placements or study-abroad trips.