Towards the development of a new National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education Submission to the Higher Education Authority October 2014

Transcription

1 Towards the development of a new National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education Submission to the Higher Education Authority October

2 Towards the development of a new National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education Submission to the Higher Education Authority October 2014 The Rehab Group welcomes this opportunity to contribute to the development of the Higher Education Authority s new National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education. Rehab s training, education and employment division, National Learning Network supports hundreds of people with disabilities, people who have mental health difficulties and people who have been long-term unemployed for a variety of reasons to make a successful transition to higher education. National Learning Network is Ireland s foremost provider of specialist education, training and employment services to people who have experienced challenges in succeeding in traditional educational settings or who as a result of disability, illness or mental ill-health need are out of work and need to retrain to prepare for alternative employment. NLN also supports people who are longterm unemployed, people in recovery from addiction and ex-offenders. Each year, NLN students achieve around 5,500 nationally- and internationally-recognised certification awards (including FETAC). In 2013 we supported 6,500 people in training. Of those who completed training in that year 90 per cent progressed to employment, training or further education. NLN s student body comprises a group of people with wide range of complex needs. Rolling admission, centre-based, employer-based and distance learning all contribute to a learning environment that recognises that everyone learns differently and requires a range of supports to enable them to do so. Rehabilitative and psychological supports also help students to progress through challenges which arise during their studies. Many of our students aspire to and achieve Higher Education outcomes and some of their stories are included at the end of this submission. National Learning Network has also developed a significant competency in providing on-campus academic supports for students with disabilities, students with mental health difficulties and others with additional needs in Higher Education. These services support students with disabilities and students with mental health difficulties to succeed at higher education whilst also contributing to a more inclusive college-wide approach to education. Our services are delivered in a number of higher education institutions include Maynooth University, IT Blanchardstown and the National College of Art and Design as well as the City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB) Colleges of Further Education.. o Student Central, Maynooth University: Student Central is a service provided by National Learning Network on the campus of Maynooth University. The service is available to people who are registered with the University s Disability Office and who have a diagnosis of a Mental Health Difficulty, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Students work collaboratively with a psychologist to develop practical self management skills and strategies that assist them in completing academic work, self-managing wellness and developing key social skills. The service commenced in 2012 and, to date, 124 students have benefitted from NLN s supports. During the academic year , 85 students attended the service and there were more than 700 individual support sessions with these students. 2

3 o o National Learning Netowrk s Academic Support Service in the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown: National Learning Network provides assessment, intervention and support for individuals with specific learning difficulties such as Dyslexia and Dyspraxia, students with and without a formal diagnosis as well as the increasing number of students who are presenting with mental health difficulties. As a psychology-led service, our staff use a bio-psych-social approach and understand how physical disability, mental ill-health or clinical disorders impact upon the social development, well-being and academic performance of students. Staff help students to learn new skills such as good timekeeping, organisational skills and motivation to enable them to fulfil their potential. In 2013/2014, 753 meetings with 149 students took place. Over half of these took place with first year students. 91% of students surveyed felt that availing of the supports available to them improved their grades by helping them to overcome their educational barriers and reach their academic potential. National Learning Network s Disability Support Service in the City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB): The Disability Support Service (DSS) is a partnership initiative between The National Learning Network (NLN) and the City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB). The service is currently available in eight colleges of Further Education. Every student who is successful in securing a place on a course and who has indicated that they have a disability and/or specific learning difficulty is contacted by the Disability Support Officer. In addition, the service is available to all students - some students seek support based on recommendation from friends rather than because of a disability diagnosis. Students undertake a full educational needs assessment to explore and discuss the supports a student may require during his / her time in college. The DSS has also developed strong working relationships with staff and management in each college and liaises with teaching staff and management in relation to individual student requirements. Joint sessions with students, staff and the DSS officer yield hugely positive results and collaboration ensures that everyone is working together to support the student s learning. o The National College of Art and Design: The service began operating in September 2014 providing a Student Learning Support service. So far 32 students have been referred to the service and seven presented themselves to the service directly. Key points of this submission The following submission has been compiled in consultation with people involved in the delivery of supports to people in Higher Education and specialists involved in the delivery of FET, a key pathway to higher education. This submission focuses on the questions laid out by the Higher Education Authority. 1. Despite progress, some groups are not accessing higher education to the same degree as other groups. Why do you think this is and what supports your view? While considerable progress has been made, there is a need for greater reform of HE structures to enable people from all backgrounds to progress to the next level of education. Higher Education remains very focused on full-time, classroom-based learning. For people with additional needs, this inflexibility can act as a considerable barrier to take up and completion of a college course. The HE system is to be commended for its recognition of the need to provide greater supports to entry to and retention in college for groups from diverse backgrounds. However, up to now, this reform has always focused on supporting the person to fit into the college and not on the need for the college to fit better around the individual. Greater individualisation of higher education 3

4 approaches will create a better learning experience for everyone. The following are some issues that we believe would greatly enhance the ability of people with disabilities to take up and stay on in higher education. Others are dealt with in response to specific questions later in this document. Greater flexibility in higher education, including an emphasis on completion of courses at the person s own pace, would also accommodate the needs of mature students: Part-time study often suits people with disabilities and people with mental health difficulties. Mature students often encounter more significant work-life balance issues than traditional younger students. More part-time options would be attractive to people with disabilities and to older students and enable them to continue lifelong learning. Furthermore, accelerated degree programmes can enable people in employment to gain valuable skills in a shorter period of time. Greater emphasis should be placed on completion of courses at a person s own pace The duration of the course shouldn t be about time served but about modules completed. Supports for periods of ill-health don t always accommodate individual need greater semesterisation would better enable people with episodic conditions maintain their education: The procedures in place to support people to re-enter college following a period of ill-health which allow students to repeat courses regularly are useful in the case of onceoff illness of period of absence. However, for people with episodic conditions, such as mental health difficulties, who experience protracted or frequent periods out of college, the option to repeat years of college can create a cycle of failure that can exacerbate mental health difficulties and significantly prolong the need for supports. Greater semesterisation and modularisation would enable people to bank modules that they have completed and, therefore, make progress towards the end of their course. In addition an ability to easily defer their place and to bank previous learning would enable a person to take this time out without concern for their ability to complete their course and would be particularly useful for people with mental health difficulties. Greater mental health supports should be available in higher education: A greater awareness of mental health issues in the general population should be reflected in the supports available to a person with a mental health difficulty in college. Appropriate mental health and counselling services can be crucial to enabling a person to stay in college even when they are experiencing a period of mental ill-health. Supports to enable people who newly resident in Ireland to access higher education could be significantly improved: There are residency rules in relation to the availability of higher education grants that impact on people granted refugee status, subsidiary protection and/or leave to remain. A person must be resident in Ireland for three of the last five years to access HEA grants. These three categories of people are legally entitled to access Higher Education in Ireland, unlike the people currently in the direct provision service awaiting a decision on their asylum applications; however they do not always satisfy the residency condition to access free education and relevant student grants. It is unclear whether the period of time spent under direct provision is included in the assessment of these residency rules. Some suggestions to improve participation include: o Anyone granted refugee status should have the residency requirement waived and should not have to pay the far higher non resident fees. o All three groups should be allowed use their time in direct provision as proof of residency (as is the case in assessing DSP benefits under habitual residency ). 4

5 2. With regard to the roles of other stakeholders, how can the HEA and higher education institutions most effectively support increased access? The National Plan should ensure that FET is a viable and supported pathway to higher education for people from diverse backgrounds The HEA and higher education institutions have introduced some very effective access programmes to support people from diverse backgrounds to attend higher education. Unfortunately, these programmes often focus on enabling young people from secondary schools and particularly from DEIS schools to make the transition to Higher Education. A broader consideration of the pathways to higher education needs to be considered and facilitated. Greater coordination between FET and HE providers could greatly enhance progression opportunities. FET is an oft-used pathway through the National Framework of Qualifications for people from diverse backgrounds who may not have succeeded in traditional primary and secondary education. Higher education must be a genuine aspiration for those in FET but the focus of these programmes is often on employment or further education. As detailed above, NLN has placed many people who have experienced long term challenges in traditional education in higher education because its supports have enabled the person to gain the confidence and the qualifications they need as a springboard to higher education. Greater coordination of existing guidance services would ensure that people from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to consider higher education For people with disabilities a key barrier to participation in higher education can be aspiration. Young people with disabilities may not be encouraged to progress and people with intellectual disability are highly unlikely to be encouraged to aspire to progression. A good mechanism for building capacity at secondary level is through the career guidance services. Guidance services can provide support to overcome multiple barriers to progression. In the system there are multiple guidance officer roles in secondary schools, in Education and Training Boards (ETBs) as well as HSE Guidance services. Greater coordination between these resources would ensure the best possible use of this considerable resource in education services. Transition supports should be provided to all students making the transition from secondary to tertiary education The transition to third level education is a significant one for young people. A programme of key skills for third level would prepare students in advance for the rigours of higher education and could also contribute to higher levels of retention. As such a programme would be available to all young people in secondary schools it could also have the effect of levelling the playing field by encouraging all young people to consider higher education. It would look at issues such as adapting to academic life, managing health and well-being, including making new friends, and living away from home. The Institute of Technology Blanchardstown undertakes workshops with second level schools in the local area to introduce them to the requirements of this third level education and this is a useful model. A greater focus on experiential learning can accommodate the needs of a more diverse student population The Department of Education is currently considering implementation of the Report of the Review Group on Apprenticeships. This Review has proposed the implementation of Apprenticeships up to PhD level. The Higher Education Authority and the higher education institutions can play their role by ensuring that their courses are complementary to the apprenticeship approach, enabling people to combine experiential with academic learning. 5

6 3. Section four proposes four main goals, with a larger number of associated actions, we would welcome your views on these. In your view, which actions should be prioritised and are there other goals/actions that need to be included? Goal 1 - To promote access to disadvantaged groups to higher education Section 2.2 considers developments in equity of access to higher education and identifies that during the period , the number of students with disabilities in higher education increased from 466 to This is a significant increase but the number of students with disabilities still represents a low proportion of the overall student population in Ireland. Census 2011 identified that 13% of the population have a disability and while a 13% representation within the higher education population would not be appropriate the targets are very low in the context of disability in the population. Greater supports for mature students who have acquired a disability as well as more encouragement of young people with disabilities to aspire to education would contribute to higher participation rates by students with disabilities. High level objective: Monitor and support work to progress to higher education by targeting under-represented groups Under this high level objective, the HEA will promote best practice throughout the HE system to disseminate best practice. It is important that this best practice is collated in consultation with all relevant stakeholders. Specialist disability training providers can provide valuable insights into how best to create an inclusive educational environment and to adopt a Universal Design Approach which suits all students. National Learning Network would be pleased to participate in partnership with the HEA and could contribute considerable insights from its provision of academic supports in higher education. A focus on peer encouraged participation should also be emphasised in the National Plan for Equity of Access. Aspiration is an issue for many disadvantaged groups. Members of a particular group, such as the Traveller Community, for example, need to see their peers progressing to higher education if they are to visualise themselves doing so. Therefore, success stories can be very powerful in encouraging people to consider taking the path to higher education. High level objective: Use available funding in a manner that best supports equity of access to higher education by disadvantaged groups Overall, the National Plan for Equity of Access in Higher Education should focus on both access to and supports within higher education institutions. In recent years the focus on access programmes has increased entry to college for disadvantaged groups but it is important that academic, as well as personal and wellness supports, enable a person to sustain education. Some people may encounter difficulties while in college such as mental health difficulties and without necessary supports may drop-out of education thus impacting on their ability to gain employment throughout their lives. In the case of disability, funding for students should focus on meeting individual need rather than on funding supports on the basis of the general needs of a specific diagnosis. A Universal Design Approach would recognise that all students may need support at some stage during their studies and when it is needed help should be available. Changes are required to the Fund for Students with Disabilities to ensure that people can access its supports as easily as possible 6

7 The focus on diagnosis to access the Fund for Students with Disabilities can be a barrier to participation in higher education. Students have to have a diagnosis of a disability or condition in order to access supports in most colleges. Many students cannot afford consultant or psychologist fees in order to access an assessment by which to evidence their disability. For a person with a physical disability the student may need to use a wheelchair, but may be otherwise well, and have not attended a consultant for some time. The HEA requires a recent report from a medical consultant rather than a GP. The requirement to provide a consultant s report is an unnecessary medicalisation of a person s disability. A more localised approach to funding for students with disabilities would allow Higher Education Institutions to provide for the needs of students in their courses and whom they have met. They will be better able to assess and provide for the needs of their students without requiring written reports. This focus on diagnosis can lead to a situation where people with diagnosed disabilities receive far greater supports than a person who has no diagnosis but who experiences greater obstacles in their learning. Undiagnosed disabilities can be a significant barrier to higher education. In the last year, NLN supported 155 people in the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown. 50% of them had a diagnosis and 45% did not have a diagnosis and in many cases those without a diagnosis had more support needs. People with an acquired disability should be provided with relevant supports to take up higher education for a second time in order to retrain Many people who acquire a disability choose to return to education in order to retrain for new employment options. For those who have already completed a degree, access to grants and funding for disability supports is not available and this is a significant barrier to participation. Supports for students with disabilities should be available to part-time students as well in the same way that they are available full-time students as part-time education often suits people with disabilities best. The Fund for Students with Disabilities is restricted to full-time study but, for many students with disabilities, part-time study is a far more accessible option. Part-time education can better suit people with disabilities for a variety of reasons including the requirements of their disability, issues with fatigue and practical issues like transport and accommodation. People with mental health difficulties can also benefit from part-time education because it increases the timeframe available to them for completion of their course and can allow for better self-management of their condition. An inability to access the Fund for Students with Disabilities is an obstacle to participation in this instance. Funding for supports for people with disabilities should be available at all levels of education to ensure an effective pathway to HE Access to funding for student supports is only available to people undertaking higher education at Level 5 or above. This can make it difficult for people with disabilities to pursue the pathway to higher education because they can t access the financial support they need for reasonable accommodations as early as possible in their educational journey. 7

8 Goal 2 to put in place coherent pathways from second level education, from further education and other non-traditional entry routes to higher education. High Level objective: Develop more coherent pathways from second level, further education and other routes of access to higher education FET is a strong and viable pathway to Higher Education for people with disabilities which should be prioritised The FET Strategy s progression target of 10% to Higher Education is welcome primarily because FET provides a viable alternative route to Higher Education for people with disabilities and people with mental health difficulties. This is an important route for people with disabilities who may not have been able to gain the qualifications that they require to progress to higher education through the traditional education system. Strong engagement with local FET providers, including Specialist Training Providers would help to boost the numbers of people with disabilities and people with mental health difficulties who are progressing to higher education. The removal of the additional SOLAS-funded training allowance has impacted on FET options for people with disabilities Access to further education and training is an important pathway to higher education for people with additional needs. Budget 2014 announced the cessation of the 20 additional training allowance paid to participants in SOLAS-funded training for new participants from 1 st January Among the recipients, this allowance was paid to people with disabilities who experience considerable costs as a result of their disability. Its removal has created a disincentive to participation in training because people can now be worse off in training than they would be outside training and education. This will, over time, have an impact on the potential for people with disabilities to use FET as a pathway to Higher Education. Goal 3 To increase completion rates by target student groups High Level objective: To increase progression rates by under-represented groups through targeted supports for students at risk of non-completion. Specialist academic support programmes can be hugely beneficial to supporting individuals in courses Academic support programmes such as those delivered by National Learning Network in four Higher Education campuses Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, NUI Maynooth, St. Patrick s College and NCAD provide essential supports to students and should be available in all higher education institutions. Supports must address cognitive and academic needs as well as wellness support, social skills support and support with the activities of daily living. Teacher training which focuses on ensuring that the education course fits the needs of the individual plays a key role in improving outcomes for people with disabilities Many academic staff members in higher education institutions are well-qualified in their chosen discipline but may not have undertaken any formal training in relation to teaching. The traditional style of teaching at higher education suits more traditional learning styles but can be a barrier to participation by students who have different learning styles or who need practical or psychological supports. Greater emphasis on teacher education at higher level would ensure that academic staff can identify challenges that students are experiencing and have the tools to help the student to 8

9 overcome them. Input from universally designed and inclusive education experts would be very beneficial in the development of teacher training modules In its experience with the City of Dublin Education and Training Board, National Learning Network has seen the real benefits that can accrue to the student s experience through a reorientation of the teaching styles of their teachers. Many people from diverse backgrounds simply don t have strong traditional learning styles and require a wider array of teaching methods and learning opportunities to enable them to fully participate. Goal 4 To support evidence-based policy formulation High Level Objective: Strengthen systems to gather data and other evidence needed to measure progress and advise the development of policy for access A commitment to evidence-based policy formulation is welcome. The focus of these high level objectives is currently on considering the effectiveness of pathways to higher education and identifying reasons why people from certain backgrounds don t participate in higher education. Research is also required in relation to the supports that people require in higher education and, where these are present, their impact should be measured in terms of reductions in drop-out rates in certain populations. In addition, a greater emphasis on personal/individual reasons for not progressing to higher education rather than on why certain groups don t progress may yield useful data. When exploring the reasons why students do not progress to through third level, much of the current research in an Irish context focuses on the characteristics of these students as groups. Little research has sought to explore the student s own reasons for not progressing. This research could explore the reasons by asking students a range of questions about their experience of dropping-out such as their reasons for discontinuing studies, their links with academic or administrative staff, the impact of dropping out on their mental and physical health and on their relationships. Other research should include, research into metrics, Social Return on Investment (SROI), i.e. assessing the social impact of investment in HE for disadvantaged groups, and inclusive education as well as the potential benefits to be accrued from the adoption of a richer life-long education passport as a means of capturing key information and recognition of prior learning (RPL). 4. What actions should be taken to ensure that there is a more consistent representation from underrepresented groups across all fields of study, e.g. programmes leading directly to the professions. Greater flexibility in all programmes is the best way to ensure more consistent representation across all fields of study. It is not possible to undertake a science degree on a part-time basis, nor can you undertake medicine on a modular basis which would allow people with episodic conditions to dip in and out of the course as their condition dictates. Furthermore, aspiration is very important in relation to course choice. Low educational aspiration among children with disabilities leads to a failure to drive ambition in educational choices and this can lead to lower levels of academic achievement. People with additional support needs are simply less likely to be encouraged to access higher points courses and this can only be changed through a change in attitudes. Children must be encouraged by family and teachers from pre-school upwards to believe that hopes and dreams can become a reality and that they can reach their future potential. 9

10 Professional bodies must also play their role in ensuring good participation by people from diverse backgrounds. One suggestion is that professional bodies such as the Law Society could co-opt members from target communities onto committees tasked with resolving problems with access to education and their profession. 5. Section Five of the document proposes a number of quantitative targets and indicators to support monitoring progress on access. Are there other targets or indicators you think should be included and, if so, how should these be measured? Ambitious targets are required to ensure the emphasis remains on supporting students with disabilities into Higher Education The plan to continue a focused approach by setting targets for people with physical, sensory and multiple disabilities needs consideration. The focus should be on supporting as many students with disabilities in mainstream second level schools as possible to make the transition to higher education. Given the findings of the NCSE s report that of the 19,298 students with special needs supported in second level school in , 407 were deaf / hard of hearing, 216 were blind or visually challenged and 1,945 had a physical disability the target for students with disabilities of 502 seems low. There is little reason why a person with a physical disability is less likely to progress to higher education than a person without a disability, as long as the necessary supports are in place. Ambitious targets are needed to generate a real change in the educational attainment levels of people with disabilities. Targets are required for the inclusion of people with non-physical disabilities in higher education The focus on targets for physical and sensory disability only is of concern because it will focus resources only on this group. No targets are set for students with learning disabilities, students a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, students with mental health difficulties, students on the Autism Spectrum or with other neurological conditions. With appropriate support, many people with these conditions could access and excel in higher education and progress into careers and long term employment. Targets for increased participation in part-time / flexible higher education are welcome but should be supported from a financial and accessibility perspective to maximise participation The inclusion in the National Plan of targets for part-time / flexible learning is welcome because this kind of learning is one of the keys to ensuring that higher education is more accessible to disadvantaged groups. The statement in this section on page 23 that in general part-time courses in higher education in Ireland are fee-paying is of concern. Part-time and flexible options should be mainstream options within higher education. A person should be able to undertake a primary degree on a part-time basis and on a non-fee paying basis as others undertake full-time courses. This would be a reasonable accommodation for many people with disabilities and a valuable accommodation to people from disadvantaged backgrounds who may find full time education beyond their reach financially. 10

11 Access to employment following HE should be measured to ensure that target groups are not facing obstacles to employment after completion of a HE course It is suggested that key performance indicators should be implemented to allow for the longitudinal study of participation rates by graduates from target groups into the professions, to ensure that access and retention of graduates leads to employment and measures taken in HE are not wasted in terms of long-term outcomes. Contact details For more information please contact Communications and Public Affairs, Rehab Group, Roslyn Park, Sandymount, Dublin 4, or by publicaffairs@rehab.ie 11