Learner Development Service. International Students Disability Guide

Transcription

1 Learner Development Service International Students Disability Guide

2 Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) welcomes applications from disabled students and strongly encourages students to contact the Learner Development Service to disclose disabilities and discuss support needs. The Learner Development Service provides information, advice and support within the University for prospective and current disabled students. What is considered to be a disability in the UK? In the UK disability is identified by the Equality Act (2010). It is illegal for disabled people to be discriminated against on the basis of their disability. The Act applies to people who are disabled according to the definition of disability below: they have a physical or mental impairment the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to perform normal day-to-day activities For the purposes of the Act, these words have the following meanings: substantial means more than minor or trivial long-term means that the effect of the impairment has lasted or is likely to last for at least twelve months (there are special rules covering recurring or fluctuating conditions) normal day-to-day activities include everyday things like eating, washing, walking and going shopping

3 1 The term disability covers physical disability, sensory disability, mental health conditions, specific learning difficulties and medical conditions. If you are not sure whether you would be classed as disabled, please check the Learner Development website at or contact Learner Development by or telephone. Many students do not identify themselves as being disabled. However, if you have a specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, an on-going health condition or diagnosed mental health condition, which falls under the definition of disability, it may have an impact on some aspects of your studies and therefore be disabling in the context of higher education.

4 2 Applying to university and disclosing a disability All applications to the University from disabled students will be considered against the same criteria applied to other applicants; meaning that a decision will be made based upon academic merit and potential. The judgement of an applicant s academic entitlement to a place on a course will be considered separately to the practical considerations relating to accessibility. Disabled students are encouraged, before accepting a place, to explore how the University might be able to meet any additional study support or accommodation needs as soon as possible by contacting the Learner Development Service on: + 44 (0) or learner.development@mmu.ac.uk How to disclose a disability to the university If you are applying to the University through UCAS we strongly encourage you to disclose the disability/mental health condition or Specific Learning Difficulty on the UCAS form. This information is shared with Learner Development who will then send you an information pack. If you are intending to study at the University on an Erasmus programme please complete a disclosure of disability form, which can be found on the Learner Development website and send it with a copy of your medical evidence to the Learner Development Service. If you are applying to the University other than via UCAS or GTTR, for example in respect of a Postgraduate Taught programme, Research Degree, Postgraduate Professional or part time Undergraduate Programme please disclose your disability or Specific Learning Difficulty on the relevant application form. This information is shared with Learner Development who will then send you an information pack. Information about disability is classed as sensitive personal data and will be processed by the University in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the University s Data Protection Policy. If you

5 3 want to discuss the implications of formally disclosing a disability you can speak to a Learning Development Adviser, who will be able to advise you in complete confidence, to help you make your decision. If you decide not to disclose your disability to the University until you start your studies, you can contact Learner Development at any time during your studies to discuss your support needs with an Adviser. Financial Advice for disabled students As an international student, or student from the EU, you may not qualify for support for your studies through grants and benefits from the UK Government, including Disabled Students Allowances. However, there is a range of support available within the University which Learner Development can assist you in accessing. EU students who have been resident in the UK for three years and international students with indefinite leave to remain in the UK, are advised to check the eligibility criteria for UK Disabled Students Allowances. As an International student the expectation is that you will have secured some funding to cover disability related expenses whilst at university. For example, you may have a sponsor who may be able to offer you additional finance to cover disability-related expenses. Some scholarships may have additional funding to contribute towards any disability-related costs, so it is important to find this out before you come to university. It may be possible to obtain a grant from your own government, so contact your education department to ask about what support they may offer. It may also be useful to investigate possible financial assistance from non-governmental organisations in your home country. If you are a European student on the EU Erasmus exchange programme, you may be able to apply for grants, which are higher than normal study grants, to offset additional costs incurred by specific difficulties. For more information, please contact your Erasmus co-ordinator within your home university.

6 4 Other sources of financial assistance include charitable trusts and scholarships. For example, The Snowdon Award Scheme offers grants for disabled students with physical or sensory impairments. Please see their website for further information The British Council also provides information for international students on their website: Information about some scholarships schemes are available on the MMU website: Accommodation If you have particular requirements in relation to residential accommodation, early contact is highly advisable. Wheelchair accessible study bedrooms with en-suite facilities are available in halls of residence at several campuses. Also, there are vibrating or flashing light alert systems in study bedrooms for deaf students. If you have disclosed a disability, your offer letter will advise you to contact Learner Development and Residential Services, before accepting a place. It can then be identified whether appropriate accommodation is available to suit your needs. You can contact Residential Services direct on +44 (0) (Manchester campuses) or +44 (0) (MMU Cheshire) and discuss your needs with an Accommodation Officer. Please see their website for further information Support with daily living The University is not responsible for providing support for daily living tasks, such as shopping, cooking and personal care, therefore you will need to think about and plan for any support you may need in relation to your disability. Support for day to day living can be expensive, so this is an additional cost you will need to budget for.

7 5 What study related support is available within MMU? Personal Learning Plan (PLP) Once Learner Development have received your disclosure of disability form and medical evidence (written in English) confirming your condition, you will be contacted to arrange an appointment with an Adviser to create a Personal Learning Plan. This appointment considers the types of adjustment/s that you might need to ensure you are not disadvantaged because of your disability or health condition. Your medical evidence is used to help inform these adjustments. The Personal Learning Plan makes recommendations to your Department about how they can support your learning. This could include permission to audio-record lectures, extended library loans and library support and individual exam recommendations. The Adviser will also be able to tell you about what other support the University can provide and assist you in accessing this.

8 6 English Language Services for International Students (ELSIS) Through ELSIS there is free English language support for international students in every faculty within the University. ELSIS provides English classes and one-to-one tutorials for international students in every faculty during the autumn and spring terms, and one-to-one individual writing consultations during the third term and summer. Wherever you are based at the University, you can find help. All classes are delivered by qualified and experienced tutors. ELSIS is designed specifically to help international students get the most out of their time at the University. With better English you can read faster and more effectively, write better assignments and theses, and get more from lectures and seminars. This can lead to better results in exams and assignments. It also makes studying here more enjoyable, and leads to better employment prospects when you return home. For further information, please visit Faculty based Student Support Officers Each faculty has a Student Support Officer (SSO) who provides study skills support for all students within that faculty. They deliver both individual and group study skills sessions. You can book a one to one appointment for study skills support, or attend study skills workshop sessions. They also offer advice and guidance on general issues related to study and university life. For further information, please see the Student Services website sas/studentservices/ Skills Online This online resource offers advice on study skills techniques and can be accessed by all students at the university via Moodle, the University s online learning platform. It covers a range a topics, such as presentation skills, time management, academic writing, numeracy, exams and referencing.

9 7 Library Information Recommendations concerning Library support will usually be included in your Personal Learning Plan. The Library offers a range of support to disabled students; you can book a one to one appointment with your Subject Librarian, to discuss your library and information needs. They can support you in the following ways: You can have your one week loans issued for two weeks if they are not reserved. Help you use the library catalogue and find materials at the shelves. Talk you through using the Electronic Library to find journal articles for your assignments. You can access the Electronic Library on and off campus, using your university ID and password. If recommended, in your PLP, the Library staff can help with: Advance retrieval of material from the shelves. Please your Library Subject Enquires Team in advance. Help with photocopying. Photocopies can also be posted out to you. Copies of Library help sheets on different coloured paper, or in large print. Help with setting up your emergency evacuation needs. A list of contacts can be found on the Library s website at

10 8 Assistive Technologies The university has installed the following assistive software on student network PC s. Inspiration is a mind-mapping programme which is useful for students with Dyslexia or other conditions which affect the ability to organise ideas. TextHELP Read and Write is a programme which will read text on the screen. It can be used for proofreading as well as listening to other text, such as information on websites. Please see the useful documents section on the Learner Development website or ask for the leaflet A Guide to Assistive Technologies from the Learner Development Service about how to access these programmes. Career s Advice All students should make use of the career development workshops and other resources offered by the Careers and Employability Service, but you may have extra considerations when you are planning your career due to your disability or specific learning difficulty. Issues around the disclosure of disability to potential employers, information on ways to deal with any gaps in education, or work experience on your CV and application forms can all be discussed with a Careers and Employability Adviser. For specialist help, book an appointment with Marina by contacting the Careers and Employability Service on Appointments are also available at MMU Cheshire, by contacting For more information about the Careers and Employability Service: international-students.php Or for information about working abroad: careers/students-and-graduates/working-abroad.php Also, look at the disability pages on this website and go to the Blog for career news (click on Disability for news items of interest to disabled students).

11 9 Counselling Service The Counselling Service offers you the chance to talk to a professionally trained counsellor in a confidential setting about any personal problems you may have. Both individual and group counselling are available free to all students registered with the university. The Counselling Service also runs workshops and courses on issues such as relaxation, stress management, and confidence building. All the Counsellors work to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy. The service operates throughout the week at the All Saints Campus and at certain times on other campuses, term time only. You can contact them by telephone or counselling@mmu.ac.uk (they do not enter into correspondence but will telephone you back. Please leave your name and telephone number when you ).

12 Contact Details Learner Development MMU International Manchester Learner Development Service Employability Hub, Business School & Student Hub, All Saints Campus, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6BH Telephone +44 (0) Fax +44 (0) MMU Cheshire Student Services Laurence Building, MMU Cheshire, Crewe Campus, Crewe Green Road, Crewe, Cheshire, CW1 5DU Telephone +44 (0) This information is available in alternative formats, please contact the Learner Development Service on +44 (0) The Learner Development Service - May 2012