UCL Disabled Students' Network Report: Improving Disabled Access and Support at UCL
The second article of the DSN report series discusses the social model of disability and investigates the work being done to improve disabled access at UCL.
Source: UCL Imagestore
DSN report and SoRA documents
The Disabled Students’ Network (DSN) report demystifies the legal jargon of the 2010 Equality Act and reinforces how it’s the duty of a university to consider tentative reasonable adjustments as soon as it’s brought to their attention that a student has a disability. The anticipatory nature of this response means that if any personal, medical, or academic difficulties were to arise at any point as a student progresses through their degree, prearranged adjustments can be enforced immediately. Crucially, this alleviates some of the burden on the student who may be too unwell to engage with support services.
The DSN coined the acronym PACT to summarise the ideal support service model for disabled students: one that is preventative, accountable, collaborative, and transparent. The first point reiterates the prior assertion that adjustments must be pre-emptive, serving as a safety net that ensures that students with a preexisting condition are not put at any disadvantage (although, it must be noted, an official diagnosis is not a prerequisite for disability support). In line with UCL’s academic policy, these adjustments are detailed in a Summary of Reasonable Adjustments (SoRA) document. However, according to the responses elicited from the DSN report, it’s evident that the current process of putting a SoRA into place is all too often ineffective.
A reoccurring issue was with the suitability of the adjustments that were made. For example, one part-time student stated that they had been advised by their course administrator to attend university four days a week to overcome the problem of missing lectures that were not recorded on the virtual learning platform, Lecturecast, however, this wasn’t possible due to the immobilising nature of the student’s disability. Another student reported that they had been told that undergoing chemotherapy didn’t qualify as a long-term health condition, and as a result, they were denied any form of exam adjustments. This is absolutely heartbreaking feedback to hear and, of course, completely unacceptable.
Whether it be insensitivity or ignorance of the law undermining the quality of student support services offered at UCL, the DSN has pressed for greater training on how to assist students with more complex needs. Poor coordination and a lack of expertise have led to inappropriate adjustments, delays in setting up a SoRA, and adjustments that are not relayed to the appropriate academic staff, meaning that students are not receiving the support that they need when they need it.
The report describes interdepartmental communication as “woefully lacking” and notes that change has not been forthcoming because of the red tape that’s been involved in the DSN’s attempts to follow up on recommendations made to UCL. Clearly, there’s a need for a robust system in which information is exchanged between staff on a need-to-know basis, instead of UCL depending on students to chase up staff about reasonable adjustments that haven’t been put into place due to administrative oversights.
Accessibility best practices
In their efforts to advocate for institutional reform, the DSN outlined a series of best practice examples in their report to illustrate how their recommendations can be put into practice. The 2019 Office for Students brief, Beyond the Bare Minimum, spotlighted the University of Warwick’s sensory study rooms as a good example of how to create accessible spaces. The study rooms, which can be booked on the library website, are equipped with different types of lighting, seating, and resources, such as bubble tubes, bean bags, and wobble cushions. Relaxation music and headphones are also available, as well as yoga mats and sensory objects. Importantly, there’s the opportunity for students to provide feedback on the study rooms and make suggestions for how they can be improved.
The social model of disability
By designing spaces on campus that are mindful of the needs of a diverse student population, the University of Warwick doesn’t perceive disabled students' differences as a problem to be solved, but rather as a reflection of the need for inclusive environments that remove barriers and promote equal access to education.
The social model of disability is a perspective that sees disability as a result of societal barriers and discrimination, rather than an inherent trait or an individual’s impairment. It emphasises that society's attitudes, environments, and systems are responsible for creating disability by hindering access and inclusion. The model promotes the removal of these barriers, advocates for the empowerment of individuals with disabilities, and focuses on creating an inclusive society that accommodates diverse needs.
The social model of disability challenges the prevailing belief that it’s an individual’s disability that’s holding them back, as this leads to disabled people being unfairly stigmatised as lacking self-sufficiency, autonomy, and choice in their lives. Instead, the social model of disability shifts the focus onto the needs of disabled people and calls for the integration of inclusive measures into public spaces, workplaces, and educational settings, aiming to create more accessible and equitable environments for all.
This article was written with the help of former Pi Media member Matilda Singer.