AHEAD - Good Practice Guidelines
Good Practice Guidelines
AHEAD, with the support of the Higher Education Authority, produced ‘Good Practice Guidelines’ for the provision of supports and services for students with disabilities in higher education. The guidelines aim to promote understanding of the needs of students with disabilities throughout higher education and help to promote inclusive practice across institutions. Included in the guidelines are practical examples, case studies and recommendations.
The initial starting point for the development of these guidelines was a review of materials submitted to the National Access Office as part of its Evaluation of Access Programmes in Higher Education in Ireland (2006). The information submitted by third level institutions provided an overview of the kinds of supports and services currently in place for students with disabilities and also included case studies and examples of good practice. This review of material was followed by visits to various colleges around the country to explore the good practices described in the reports in more detail.
The provision of services to students with disabilities at third level remains inconsistent and therefore the guidelines have been developed with a view to creating a somewhat better understanding of the needs of students with disabilities and will be a useful resource for a range of personnel working within the sector.
The guidelines identify best practices for including students with disabilities in higher education. It aims to support staff and institutions in creating inclusive teaching and learning environment for students with disabilities. It includes information on best practices in meeting the legislation requirements as well as practical tips for services offered by the access and/or disability service of institutions along with the library services and careers services.
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