Assistive Technology

Meeting the Needs of Students with Disabilities in Post-Secondary Education

Paul Leung, Janet Owens, Gayle Lamb, Kaye Smith, Jenny Shaw & Renee Hauff

Institute of Disabbility Studies
Deakin University

99/6

November 1999

Evaluations and Investigations Programme Higher Education Division Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs

©Commonwealth of Australia 1998
ISBN 0 642 23944 4
ISBN 0 642 23945 2 (online)
DETYA No. 6412HERC99A

This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without permission from AusInfo. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Manager, Legislative Services, AusInfo, GPO Box 84, Canberra ACT 2601.

The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs.

Executive summary

The purpose of this study is to explore assistive technology (AT) use by students with disabilities in post-secondary education settings through a literature review and a survey. The survey was designed to identify current practice and what students with disabilities who use AT, Disability Liaison Officers, and AT service providers believe to be issues and concerns.

The study is considered to be a first step in looking at AT use in post-secondary education within an Australian context.

Aims

• to identify issues surrounding the use of AT which exist for students, university and TAFE staff including Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs) and Information Technology Services (ITS) staff, as well as for the suppliers of AT;

• to investigate the AT-related needs of students with disabilities and the barriers to provision of AT to tertiary students with disabilities;

• to identify useful AT for students with specific disabilities;

• to identify current examples of effective and cost-efficient strategies related to the use of AT in support of tertiary students with disabilities; and

• to make recommendations on ways to better support the technology needs of tertiary students with disabilities.

Conclusions

Assistive technology is and will remain important in providing access to post-secondary education for some students with disabilities. It ranges from the relatively simple and inexpensive to extensive overhauls of computing infrastructure. In the longer term, the most cost-effective approach is to incorporate the provision of AT within a broader strategy to make general technology such as computers more accessible to all students.

At present, access by students to AT depends mainly on knowledge acquired haphazardly by DLOs. The role of academic staff with knowledge of students’ requirements is also important.

The literature review and the survey agreed about which issues were most important for students. There are vast inconsistencies between educational institutions and sometimes within them in dealing with these issues. However, constant technological change and the many contextual variables make it impractical to endorse a single model for service delivery.

Problems have been found with the funding of AT and with the transition to employment or to further education and training, when access to AT may be lost. Continuing implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act may change this.

Recommendations

The report recommends:

Policy

That national policy on assistive technology be developed to encourage all post-secondary institutions to adopt the following key practices:

principles of universal design for technology will be adopted to ensure that the assistive technology needs of students with disabilities can be met primarily through mainstream provision of technology; and

where necessary, students with disabilities will have access to appropriate educational support through assistive technology.

Assessment of Assistive Technology Needs

That students with disabilities be assessed in relation to their assistive technology needs by appropriate educational authorities before enrolment in post-secondary institutions.

That people involved in the assessment of assistive technology needs of students with disabilities have access to continuous, appropriate training and be designated as assessors.

That training in assessment of assistive technology needs of students with disabilities be developed at a national level by appropriate educational authorities.

That Disability Liaison Officers be trained in the use of assistive technology by their post-secondary institutions.

That other academic and support staff be trained in the use of assistive technology in the context of their course objectives by their institutions.

That staff of institutions’ Information Technology Service units in post-secondary institutions undertake awareness training about the needs of students with disabilities.

That professional development units be established in post-secondary institutions to provide ongoing training to staff.

That in relation to assistive technology, the process of identifying the needs of students with disabilities, the provision of training and support and the provision of technology be met through institutions’ own service delivery systems and resources.

That the only exception to this principle is in the case of students with severe disabilities, whose needs may be met partly through service delivery outside the post-secondary setting.

Coordination

That a clearinghouse be established for the dissemination of information concerning assistive technology needs of students with disabilities, and that this information include a comprehensive inventory of assistive technology currently used by students with disabilities.

That the clearinghouse be used to encourage collaboration between students with disabilities, academic and support staff and service providers in relation to the assistive technology needs of students with disabilities.

Funding

That post-secondary institutions set aside, in a national pool, a percentage of funds of Information Technology Service funds (approximately 1-2 per cent) to meet the assistive technology requirements of students with disabilities. This would ensure that all students with disabilities have equal access to resources, regardless of the geographical location or size of their institution.

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