Supporting students with a disability at the KU Leuven
Myriam Van Acker Award 2010 for Leadership in the Disability Community
On 20 July, Joachim Klaus was awarded the triennial Myriam Van Acker Award. The prize is named after Myriam Van Acker (1946-2003), who pioneered equal opportunities and the full participation of students with a disability, not only at KU Leuven, but also nationally and internationally. Joachim Klaus is the director of the ‘Studienzentrum für Sehgeschädigte’ at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT - Universität Karlsruhe). Both in Germany and internationally, he has contributed enormously to equal opportunities for students with a visual disability. The prize was awarded at the ‘7th International Conference on Higher Education and Disability’ (20 – 23 July 2010) in Innsbruck, Austria.
Studying with a disability doesn’t have to be a problem. On the contrary, the KU Leuven has a tradition of supporting students with a disability in order to guarantee equal opportunities to achieve their educational, personal and vocational goals.
What do we mean by ‘disability’?
At the KU Leuven we distinguish 6 groups of disabilities:
- hearing impairment
- vision impairment
- physical mobility disability
- chronic illness
- learning disabilities (including dyslexia, dyscalculia,…)
- psychiatric disabilities (including Autism Spectrum Disorders or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD))
From a social model perspective we want to define ‘disability’ in terms of a ‘handicap situation’, meaning a reduced accomplishment of life habits as a result of complex interactions between personal factors (personal characteristics such as impairments) and environmental factors.
Description of the personal characteristics (disability as a (permanent or temporary) loss on the level of bodily functions) is based on the ICF or International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health of the WHO).
How do we support students with a disability?
Every student with a disability with a specific need will be assigned to a Disability Officer of the Service for Students with Disabilities.
This Disability Officer will support the students in different steps:
- information about the range of support to assist students with a disability both on the level of studies and student life,
- assessment of impacts of the disability on curricular and non-curricular levels, in collaboration with the student and the responsible staff of the faculty programme and/or university services,
- introduction to the faculty (lecturer, ombudsperson, etc.) or class (students) - application and co-ordination of facilities or reasonable adjustments (e.g. notetaking, examination arrangements, educational materials, assistive technology,…),
- empowerment and personal support to the students with a disability
To have access to this support, it is important that students disclose their disability to the Disability Officer. Students will be asked to provide (medical) documentation or attestation that verifies the disability. Confidentiality will be guaranteed.
The Service for Students with Disabilities also supports university staff to make the learning environment more accessible for all kind of students. The KU Leuven policy is working towards inclusive education in the long term, by improving facilities and accomodation for certain target groups in the short term.
Contact
The Service for Students with Disabilities
Van Dalecollege
Naamsestraat 80, bus 5415 (Google map)
3000 Leuven
Tel. +32 16 32 43 11
Fax +32 16 32 43 30
E-mail: studfunctiebeperking@dsv.kuleuven.be
