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An Assessment of Need is an assessment carried out by the HSE for children or young people with a disability. The assessment identifies your child's health needs and what health services are needed to meet your child's needs.

You don't have to get an Assessment of Need to access HSE services. You can apply directly to services outside of the Assessment of Need process.

The Assessment of Need is set out in the Disability Act 2005.

This page will explain who can apply for an assessment, how to apply for an assessment, what happens after the assessment is complete and how to complain or appeal if you are unhappy with your assessment report, Service Statement or provision of services.

If your child has a disability or you think they may have a disability, you can apply for an Assessment of Need.

The child or young person must be born on or after 1 June 2002.

An application can be made by a:

If you are aged over 16, you can apply for your own Assessment of Need.

Can I re-apply if my application was refused?

If your application was refused, you can ask for a new assessment if any of the following apply:

There has been a change in circumstances

Further information is available

You believe there was a factual mistake in the assessment report

Your application must be in writing. You can download the Assessment of Need application form (pdf) online and post it to your local HSE Assessment Officer.

You can also call your Local Health Office or the HSE information line on 1800 700 700 to get a copy of the application form

If you need help completing the application form, contact your local HSE Assessment Officer. They will help you to fill in the application form and give you whatever information you need.

What happens after I send in the application?

After you send in your application, you will get a letter from the HSE confirming they have received your application and the date when the assessment will start. The HSE must send you this letter within 14 days of your application.

Once the HSE receives your application in writing, they must start the assessment within 3 months and must finish the assessment within a further 3 months. An Assessment of Need starts when the Assessment Officer arranges the referral to the assessors, if needed.

In exceptional circumstances, the assessment may take longer than 3 months. If there is a delay in completing the assessment, you must be told the reason and given a timescale for when it will be completed.

What does the Assessment Officer do?

The Assessment Officer arranges for assessments to be carried out.

They will first carry out an initial review of your application. They will then contact you for more information that will help to show the nature and difficulty of your child's disability.

The Assessment Officer must then decide if an applicant is eligible for an Assessment of Need within the terms of the Disability Act.

If your child is eligible for an Assessment of Need, they will refer your child to HSE employees or other experienced professionals, known as assessors, to carry out the assessment.

What do the assessors do?

The assessors decide what health needs arise from your child's disability and what services are needed to meet those needs. The assessors do not give a diagnosis.

The assessment must be carried out in accordance with the standards for the Assessment of Need (pdf). Parents and legal guardians will be encouraged to take part in their child's assessment.

When the Assessment of Need is complete, the Assessment Officer writes an assessment report.

If your child is deemed to have a disability, the assessment report will be given to a Liaison Officer. The Liaison Officer will use the report to draw up a Service Statement (See 'What is a Service Statement' below)

If your child is not deemed to have a disability, you will still get an assessment report. You will not get a Service Statement.

The assessment report provides you with information on the health needs of your child. The report also lists the services your child needs.

If the report states your child has a disability, the following is included:

A statement of the nature and extent of the disability

A statement of the health and education needs arising from the disability

A statement of the appropriate services to meet those needs

A statement of the period within which a review of the assessment should be carried out (this must be no later than a year from the date the assessment report is issued)

You will get a Service Statement if your child is deemed to have a disability. A Service Statement lists the services the HSE proposes to provide to meet your child's needs.

It is prepared by a Liaison Officer and must be completed within one month of the assessment report being completed.

When preparing the Service Statement, the Liaison Officer considers both:

The costs and availability of services

The timescale for delivery of services

By law, the HSE must provide the services named in the Service Statement. The Service Statement must be clear and easily understood.

Who is entitled to services?

By law, the child or young person must have a 'substantial restriction' to be entitled to services following an Assessment of Need.

A substantial restriction means that the child or young person has a significant difficulty with communication, learning or mobility or significantly disordered cognitive processes.

The child or young person must also:

Have a restriction that is permanent (or likely to be permanent)

Need services to be provided continually

If the applicant is a child, there must be a need for services early in life to help their disability.

Who arranges delivery of health services?

After the Service Statement is complete, the Liaison Officer arranges the delivery of services with the different service providers.

If needs other than health (for example, housing or transport) are identified, the Assessment Officer can refer the matter to the relevant public body such as the local housing authority or public transport service.

You can make a complaint to the HSE under the Disability Act 2005 if any of the following apply:

Your child is found not to have a disability and you do not agree

The assessment is not done in line with the agreed standards (pdf)

An assessment is not started and completed on time

You believe that the Service Statement is incorrect

The services in the Service Statement are not being delivered

The complaint must be made within 3 months of when you became aware of the cause of the complaint.

The HSE will arrange for your case to be reviewed.

How do I complain?

If you would like to make a complaint you can contact the Disability Complaints Officer by submitting a complaint form. You can get a complaint form from your Assessment Officer, Liaison Officer or directly from the Disability Complaints Officer.

You can contact the Disability Complaints Officer by calling 045 880 400 or by e-mailing aon.complaints@hse.ie

How do I appeal?

If the HSE does not act on the recommendations of the Disability Complaints Officer, you can appeal to the Disability Appeals Officer or you can go to the Circuit Court to seek an enforcement order.

For more information about making an appeal, you can:

More information about the Assessment of Need is available on the HSE website.

You can read the Standards for the Assessment of Need (pdf).

Each Local Health Office has an Assessment Officer that can help you with your application. You can contact your Local Health Office by:

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Assessment of need for people with disabilities

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The Disability Act 2005 provides for the Assessment of Need for people with disabilities. Find out how the assessment is carried out.

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This document describes post-primary education for students with disabilities.

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The Most Common Disabilities Seen In School

Schools across the country have special needs students. These students fit into a number of categories. This is essentially because of the vastness of special needs issues. A special needs child is often considered disabled in some way. These are children who have mild learning disabilities or profound developmental problems. The umbrella of special needs includes some children that would not be considered in this way.

Special needs children do not always have learning disabilities however. Some of them simply have needs that must be planned for and addressed within their learning environment. These cases include severe food allergies, terminal illnesses, emotional concerns, and motor skill delays. Schools must be equipped in a number of ways to deal with the ramifications of these sorts of cases.

Most common disabilities, seen in schools, fall under developmental concerns. This too is a vast umbrella unto itself. Every child and every case is individually different. There are some children that function at high capacities no matter what their disability is. Then there are other children with very low capacities to function in a school setting.

Teachers, administrators, and therapists need to be aware of these children and their specific needs. This is where parental involvement is paramount. Parents are able to speak for the child and relay their individual needs. Schools and school systems are able to provide specific services for special needs students. Special education teachers have long supplied students with expanded learning opportunities.

These educators are able to use cognitive appropriate teacher resources, teacher worksheets, and lesson plans. These tools are patterned for children with developmental issues. Not all disabled children need special classes. And, not all of them are capable of completing such classes. Here is where individual treatment again becomes critical. Remedial classes may be all that is required for some children with disabilities.

In other cases, children are physically handicapped in some way. These children simply need adequate building codes to accommodate their disabilities. In many of these cases, students are able to perform their work normally. When every necessity is provided, most children can achieve their educational goals. Teachers, administrators, and parents must work together to make sure these issues are addressed.

Most communities are used to supplying necessary services to special needs students. These services could include center-based and home-based treatment. Therapists in a variety of areas work with these children. Their goal is to help them to perform at the optimum capacity. This may require work with motor skills, cognitive skills, and verbal skills. Often this type of treatment is ongoing. Over time it is possible to realize marked differences in both achievement and behavior.

Schools at all grade levels receive students with disabilities. This sometimes means that these students need age appropriate services or assistance. Once this help is in place student have much of what they need to thrive. Encouragement from parents and teachers are important in this process. Children with disabilities need more patience and understanding than the average student.

More Information On Special Education Disabilities

1. Dr. Thomas Armstrong

2. Teaching One Hand Typing and Keyboarding

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The Most Common Disabilities Seen In School

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Schools across the country have special needs students. These students fit into a number of categories. This is essentially because of the vastness of special needs issues. A special needs child is often considered disabled in some way.

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by Amie Thurber, Joe Bandy, and participants in the 2017-2018 Disability and Learning Learning Community at Vanderbilt University.

Cite this guide: Thurber, A., & Bandy, J. (2018). Creating Accessible Learning Environments. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved [todaysdate] from http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/creating-accessible-learning-environments/.

There are estimated to be 50 million people with disabilities in the U.S. today. Disabilities may be temporary, relapsing or remitting, or long-term. Although there are hundreds of distinct kinds of disabilities, we may group them into the following categories: physical disabilities, mental disabilities, and sensory disabilities. Disabilities are complex; they may be a source of stigma or shame and may also be a cherished part of a person's identity and the basis for meaningful community. The focus of this guide is creating inclusive and accessible higher education classrooms-beyond accommodation-for a range of students with disabilities

This guide is organized around the following sections:

Issues of accessibility in higher education have been shaped by ongoing theoretical debates. The most prominent perspectives are often described as the 'medical model' and the 'social model' of disability. Put simply, the medical model tends to focus on addressing the diagnoses of deficiencies and accommodations for a disabled individual, while the social model embraces disability as a difference and focuses on correcting systematic exclusions in institutions based in ableism-discrimination or prejudice against people with disabilities (for more, see Titchkosky, 2011). More recently, a third perspective, referred to as the 'cultural model,' has emerged. This model reframes disability as "a valuable form of human variation" (Hamraie, 2016, p. 260) The table below summarizes differences in the three perspectives:

Ultimately, these different perspectives on disability-as a problem, a difference, or valuable-inform the way questions of access are approached in higher education settings. Most colleges and universities function within a medical model of disability. Typically, to get an assistive technology or accommodation, disabled students must prove that they have a recently-diagnosed disability. These accommodations treat disability as a deviation from the norm. By contrast, if a university were to adopt a social or cultural perspective on disability, the goal would be to increase accessibility for all students, regardless of whether they have a formal diagnosis. The focus would be on accounting for human variation by design.

Person first or disability first language?

There are ongoing conversations and debates within Disability Studies and the Disability Rights Movement as to whether to use person first ("a person who is deaf") vs disability first language ("a Deaf person"). Both are responses to deficit-based views of disability. For some, person-first language is an important way to reclaim humanity. For others, the self-identification with disability culture is a meaningful counterpoint to stigmatizing disability. For a reflection on the debate related to person first/disability first language, see this blog post.

Further reading:

Titchkosky, Tanya. 2011. The Question of Access: Disability, Space, Meaning. University of Toronto Press.

Hamraie, A. (2016). Beyond Accommodation: Disability, Feminist Philosophy, and the Design of Everyday Academic Life. philoSOPHIA, 6(2), 259-271.

Linton, S. (1998). Disability studies/not disability studies. Disability & Society, 13(4), 525-539.

Miles, A. L., Nishida, A., & Forber-Pratt, A. J. (2017). An open letter to White disability studies and ableist institutions of higher education. Disability Studies Quarterly, 37(3).

Dunn, D. S., & Andrews, E. E. (2015). Person-first and identity-first language: Developing psychologists' cultural competence using disability language. American Psychologist, 70(3), 255.

The Disability Rights Movement

The Disability Rights Movement has shaped societal expectations regarding accessibility in higher education and the regulatory frameworks to which colleges and universities must comply.

Key historical moments in the Disability Rights Movement are highlighted below.

1940s-Disabled workers and veterans organize for recognition, access to the workplace

1950s-60s- First university programs for disabled students are established at University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, University of California, Berkeley, and other campuses.

1968-The Architectural Barriers Act requires accessibility in federal buildings. It is not enforced.

1970s- The de-institutionalization movement calls for the integration of disabled people into public life and removal from institutional segregation.

1973- The first piece of federal legislation protecting people with disabilities was the Federal Rehabilitation Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in federally funded programs, including colleges and universities. Seeks to enforce Architectural Barriers Act.

1975- The Education for All Handicapped Children Act-later renamed to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)-guaranteed access to public K-12 education for children with disabilities.

Transitioning to college

Although the federal government
has enacted legislation promoting accessibility in both K-12 and higher educational settings, much of the access guaranteed in K-12 does not extend to college. Further, while in K-12 educational settings, the student may have had a teacher, parent, or guardian who advocated for services, whereas in college faculty and administrators expect that students will advocate for themselves. For a useful overview of the differences, see this website.

1975- The Education for All Handicapped Children Act-later renamed to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)-guaranteed access to public K-12 education for children with disabilities.

1978- Disability activists stage successful "504 sit-ins" to demand compliance with federal disability rights laws after the Federal Rehabilitation Act is not enforced.

1990- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibiting discrimination on basis of disability in employment, public services, and public accommodation (including many areas of colleges and universities), with the goal of full participation of people with disabilities throughout society.

2008- In response to several Supreme Court cases that narrowly interpreted the ADA's definition of disability, Congress passed the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA). The purpose of the act is to ensure that the intended beneficiaries of ADA were being appropriately served by the law.

Disability rights and higher education

Today, three sets of laws regulate disability rights in higher education settings:

Title II of the ADA applies to public colleges that are operated by a state or local government.

Title III of the ADA applies to private colleges/universities/places of education.[2]

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act applies to places of education that receive federal funds.

These laws do not require colleges or universities to modify academic requirements considered essential to the curriculum, but they do set minimum expectations, including the following:

Note, what legally constitutes "meaningful access" may not be optimal access for a student. For example, a university may provide meaningful access to a blind student in a biology class by ensuring a readable version of the text is available. However, given the degree that biology relies on visual models, optimal access might include having tactile or 3-D versions of those models, something that may not readily be provided. Further, there is a high level of variability across institutions in the ways they meet these needs, as institutions are differently resourced and differentially prioritize accessibility. Some of the ways higher educational institutions may provide meaningful access include:

Provision of auxiliary aids or services (i.e. provision of a sign language interpreter or a screen reader).

Modification to nonessential academic requirements (i.e. allowing a student to complete an exam orally rather than in writing or have additional time to complete exams).

Reasonable adjustments to policies, procedures or practices (i.e., increasing number of allowable absences, exception to no-pet policy).

Ultimately, ensuring access is not simply an issue of legal compliance, but a reflection of an institution's commitment to creating educational settings in which all learners can participate, develop, and contribute.

For further reading, see:
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Though many disabilities are unreported, in 2018 there were more than 1000 Vanderbilt students who had registered over 100 different disabilities (out of ~12,000 students). Students with disabilities have several on-campus resources that may offer support.

VU Resources

Student Access Services: Provides disability services for qualified students. To determine eligibility, students apply for services through the Access Center. Specific documentation criteria and examples of common services can be found on the website.

Student Ability Alliance: A student-organized and student-led organization that discusses the importance of disability awareness.

Plant Operations: Responsible for facilities and grounds, Plant Operations is the office to which you may report accessibility concerns, such as:

inoperable automatic door openers

inoperable/missing audible crossings

debris/ice on sidewalks

Working with Students Enrolled through Next Steps

Vanderbilt University is home to Next Steps at Vanderbilt, a 4-year inclusive higher education program committed to providing students with intellectual disability inclusive, transformational postsecondary education in academics, social and career development, and independent living. Students enrolled through Next Steps complete course work with the assistance of academic tutors and customized "Independent Learning Agreement". To facilitate an authentic college and classroom environment for all, students enrolled through Next Steps are not accompanied by a peer mentor or staff member in the classroom. In addition to the information in this guide, instructors with students enrolled through Next Steps in their classes may benefit from some additional recommendations.

Hold High Expectations

Because college was not a viable option for students with intellectual disability until recent years, our students are eager learners with a high-degree of gratitude. Our students want to be a part of Vanderbilt University and a contributing member of a learning environment.

Our students are first and foremost full-time Vanderbilt students and just as other Vanderbilt students, we hold high expectations for our students in the classroom.

Students enrolled through Next Steps should be expected to participate in class discussions to the level that they are able, complete their assignments, come prepared and on time to class, and display appropriate college behaviors.

Look Forward to Reciprocal Benefits
Hosting a student enrolled through Next Steps is not only beneficial for the student, but equally valuable to his/her classmates. Traditional students are afforded the opportunity to work alongside students with diverse abilities and are exposed to different ways of thinking. Inclusive classrooms equip university students with more knowledge and experience working within a diverse and changing world.

Adopt Universal Design for Learning Approach

It is a myth that faculty have to provide extensive modifications because they have an inclusive classroom. However, much of what works well with students enrolled through Next Steps in the classroom, also will work well with traditionally enrolled Vanderbilt students. Refer to the section "Strategies for Creating Accessible Learning Environments" in this guide for details about UDL.

The main difference in an academic experience for students enrolled through Next Steps and their classmates comes down to the demonstration of knowledge. As a program, we work with our students, peer mentors, and faculty to develop a customized syllabus "Independent Learning Agreement". The student voice is essential in the development of these agreements.

We understand many courses offered at Vanderbilt are robust in nature with complex content being taught. Our students have support in grasping the main concepts of the course by partnering with academic tutors and following the customized "Independent Learning Agreement".

While our students do not receive traditional grades for their completion of a course, our program consistently evaluates and monitors students' progress to ensure students are meeting their program of study requirements for graduation.

Treat All Students Equal in the Classroom
Faculty should address any issues or challenges that arise just as they would for any other students enrolled in the classroom. It is important to note that our program is equipped to provide support to students and faculty to ensure a successful experience.

Disability History at Vanderbilt

Did you know...there are a number of significant people and initiatives connected to Vanderbilt University that have increased accessibility for people with disabilities?

Despite these accomplishments, Vanderbilt University-like many educational institutions-still has work to do to increase accessibility. For one student's reflection, see this 2017 editorial published in The Washington Post.
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Although Vanderbilt University encourages all students with disabilities who desire reasonable accommodations to seek services through Student Access Services, faculty have an essential role to play in making courses accessible and creating a climate of equity and inclusion. While individual needs are difficult to anticipate, there are many things professors can do to create inclusive and accessible environments for a wide diversity of learners. This guide reviews strategies in the following areas:

Most of the strategies highlighted in these sections reflect the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is an educational framework that emphasizes the use of flexible goals, methods, materials, and assessments in order to provide effective instruction to a diversity of learners. Rather than approaching accessibility as an afterthought or only on a case-by-case basis, UDL principles help instructors to design courses that address the needs of diverse learners from the start so that all students may benefit. For example, a note-taker is a common accommodation given to students with disabilities, however, in note-heavy classes, this may be beneficial to many students. Some instructors rotate the role of note-taker throughout the class as a way of creating a shared set of notes that all students can access.

Note, the strategies suggested in this guide are not exhaustive. For more recommendations, see:

Communication with Students

Creating open lines of communication with your students is essential. There are a variety of ways instructors can build a foundation for open communication:

Consider adding an "Inclusive Learning Statement" to your syllabus. Tulane University's Accessible Syllabus website offers the following example: "Your success in this class is important to me. We will all need accommodations because we all learn differently. If there are aspects of this course that prevent you from learning or exclude you, please let me know as soon as possible. Together we'll develop strategies to meet both your needs and the requirements of the course. I encourage you to visit the Office of Disability Services to determine how you could improve your learning as well. If you need official accommodations, you have a right to have these met. There are also a range of resources on campus, including the Writing Center, Tutoring Center, and Academic Advising Center." Reiterate your desire to help all students succeed by communicating a version of this statement aloud in the first week of class.
Note, the Accessible Syllabus website has many other helpful recommendations to create an accessible syllabus, including information on formatting, text, images, rhetoric, and other course policies.

When you receive notification from your campus disability services office that a student has requested accommodations in your course, reach out to the student individually, in private, to discuss how accommodations may work best for them. A student's disclosure of a disability is always voluntary and some students may feel nervous to disclose sensitive medical information to an instructor. Whether or not a student discloses details of their disability, you can discuss appropriate accommodations. In some cases, accommodations may be straight forward - such as providing an alternative testing location. Other situations may require ongoing brainstorming between the instructor and student. It can be helpful for an instructor to describe upcoming activities or assignments (particularly those not fully described in the syllabus) and ask the student what, if any, additional accommodations may be needed. As the course proceeds, it is helpful to check in with the student periodically. Not all needs can be anticipated in advance, and given the nature of some disabilities, needs may change over the course of a term. Ask the student, "How are the accommodations we have implemented working for you? Is there anything we should consider changing?"

When you make announcements in class, for example regarding changes in due dates or room locations, make sure to always send them in an email or online announcement as well.

Consider your course policies in the interest of creating an inclusive classroom environment. For example, do you have a no laptop policy in your classroom? If so, how might that negatively impact students with disabilities?

Physical learning spaces

Ensuring physical accessibility includes consideration of the building location, the classroom location (within a building), as well as the layout of the classroom, and classroom technologies (i.e. lighting, tables, seating, projection, white boards). When considering the physical accessibility of your class, keep in mind:

Changes in weather or campus activities can disproportionately impact students with mobility impairments. For example, sidewalks may be impassable due to snow or ice, piles of yard debris during landscaping, or equipment in place for a campus event. These may delay students or may present such a barrier that a student may need to participate remotely. As a best practice, if you notice an area that is inaccessible on campus (which also includes inoperable lifts, elevators, or audible crossings at crosswalks), let the plant operations department know immediately.

To the greatest extent possible, set up your classroom so that students with wheelchairs or service dogs have room to navigate into and around the class. For example, if the classroom is set up with workstations, consider leaving an open spot-without a chair-at multiple tables.

Engage your students in thinking about accessibility in your classroom. Some rooms may not have any moveable furniture, but present options in terms of lighting, sound, or size of text on presentation materials. Other rooms may be highly adaptable.

Moving classes at the last minute and changing classroom layouts can cause difficulty for a range of students, including those with mobility, sight, or hearing impairments, as well as people with anxiety. For example, students using guide dogs may spend up to a month before classes begin training their guide dog to navigate them to class, and to a particular seat within the class. Whenever possible, alert students in advance as to changes of location or room set up.

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Course materials

Ensuring accessibility of course materials includes consideration of 1) the course management system (i.e. Brightspace, Blackboard, etc.); 2) assigned reading materials, handouts, and presentations; and 3) audio or video used in class. Creating accessible materials takes time. It can necessitate learning new technologies and being creative when considering alternative ways to share information, and/or allow students to participate in class.

1. Course Management Systems

Many course management systems have built in accessibility features. For example, Brightspace (Desire2Learn) has screen reader accessibility features, keyboard-online navigation features, screen magnifiers, and design features to assist both students and instructors. To learn how to make your content more accessible to individuals who use screen readers or screen magnifiers, as well as individuals with colorblindness, click the "Check Accessibility" button in the bottom toolbar. This will provide you with warnings and ways to improve accessibility.

For those using other course management systems, please check with their helpdesk or campus consultants. Ultimately, it is an instructor's responsibility to get to know the accessibility features and limitations of their institution's course management system, and to take advantage of the tools that will allow their students to fully participate.

2. Course reading, handouts and presentation materials

It is important to make your syllabus and course materials available to students as soon as possible, so students who may need more time can begin accessing materials. The most common strategy for increasing accessibility of course texts (which include any assigned readings, presentations, and handouts) is providing versions that are readable, especially by screen readers. Most computers come equipped with a screen reader technology, which essentially converts printed text into auditory words to which the user can listen. For this technology to work, reading materials must be saved in a text file, such as a Word Document or Rich Text Format (RTF). Converting materials from PDF or PPT to readable text increases accessibility to a wide variety of learners, including people with learning disabilities, literacy difficulties, visual impairments, or people who multitask. You may find some readable text versions of your course materials are already available. In other cases, you may need to prepare them.

Importantly, text-reading-technology does have limitations. If there are graphics that are critical to the course materials (i.e. tables, graphs, or other images), you will need to find another way to share these with students who have sight impairments, for example by explaining figures in prose form, transferring the graphic onto a tactile surface, or creating a 3-D model of the figure.

Further reading: This 2018 special issue of Learned Publishing focuses on accessibility in publishing.

3. Audio & Video

Instructors increasingly utilize audio and video materials in class. Captions and descriptions are required by law (Section 508) to support students with disabilities, though as described below may benefit a wide range of learners. There are two types of technologies to increase accessibility to audio and video.

Converting audio (or audio portions of video) to text (e.g., closed captioning) can be done through computer-assisted-programs. Captioning video increases accessibility to a wide variety of learners, including people with learning disabilities, literacy difficulties, hearing impairments, or second language learners.

Creating audio descriptions of visual images is typically needs to be done by a person in real-time, or through use of a pre-recorded narrative. Audio descriptions of video increases accessibility to a wide variety of learners, including people with learning disabilities, literacy difficulties, and visual impairments.
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Classroom Climate

Students learn best when they feel respected, included, and that instructors are invested in their development. Students with disabilities can experience stigma, marginalization, and negative stereotypes from their peers and instructors. In Barbara Davis's Tools for Teaching, she explains that it is important for instructors to "become aware of any biases and stereotypes [they] may have absorbed...Your attitudes and values not only influence the attitudes and values of your students, but they can affect the way you teach, particularly your assumptions about students...which can lead to unequal learning outcomes for those in your classes" (2010, p. 58).

Strategies for creating an inclusive and welcoming classroom climate include:

Pay attention to your engagement with students. In courses where teacher/student ratio allows, endeavor to learn and use students' names. Use classroom engagement strategies that allow students to contribute in a variety of ways, for example, through online discussion boards, in-class discussions, and individual assignments.

Pay attention to and enable group interactions in the classroom. Use peer-to-peer engagement strategies that facilitate relationship-building, trust, and the creation of a learning community within the class.

Respond to microaggressions in the classroom. People with disabilities experience a multitude of everyday comments and behaviors that, while not intended to be hurtful, nonetheless can be stigmatizing, marginalizing, and/ or dehumanizing. Microaggressions ultimately communicate implicit assumptions and prejudices that can injure the targeted group, alienating them from their peers and the learning community faculty attempt to create. For instance, here are some microaggressions and the implicit biases they communicate:

"I don't know how you do it - I'd hate to be like you"

Your disability is not comprehensible
and is always a deficiency.

"You look so normal"

Your disability is not normal, and
you hide it well.

"You are so inspiring."

Your disability defines you;
you are deficient; and you are here for my inspiration.

It is important for instructors to be attentive to microaggressions in the classroom, to normalize inclusive and appropriate language, and to consider effective strategies for turning difficult dialogues into teachable moments.
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Out of Class Activities

Not all learning happens in the classroom. Does your course integrate lab work, field work, practicum placements, internships, service learning, or presentations in community based or academic settings? If so, it will be important to think about accessibility within these spaces as well. The Ohio State University's Composing Access website offers helpful guidelines for creating accessible events.

Conclusion

As Dr. Aimi Hamraie writes, "Meaningful access requires collective labor" (2016, p.266). The Center for Teaching is committed to partnering with students and instructors to increase accessibility of learning experiences at Vanderbilt University. Contact us for more information or assistance.
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[1] Each year, the Center for Teaching offers a number of topic-based Learning Communities intended for members of Vanderbilt's teaching community interested in meeting over time to develop deeper understandings and richer practices around particular teaching and learning topics. In 2017-18, the CFT was proud to host a year-long learning community on disability that explored principles of inclusive teaching, universal design for learning, instructional accommodations, as well as legal and cultural issues relevant to students and faculty with disabilities. This guide reflects a summary of the topics explored over the five-part series. This guide is an update to the Teaching Students with Disabilities guide developed by Danielle Picard.

[2] Note, ADA Title III offers an exception for "religious organizations or entities controlled by religious organizations, including places of worship." However, given that the Rehabilitation Act does not provide a religious exception, in practice the vast majority of higher education entities are regulated by one of these three sets of laws.

[3] For more on the problematic ways in which disabled people are regarded as inspiration, see Stella Young, " I'm not your inspiration, thank you very much." TED talk

This teaching guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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by Amie Thurber, Joe Bandy, and participants in the 2017-2018 Disability and Learning Learning Community at Vanderbilt University.1 Print Version Cite this guide: Thurber, A., & Bandy, J. (2018). Creating Accessible Learning Environments. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved [todaysdate] from http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/creating-accessible-learning-environments/. There are estimated to be 50 million people with disabilities in the...

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Universal Design for Learning at UL: UDL Theory into Practice

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework developed by CAST, an Understood founding partner. UDL guides the design of learning experiences to proactively meet the needs of all learners. When you use UDL, you assume that barriers to learning are in the design of the environment, not in the student. UDL is based on brain science and evidence-based educational practices. It also leverages the power of digital technology.

Imagine this: Your students are going to write an essay on the stages of butterfly metamorphosis.

Some students have seen butterflies grow through the different stages at a local science museum. These students are excited to share what they know. Other students don't know anything about butterflies and are nervous about writing on this topic. And some students don't like to write - they dread this activity from the moment you say "essay."

In any class, you know there's a wide range of enthusiasm, background, and skills among your students. When you plan with this range in mind, you can approach the lesson in several ways.

You could share a mini-lesson on butterfly metamorphosis and have students use a guided worksheet as they write. Or you could set up stations where students are grouped using flexible grouping around understanding of the topic, language ability, or reading level.

But take a step back. In any lesson or task, you can anticipate this range of variability among your students. There's another approach you can take to plan for this variability in all your lessons: Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Why use Universal Design for Learning?

The ultimate goal of UDL is for all learners to become "expert learners." Expert learners are purposeful and motivated, resourceful and knowledgeable, and strategic and goal-directed about learning.

UDL is a powerful approach because from the very start of your lesson, it helps you anticipate and plan for all your learners. It can help you make sure that the greatest range of students can access and engage in learning - not just certain students.

You don't need specific tools or technologies to follow UDL's principles either. Instead, your students choose from the tools and resources you already have. They might use them in different ways.

Also, UDL may change how you think about what prevents students from learning. Instead of thinking that something needs to change about the students, UDL looks at the learning environment. The learning environment can include barriers to learning, like the design of the curricular goals, assessments, methods, and materials. In this way, the learning environment itself can be "abled" or "dis-abled."

UDL gives you a framework to follow so you can reduce the barriers to learning. The main way to do this is to prepare a learning environment where students have what they need to flexibly meet learning goals.

What does UDL look like in the classroom?

Universal design can be found just about anywhere you look - both inside and outside your school. Curb cuts change sidewalks so that they're accessible to the greatest range of users, including people who use wheelchairs and those pushing strollers. Closed captions make television accessible to people who are deaf or who have hearing loss, as well as people at the gym or spouses who can't agree whether or not to keep the TV on at night. No two forms of universal design are the same.

Universal Design for Learning looks different in every classroom. But there are commonalities. To start with, there's always a focus on building expert learning for all. Other common elements of a UDL experience include:

All learners knowing the goal

Intentional, flexible options for all students to use

Student access to resources from the start of a lesson

Students building and internalizing their own learning

In a UDL environment, students rarely do the same task in the same way at the same time. The flexible options will differ across developmental ages. But the framework for having clear goals and flexible options is consistent no matter the grade level or content areas.

How can I use the three principles of UDL?

UDL describes human variability based on parts of the brain that manage the "why" (affective network), the "what" (recognition network), and the "how" (strategic network) of learning. Watch as CAST co-founder David Rose explains why UDL emphasizes variability instead of disability.

CAST developed UDL guidelines that are based on three main principles that align with these learning networks. The three UDL principles are engagement, representation, and action and expression.

The chart below includes the three UDL principles adapted from CAST. It also gives you some questions to consider and lists some examples of the principles in action. You can print a one-page version of this chart to have on hand while planning a lesson, activity, or routine for your students.

How can families support this at home?

Families may not be familiar with the concept of students being active participants in setting their learning goals. They may have questions about letting students make their own learning choices.

Explain at back-to-school night or in a class that you'll be using Universal Design for Learning. You can even share a family-friendly article about the UDL approach to teaching.

Assure families that you have high expectations for all students to become expert learners in your classroom. And explain that you'll keep working with the students and their families to build the skills and interest to make that happen.

Additional CAST resources to explore

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A teacher's guide

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UDL stands for Universal Design for Learning. When you teach using UDL, your lessons are designed in flexible ways to meet the needs of individual learners. Read more about UDL.

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Use the principles of Universal Design for Learning to anchor a strategy for collaboration in special and general education.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework developed by CAST to switch the focus from "fixing" students so they can be successful in the curriculum to fixing the curriculum so that it's accessible to more students at the outset. The UDL framework helps students become learners who are purposeful and motivated, resourceful and knowledgeable, and strategic and goal-oriented through three primary principles:

Multiple means of engagement (how students are motivated to learn);

Multiple means of representation (how information is provided with the content); and

Multiple means of action and expression (how students show what they know).

Principals can use UDL as an anchor philosophy for teaching and learning to support diverse student success in an ever-changing educational environment. When thinking about a schoolwide approach for UDL, principals will want to consider professional development (PD), collaboration, and inclusion. How can principals encourage the use of UDL schoolwide?

Provide extensive professional development in UDL for teachers and administrators. When reviewing research on the implementation of UDL, Virginia Commonwealth University researcher Monica Grillo found that a positive attitude toward UDL, driven by appropriate district-or buildingwide training in an inclusive school culture, is one of the most significant factors in sustaining implementation. Inclusive school culture features training for special education and general education teachers, with the outcome of collaboration and shared responsibility.

Administrators also need to be well-trained in UDL. Such training is not always part of administrative programs, so principals might need to participate fully in training provided to teachers. When administrators become knowledgeable about UDL, according to 2015's " Job Design: An Administrator's Guide to Supporting and Retaining Special Educators," it shows respect for the information and the implementation.

Use UDL principles in professional development. It is imperative for administrators and instructional leaders to "walk the talk" in implementing UDL. Providing professional development on UDL in a standardized, one-size-fits-all format is incongruous with what is expected from teachers, for example. If teachers are expected to provide multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression in the planning and delivery of instruction, then the PD provided to them should do the same.

Modeling within PD is an excellent way to show the principles of UDL in action. Start by offering multiple options for teachers to interact with the content. Books, podcasts, videos, and discussion groups offer choices that align with personal preferences and offer variety in learning. Allow for feedback through multiple methods such as online surveys, exit questionnaires, team and one-on-one meetings, and journaling.

Think about how you can stimulate engagement with the content. Allow teachers to work in groups or on their own. Hold up and spotlight the differences in how teachers implement UDL practices. Provide regular check-ins and encouragement.

Encourage UDL as a collaborative model. Special educators are often spread thin, and models for successful collaboration, such as co-teaching, are resource-​intensive and often unrealistic to expect in traditional schools. UDL offers a framework for successful collaboration between general and special education teachers that benefits all students. General education teachers and special education teachers can work through a process in which they look at the instruction and materials used together to identify barriers and solutions that can be deployed even when the special education teacher is out of the classroom.

UDL can also elevate a co-teaching situation. In " Universal Design for Learning: A Collaborative Framework for Designing Inclusive Curriculum," Xiuwen Wu describes general and special education teachers as principals' "copilots" in using UDL guidelines to collaboratively design the curriculum by anticipating and removing barriers.

Many times, co-teaching forces the special educator into the role of assistant, but this can change with the implementation of UDL and a variety of teaching and learning formats. Principals can lead a schoolwide effort to implement UDL as a means for designing and delivering instruction that meets the needs of all learners while increasing the effectiveness of inclusion for students with disabilities, but they must support the arrangement of the time required for planning.

Support UDL as a means for inclusion. One of the benefits of UDL is that it allows teachers to design and deliver instruction to meet the needs of all learners. UDL is best described as a "framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn," CAST says. Teachers can use UDL to design instruction that provides special education students with what they need and at the same time benefits all learners. UDL capitalizes on the concept that what is good for some is good for all.

As UDL becomes more widespread, the lines between what's required as support for special education students and instructional technology for all have blurred. Some of the tools we once used only to provide accommodations and modifications are the same tools we can use with all students under the umbrella of UDL. Think of it as an overlapping continuum: A student receiving special education services might have access to required assistive technology included in their individualized education plan (IEP), but the same tools can be used within UDL for all students.

For example, a student with an IEP might require the use of voice-to-text technologies to complete assignments, but within UDL's principle of multiple means of representation, the same option can be provided to all students. Or, a student might have the option to dictate responses through an IEP accommodation, and the teacher might allow all students to use the same format by creating a video answer, perhaps providing some students with added motivation.

In this way, the UDL framework increases opportunities to introduce inclusive practices. Teachers can plan for multiple means before the lesson instead of after, and students will see their peers accessing the curriculum and demonstrating knowledge in a variety of ways.

Differentiation is also included in that overlapping continuum, but it is important to know how UDL differs from differentiation. Both focus on changing the learning environment instead of changing the student, but UDL is preplanning on a macro level, without specific students in mind. UDL also leads students to make choices and become experts in their own learning. Differentiation is planning on a micro level: Teachers design instruction with specific students in mind, and the emphasis is not on student choice. Both are necessary and complementary, but using UDL first will often lessen the time needed to create differentiation.

When principals embed UDL into a schoolwide approach, its benefits are evident for teachers and students alike. UDL allows principals to design and deliver professional learning that follows the principles of UDL and allows for multiple means of engagement, representation, and action. It also ensures increased productivity through collaboration and increased inclusive practices that benefit all students.

Kiersten Hensley is an associate professor in the Department of Special Education at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Sally Huddle is assistant principal of Mount Garfield Middle School in Clifton, Colorado.

Copyright © 2023. National Association of Elementary School Principals. No part of the articles in NAESP magazines, newsletters, or website may be reproduced in any medium without the permission of the National Association of Elementary School Principals. For more information, view NAESP's reprint policy.

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Use the principles of Universal Design for Learning to anchor a strategy for collaboration in special and general education. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework developed by CAST to switch the focus from "fixing" students so they can be successful in the curriculum to fixing the curriculum so that it's accessible to more students at the outset.

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Article 24 of the UNCRPD places obligations on the Irish government to ensure that people with disabilities are not excluded from education on the basis of disability and can access education on an equal basis with others.

20 years after it was initially passed, the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (EPSEN Act) has yet to be fully commenced. In the current public consultation, Inclusion Ireland highlighted the immediate need to commence those parts of the Act that would entitle children to have:

An educational assessment of their needs.

The development of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is based on this assessment.

The delivery of education support is detailed in the plan. An independent appeal process.

Inclusion Ireland also highlighted the need to review parts of the Act that are contrary to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). This is especially true for section 2 of the Act that currently allows for exceptions to inclusive education "if not in the best interests" of both the child with special educational needs and in the best interest of other children with whom the child is to be educated.

In 2022, the Children's Ombudsman received over 1800 complaints, a third of these being about school or education issues. Bullying and special education provisions were the most common ones received. The Ombudsman highlighted the difficulty of tracking how money is spent due to the lack of clarity around Budget follow-up. He declared that" it is not possible to accurately say how much the State spends on children due to inadequate data gathering". Moreover, he criticised the way money was spent stating that "Last September the Government announced a phenomenal €11bn budget expansion for 2023, but so far this has not been directed towards the key supports and infrastructure needed by children"

Exclusion from school

Many children with additional educational needs face restrictions to their right to education while at school. The measures to restrict access to education can go from short school days or reduced timetables to permanent exclusion from schools. Many children on short school days are missing certain subjects partially or entirely and are being denied their legal right to education.
In 2019, Inclusion Ireland released a report on short days and their impact on children and families. According to this report:

One in four children with an intellectual disability or developmental disability such as autism has been put on short school days.

Half of the children put on short school days had that reduction for 20 days or more, with many suspensions extending to years without a medical reason and against their parent's wishes.

Most of these arrangements for short school days were made on the basis of a child's 'challenging behaviour' and without consulting experts outside the school.

As a result of experiencing short school days, children suffer significant feelings of anxiety and exclusion, and in many cases a desire to leave school entirely. As a result of short school days for their children, parents suffer mental and physical health problems, including loss of sleep, and a quarter have sought professional help from doctors and/or therapists for themselves.
Education, Behaviour and Exclusion, The experience and impact of short school days, on children with disabilities and their families in the Republic of Ireland
In our survey this year for Pre-Budget 2024, 27% of the 250 respondents who have a child with an intellectual disability indicated that their children have been attending/were attending school on a reduced timetable or for a shorter school day. 2% of the respondents mentioned that their children have been expelled from school in the past.

Read more about our Budget 2024 Submission here.

At Inclusion Ireland we call for:

The amended EPSEN Act is supported by a multi-annual and fully costed plan to move towards a fully inclusive model of education over the next 10 years. This would entail:

Reduction of class sizes to under 20 pupils by reducing teacher/pupil ratio.

Availability of therapeutic supports within school environments. This is almost non-existent at present. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is given annual funding for 39 therapy posts each year as part of the School Inclusion Model (SIM). We call for this funding, at a minimum, to become regularised in budget 2024 and for a pathway to be created towards the wider rollout. Children with higher support needs (no matter where they go to school) should be able to access therapies.

Provision of comprehensive, rights-based training for teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) this should include universal design for learning, rights-based approaches for supporting children in crisis and how to make sure the school environment is accessible for all children.

Funding to train educators and school staff against the use of seclusion. Restraint should never be used as an intervention with a child as it breaches their fundamental rights.

Provision of career guidance to disabled children across all settings. Additional SNAs in mainstream schools.

You can read more about your right to education in our resource section here.

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Championing inclusive education for all. Discover our initiatives at Inclusion Ireland. Join us in promoting equal learning opportunities.