08/09/05 - Disabled Students' New Rights

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) now obliges colleges and universities to make their buildings accessible.

The DRC says that too many disabled students do not apply for places because access is so poor.

Research was conducted in 2002 among young disabled people and showed that almost a third of this who chose not to enter higher education felt that they were being prevented from doing so because of access.

This is the latest part of the process of applying disability legislation to further and higher education.

In 2002 a fairer admissions procedure was introduced, and in 2003 institutions had to provide extra services like large print and sign language interpreters.

Large sums of money have been made available specifically to improve disabled access.

Some of the most challenging institutions to make accessible are the older universities which own ancient buildings, for example,  the University of Oxford has more than 200 buildings, 36 of which are listed.

While disabled students will now be able to go to court to have their rights upheld, the sector is bracing itself for an even more profound change next year.

From 2006 establishments covered by the current legislation will have a duty to eliminate discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people.

So the onus will shift from individuals having to prove that they have been discriminated against to providers having to show that they are treating people fairly.