Disability and Reasonable Adjustments

An Inclusivity Theme Page

Introduction

Firstly, some perspectives on disability in university :

1. Conceptualising Disability

Figure: The nine protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010

The UK Equality Act (2010) defines the nine protected characteristics illustrated in the figure above, and also defines disability:

You are disabled if you have: a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. ‘Substantial’ is more than minor or trivial; ‘long-term’ means 12 months or more.

The Equality Act 2010 applies to all sectors of education, including Higher Education, and defines our responsibilities to provide accessible, anticipatory education for all (see the Supporting Disabled Students section, below).

Models of Disability

How we conceive of disability will impact how we design and deliver our teaching, and how we respond to disabled students in Cardiff University. There is a vast literature on Disability Studies, which has developed as a discipline alongside new ideas about the nature of disability since the 1970s. The two key concepts are explored below, with further detail and models in the Deeper Dive Section, at the end of the page, should you wish to deepen your understanding. You can also read a summary of the developments in Dan Goodley’s Disability Studies book (2017), in the reference list.

The Medical Model of disability is prevalent in the UK, and conceives of disability as intrinsic to the individual, caused by physical, sensory or medical impairment, and a ‘condition’ in need of treatment. This leads to medically-dominated provision of services, based around diagnoses, with an aim to ‘normalise’ individuals through therapeutic intervention.

The Social Model of Disability challenges these medicalised assumptions, and suggests that while impairment is the condition, such as lacking a part or all of a limb, having a defective limb, organ or part of the body, disability is identified separately, being defined as ‘the disadvantage or restriction of activity caused by contemporary social organisation which takes no or little account of people who have impairments and thus excludes them from the mainstream of social activities.’

Disability and Higher Education

If we apply the social model to higher education, we can appreciate that disability is created by the traditional processes, procedures and practices of learning, teaching and assessment. It is also created by our organisational processes and methods of communication.

These processes, procedures and practices create barriers to learning and attainment for our disabled students. For example a requirement for a diagnosis or assessment prior to an adjustment to teaching practice or assessment would be an illustration of the medical model, whereas flexible, inclusive or universally-designed learning would be an example of the social model.

UCAS (2022) completed a detailed study of disabled students in higher education, tracking the changes to the population since 2012. They found:

• Issues in under-representation: one in five working-age adults in the UK are disabled, compared to one in seven HE students
• The most prevalent category: more than a third (35%) of disabled applicants shared a learning difference (e.g. dyslexia or dyscalculia) – the most commonly shared category, representing 5% of all UK applicants
• Significant changes in the needs of students: Since 2012, the greatest increases in people feeling able to share their needs have been seen for mental health conditions (+453%) and social, behavioural or communication impairments (+249%).

Figure: Numbers of disabled students by category 2012-2021 (UCAS 2022)

Similarly, in Cardiff University, the number of disabled students has risen over the last 5 years. Cardiff University Staff can find data on Disability and Reasonable adjustments here.

Thus an effective, supportive approach to our students who are disabled is crucial, to ensure we remove barriers to learning and ensure all students can achieve their potential.

There is extensive further research on the gaps, experiences and outcomes for disabled students: to explore more, read the Research Findings on Disability and Higher Education section, in the Deeper Dive, at the end of the page.

2. Supporting Disabled Students in Cardiff University: Legislation, Policy and Practice

Higher Education Institutions have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to prevent discrimination, harassment, and victimisation. A recent large scale research report identified that only 36% of students who have had any support approved by their university have all that support put in place (Disabled Students UK 2023).

Where it might put disabled students at a substantial disadvantage, we have a legal duty to existing students, applicants, and former students to make reasonable adjustments to:

• provision, criterion or practice
• physical features of the building or premises and
• information, to ensure it is provided in an accessible format.

The duty is anticipatory and continuing, regardless of whether you know that a particular student is disabled or whether you currently have any disabled students. You should not wait until an individual disabled student approaches you before you consider how to meet the duty (EHRC 2014).

There are therefore two approaches to meeting the needs of disabled students:

A. Inclusive Learning and Teaching

B. The legal obligation to meet identified Reasonable Adjustments for individual disabled students.

A. Inclusive Learning and Teaching

Inclusive education requires a continuum of supports that reaches from the classroom to support services, and which incorporates the provision of reasonable adjustments. We need to consider firstly the bottom layer, our universal design of teaching, and then our signposting and interaction with the higher levels.

Figure: UDL and the Continuum of Supports (AHEAD 2023)

LEVEL 1: THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS: With the incorporation of inclusive education principles into the mainstream practice of the institution, the majority of students can have a successful learning experience without additional support.

LEVEL 2: STUDENTS WITH SIMILAR NEEDS: In some cases, students with similar needs who required additional support can have support provided in a group setting. Examples of this would include group learning support sessions for mature students, and examinations in alternative venues for students needing extra time or a quiet environment.

LEVEL 3: INDIVIDUAL ACCOMMODATION: Individual accommodations or adjustments remain a very important part of an inclusive institution. Some students require individual supports such as Assistive Technology or flexibility with examination deadlines which enable them to participate fully in the learning experience.

LEVEL 4: PERSONAL ASSISTANT: Sometimes students might have the need for more personal, professional supports, in addition to individual accommodations like those outlined in Level 3. For example, students with certain disabilities may require the use of a personal assistant on campus, or, in an exam setting, a reader or scribe.

So what can you do? Inclusive Practice

Start with inclusive, universal design: what can you do to make changes to your practice that are available to all students?

Whilst reasonable adjustments are a legal obligation under the Equality Act, using inclusive approaches benefits all. For example:

• providing all resources such as PowerPoints, documents or readings 48 hours in advance may be a reasonable adjustment for a student with dyslexia, but will also help those with English as an additional language
• providing recordings of the session may be a reasonable adjustment for students with a condition causing problems with note-taking or attendance due to disability, but will also support those who cannot attend due to short- or long-term health conditions, and those with caring responsibilities or employment.

Using inclusive approaches for the whole cohort also benefits us: where we provide universally, less time is taken in the administration of individual requirements, and the crisis-management of individual issues.

Cardiff University Reasonable Adjustments

Take a look at this snapshot of Cardiff University reasonable adjustments from December 2022

If we follow just these five core practices for inclusive education, our numbers of reasonable adjustments would be significantly reduced!

When considering making our practice inclusive, we could use the approach of  Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which creates a learning environment designed for a diversity of learners, rather  than  retrospectively  making  adaptations  to  accommodate  specific students.  UDL  builds  flexibility  in  the  core  curriculum  through  multiple  means  of representation, action and expression and engagement.

Figure: Universal Design for Learning (CAST 2024)

You can read more about Universal Design for Learning on this toolkit page

Try this exercise to develop your skills in designing for inclusive practice, before clicking to reveal the model answer below.

B. Reasonable Adjustments

Whilst inclusive practice can meet the learning needs of a large number of students, there will always be some changes to practice that are required to meet the unique specific needs of  individual disabled students. For example, access to recordings of lectures is the most common reasonable adjustment, and therefore if this is available to all students, a number of diverse students will benefit, and a great deal of work is saved in administration. Providing paper handouts in large print, however, would only be required if you had a visually impaired student in the cohort.  

Making reasonable adjustments to teaching practice, and to the organisation of programmes and assessments, is a legal obligation under the Equality Act 2010. You can find more detail on the Reasonable Adjustment Policy intranet page, which has links to the policy, guidance on inclusive practice and reasonable adjustments for teaching Staff, and those who work with postgraduate research students, and further information.

If you want to learn more, you can sign up for our CPD workshops: Disability, Dyslexia and Inclusive Education; Disability and Reasonable Adjustments for PGR students; Accessibility and Digital Education; and an Introduction to Inclusive Education.

You can also visit our drop-in sessions, if you have questions or queries about the policy, reasonable adjustments in general, or inclusive practice for disabled students.

What support is available for disabled students in Cardiff University?

In addition to ensuring your design, teaching and support of students meets their needs and reasonable adjustments, you may want to support students to access the wealth of services available from the Student Life teams. If you are unsure which service may be of benefit, recommend the student visit the Student Connect team, online or in the Centre for Student Life, who will ensure they reach the correct services.

• Assessment for Disabled Students Allowance (benefit which may fund equipment, increased general allowances, or non-medical support)
• Assessment of learning need and some forms of screening (for example, for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia)
• Study skills tutors, and specialist tutors (eg for autistic students)
• Student mentoring and peer support
• Access arrangements and reasonable adjustments
• Wellbeing support and Counselling services
• Student Connect Team: one-stop hub for all student needs, based in the Centre for Student Life

3. Focus on Conditions

Individuality and Intersectionality

Before reading on to explore the range of learning needs or impairments students may have, it is important to consider the challenges of labels and categorisation, and their intersection with other aspects of diversity.

Despite an identical label, two students with the same condition will not have the same learning needs, experiences or outcomes. For example, while two students may both be identified as being dyslexic, they will have differing strengths and challenges – one may struggle with spelling, while the other may struggle with organisation and structuring of assignments.

In addition, other aspects of diversity will impact on their interaction with their learning and the university. For example, those who are first in their family to go to university are less likely to understand their rights to adjustments, or to confidently access support, adjustments or accommodations (Bunbury 2020).

Click on the title below to access more detail on each of the range of conditions, which includes consideration of the lived experience of students, key recommendations for teaching strategies for this group, and access to further information.

---

4. Deeper Dive

Section 1: Models of Disability

Figure: Medical Model of Disability (IASC 2019)

As summarised in the introduction to this page, the medical model of disability is prevalent in the UK, and conceives of disability as:

• Intrinsic to the individual
• Caused by physical, sensory or medical impairment
• A ‘condition’ in need of treatment

This leads to medically-dominated provision of services, based around diagnoses, with an aim to ‘normalise’ individuals through therapeutic intervention.

Charity, Tragedy or Moral Model

A related understanding is the tragedy model, often used in adverts and fund-raising, where the tragic ‘victim’ is seen as deserving pity and help, or if the person is portrayed as ‘over-coming suffering’, they become the inspiring role-model.

The Social Model of Disability

Figure: Social Model of Disability (IASC 2019)

The frequently cited landmark in the development of disability theory was the publication of the Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation (UPIAS) document Fundamental Principles of Disability in 1976:

‘In our view, it is society which disables physically impaired people. Disability is something imposed on top of our impairments, by the way we are unnecessarily isolated and excluded from full participation in society. Disabled people are therefore an oppressed group in society.’ (UPIAS 1976: 3)

Impairment is the condition … lacking a part or all of a limb, having a defective limb, organ or part of the body

Disability is identified as separate from impairment, with disability being defined as ‘the disadvantage or restriction of activity caused by contemporary social organisation which takes no or little account of people who have impairments and thus excludes them from the mainstream of social activities.’

There have been challenges and extensions to the medical and social models of disability, and the field is constantly expanding to respond to modern conditions and circumstances.

Post-Structuralist Models of Disability

A number of scholars have noted that the Social Model appeared to become a ‘sacred cow’ in that any debate about its veracity was seen by activists to reflect discriminatory attitudes and to support medicalised, essentialist notions of disability. Post-modernists argued that the Social Model ignored actual impairment, and therefore failed to acknowledge issues of embodiment.

Some such as Shakespeare argued that the binary opposition of impairment (as physical) and disability (as social) fails to address the social nature of physical impairments, or the practical reality that a disability is caused by impairment (Shakespeare 2006: 34). Post-structuralist accounts incorporate more complex theories of the subject, and claim that ‘the meta-narrative of disabled people does not recognise diversity within the category of disability, and the significance of the intersection of disability with other axes of inequality, such as gender or race : the issue of intersectionality, power and privilege (Shakespeare and Corker 2002:15).

Figure: The Wheel of Power and Privilege ((Duckworth 2019)

The Social Relational Model

In Thomas’s (1999) synthesised account of disability, it is the interaction between impairment and disability in a social setting which creates oppression.

Disability is a form of social oppression involving the social imposition of restrictions of activity on people with impairments and the socially engendered undermining of their psycho-emotional wellbeing (Thomas, 1999: 7). Disability only comes into play when the restrictions of activity experienced by people with impairments are socially imposed. Thomas conceptualised impairment as having both a physical dysfunction dimension and a socially constructed dimension. She conceived disability to be the restrictions to daily living caused by both the impairment and the social arrangements which result in the oppression of disabled people, and drew on feminist theorists to extend the definition to include the psycho-emotional dimensions of disability.

Further Developments of the Theoretical Models

For an excellent summary of the development of Disability Theory beyond the above models, including consideration of global models which acknowledge variation in ideas beyond a Westernised perspective, read Dan Goodley’s introductory chapter from his book, Disability Studies: An Interdisciplinary Introduction  (2017, pages 1-21). This encompasses four over-arching models of disability: social, minority, cultural and relational, which begin the process of decolonising the discipline, and paying attention to under-represented approaches.

Section 2: Research Findings on Disability and Higher Education

Morina (2017: 5) completed a detailed systematic literature review of the issues for disabled students, and summarised the lived experience detailed in the research: ‘These students’ paths are frequently very difficult, somewhat like an obstacle course, and students even define themselves as survivors and long-distance runners’. The author highlighted the key findings across many studies:

• negative attitudes displayed by teaching staff
• architectural barriers;
• inaccessible information and technology;
• rules and policies that are not actually enforced
• teaching methodologies that do not favour inclusion

In addition, she highlighted the low disclosure rate for ‘hidden disabilities’. She found that students’ perceptions about hidden disabilities are closely related to the concept of ‘normality’, and they may choose non-disclosure if they desire to be considered and treated as ‘normal’. They may also choose not to share their disability if they feel that disclosure would place them at a disadvantage or they the fear being stigmatised or labelled, or simply because they think they have no special needs or disability. She also found that universities are still largely driven to provide individual reasonable adjustments, particularly in relation to learner support services, rather than universal, inclusive provision (Collins et al. 2019: 1485).

BUT most significantly, outcomes in most categories were found to be similar to non-disabled peers: it is the lived experience, and the journey through the university, through teaching practices, attitudes, resits, interruptions of study, or the challenges of extenuating circumstances, which creates the disadvantage and exclusion of disabled students.

There were three key topics across a number of studies: attitudes of the faculty members towards disabled students; faculty training in disability and inclusive education; and universal design for learning strategies (Morina 2016; Collins et al, 2019).

• Attitudes: Research shows that in the main academic staff showed a positive attitude towards disabilities but although they valued the strategies of inclusive education in theory, they did not implement them in practice. Interestingly, these results do not coincide with the opinions of the disabled students, who identified the attitudes of the faculty members towards them as the most significant barrier.
• Training: there was a need identified for faculty for training and sensitisation towards disabilities. Attitudes of faculty members improved after they had been trained and had more experience in how to respond to the needs of the disabled students.
• Universal Design for Learning: Students benefit from academic staff who apply the principles of the universal design for learning. If the faculty members used universal design, adaptations would not be necessary. Universal design for learning benefits all students, with or without disabilities (Edwards et al 2022)

The Role of Personal Agency

Recent research has explored the role of personal agency, self-regulation, self-advocacy and self-care, and has suggested the need for progressive accommodations to support disabled students’ development: ‘A significant challenge for HEIs is how to find an appropriate balance between creating ‘inclusive’ learning environments which accommodate all students, recognise where it is necessary to make specific adjustments for individuals with particular needs, and work in partnership with the learner.’ (Hewitt et al. 2018: 766).

In this approach we recognise students may initially require individualised support and reasonable adjustments, but work with them to develop independence, self-advocacy and agency, reducing accommodations and enabling their progress towards independence and employability.

Figure: Balancing inclusive design, individual adjustments and individual agency for students with disabilities in higher education (Hewitt et al. 2020).

Recording of Disability and Reasonable Adjustments Section

 

 

---

Digital Accessibility

Getting Started with Digital Accessibility

Ensuring accessibility in our teaching and learning is essential for supporting the needs of our diverse community. By making our resources and online environments accessible, we help all students and staff achieve their full potential.

Why digital accessibility is important

Digital accessibility ensures that everyone has equal access to information and opportunities. In the UK, approximately one in five people have a disability, including around eight million working-age individuals (Office for National Statistics Census 2021). This includes many of our students and staff. By creating accessible digital environments, we ensure that everyone can fully engage in academic and professional activities.

The social model of disability

The social model of disability proposes that it is not the individual’s impairment that is disabling, but rather societal barriers and attitudes (Oliver 1990, Scope 2024). This perspective shifts the focus from what individuals cannot do to what society can do to remove barriers. By making our digital content accessible, we actively remove obstacles and create an inclusive environment.

Legal obligations and accessible design

Accessibility standards are best practices that improve the experiences of everyone in all areas of learning and work. The University is legally required to meet accessibility standards on its websites, intranets, and mobile apps. The Equality Act (2010) places a legal responsibility on us all to not only make reasonable adjustments for individuals but also proactively design our digital environments to be accessible. Recent regulations, The Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Requirements (2020), reinforce this legal obligation by requiring public sector organisations, including universities, to ensure all digital materials are accessible. Cardiff University is committed to this goal, making digital accessibility a key objective in the Strategic Equality Plan.

Digital accessibility principles

Digital accessibility means that people can access information, learn, and do what they need to do in a similar amount of time and effort as others, whether they have a disability or not. To achieve this, content and activities need to be:

• Accessible: Information must be easily accessible in various formats for different senses (hearing, sight, etc.). For instance, use alternative text (Alt text) for images, captions for videos, and transcripts for audio content.
• Understandable: Information should make sense to anyone accessing it. This includes using clear and simple language, providing instructions, and ensuring predictable navigation.
• Usable: Users should be able to easily navigate, interact with, and move through the content. It should be compatible with assistive technologies, such as screen readers, and provide enough time for users to engage with and understand the material.

Steps to enhancing digital accessibility:

By incorporating digital accessibility into the design of teaching and learning materials we can create inclusive learning environments. By anticipating diverse needs and using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Framework  UDL framework as a guide to offer multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement, we can remove barriers to learning and promote equity. Embracing accessibility not only fulfils legal obligations but also enriches the educational experience for everyone. It is essential for us all to proactively design our content and activities to be accessible, fostering a supportive and inclusive community for our diverse learners and staff.

 

---

To find out more about Digital Accessibility, access this Xerte learning resource offers some simple steps you can take to make your digital content more accessible:

Recording of Digital Accessibility section

 

 

---

Where Next?

The Inclusive Education CPD Offer

Toolkit

You can now develop your understanding of Inclusive Education by accessing the related pages on specific topics, outlined in the map below, which relate to the Inclusive Education Framework. After accessing this page, we recommend you review all toolkit pages in the inclusive education series and consider more professional development.

Workshops

You can develop your understanding of Inclusive Education by attending workshop sessions that relate to each topic. These workshops can be taken in a live face-to-face session, if you prefer social interactive learning, or can be completed asynchronously in your own time, if preferred. You can find out more information on workshops, and the link to book here.

Bespoke School Provision

We offer support for Schools on Inclusive Education, through the Education Development service. This can be useful to address specific local concerns, to upskill whole teams, or to support the programme approval and revalidation process. Please contact your School’s Education Development Team contact for more information.

Map of Topics

Below is a map of the toolkit and workshop topics, to aid your navigation. These will be developed and added to in future iterations of this toolkit:

You’re on page 8 of 9 Inclusivity theme pages. Explore the others here:

1.Inclusivity and the CU Inclusive Education Framework

2.Introduction to Inclusive education

3.Fostering a sense of belonging

4.Empowering students to fulfil their potential

5.Developing Inclusive Mindsets

6.Universal Design for Learning 

7.Digital Accessibility

8.Disability and Reasonable Adjustments

9.International Students

Or how about another theme?

Employability

Sustainability

 

Share Your Feedback