Presentation given at the TESOL seminar in Verona, May 30, 2015

1. The „right to (languages) education“
@ unibz
Gabriella Dodero
May 30th 2015, Verona

2. Disabled students at Universities
● Systematically supported since 1999
● State Universities receive specific funds from the
Ministry
● A Delegate of the Rector (Delegato per gli studenti
disabili) is responsible for the use of such funds
● An administrative office is managing them (Servizio
Disabili)

3. Dyslexia and other „special
educational needs“
● Recognized since 2010 (Legge 170)
● Students affected are NOT „disabled“ !!!
● The existing Delegate for Disabled Students and the
administrative service take care of them as well
● Services are quite often very similar (e.g. use of digital
materials and hardware/software aids, tutors etc)

4. CNUDD and the national guidelines
● Delegates for Disabled students are „member of a
club“ called CNUDD
● The „club“ is recognized by CRUI, the assemby of
Rectors
● CNUDD developed national guidelines in 2003, and
revised them in 2013
● All universities agreed to comply with them
● Have a look at them, in Italian (it's just 15 pages)
http://cnudd.di.unipi.it/Documenti%20condivisi/LINEE%20GUIDA
%20CNUDD/LINEE_GUIDA_CNUDD_2014.pdf

5. Main Goals
● University as a step towards independent life
● The disabled/dyslexic university student is an adult,
and takes decisions for him-herself
● All students have the „right to learn“, so to enter the
job market with higher education skills
● The Learning Objectives for all students attending a
course must be the same
● The „ways“ to reach such objectives can be different
● The assessment of such objectives can be different

6. What has to be done
● „advisory“ services before enrolment
● „mediation“ services between the disabled students,
the administrative offices and the course (sometimes
also towards family and social services)
● „support services“ for learning
● „monitoring“ of effectiveness for all such services

7. What the university needs
● A certification of the „educational difficulty“, issued
since less than three years by a public health service
● The certification should contain an indication of the
specific strength/weakness of the student, what kind of
„help“ is suited for the student (e.g. use of a PC with
ortographic corrector, screen reader...), what can be
waived (e.g. oral exam instead of written exam)

8. What next?
● A student with such certification is granted more time
in admission tests (+30%)
● When admitted, an agreement is then negotiated
towards a personalized learning plan and its
verification (exams)

9. Languages @ unibz
● unibz offers degree programs in three languages, IT–
EN- DE (and no degree in languages!!)
● Admission: 2 languages B2, 3rd language A0
● Admission to 2nd year: 3rd language B1
● Graduation: 1st language C1, 2nd language B2+, 3rd
language B2

10. Language requirements for students
with special needs
● Regulated by a Decision of the University Council
(56/2012)
● The student formally requests an exemption to the
Rector
● A committee appointed by the Rector examines the
documentation provided by the student, and issues a
written statement about the student's requirements,
and how they can be assessed
● e.g. waiving a specific part of the exam, or
lowering one of the language thresholds
● Individual decision based on evidence!!!

11. Three years of practice
● The Decision is valid for each type of learning difficulty
● It has been applied for students with sensory
disabilities and for dyslexics (small numbers!)
● The committee is composed by three people:
● The Vice Rector for Studies
● The Head of the Language Center
● An administrative person
● The decision might be listed in the Diploma
Supplement (e.g. the exit level in EN is lower than B2)

12. Thank You for Your Time!
gdodero@unibz.it