This document discusses support for disabled and dyslexic students at universities in Italy. It notes that universities have systematically supported disabled students since 1999 and receive specific funds from the Ministry to do so. A Delegate of the Rector and administrative office manage support services, which are often similar for dyslexic students and those with other special educational needs. The CNUDD, a group of university disability delegates, developed national guidelines in 2003 and revised them in 2013 that all universities agreed to follow. The guidelines aim to support students' right to learn and prepare them for independent life and careers while allowing for flexibility in how learning objectives and assessments are achieved. Universities require documentation of students' needs but can make exemptions to language requirements through

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