This document provides an overview and discussion of supporting disabled students and graduates. It covers key topics such as disability types (including autism spectrum and mental health), disclosure, reasonable adjustments, and resources. The document emphasizes that there are many positive messages around increasing support for students with disabilities. While outcomes can still be mixed, resilience and flexibility are important, and disclosure of a disability is usually optional but a good idea. A variety of reasonable adjustments are available to support students.

1. Positive futures: enabling disabled
students and graduates to reach their
full potential in the graduate labour
market.

2. https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-barnes-669a9821/
paul.barnes@port.ac.uk

3. Key outcomes for today:
1 - overview and main messages for supporting disabled clients
2 - main disability types and key features (autism spectrum and mental health)
3 - disclosure; it’s good to talk!
4 - reasonable adjustments
5 - useful resources

4. But most importantly - any questions??

5. Disability in higher education - shout out messages to take away
1 - lots of positive messages, key things going the right way (if sometimes slowly)
2 - support available for all disability types
3 - resilience and flexibility important
4 - disclosure usually optional but usually a good idea
5 - lot of adjustments available - generally easy to implement

6. Overview - what categories does HESA use?
Blind/visual condition
Deaf/hearing loss
Physical/mobility issues
Mental health conditions
Long-standing illness or health condition
Two or more conditions
SpLD
Social/ASD
Other disability or condition

7. ● Over the past three surveys, at each qualification level, there has been a year-on-year
increase in the proportion of graduates disclosing a disability. 13.6% undergraduate, (8.5 -
9.9% postgraduate) in 2016 (participation in HE increased by 56% between the academic
years of 2010/11 and 2015/16)
● Sp L D remains the largest single category of disability, followed by mental health
● Employment (first degree) - 50.5% disabled (56.6% non disabled);
● Employment (higher degree, taught) - 56.6 disabled (66.9% non disabled)
● Employment (higher degree, research) - 61.1% disabled (68.8% non disabled)
● Self employment - between about 4% and 15% across all disability and qualification types
● “One key theme which has emerged in this study is the disadvantage experienced by
graduates with a social/ASD condition.” AGCAS Disability Task Group, 2018.
Current
picture

8. Helping our students - framing the issues
The questions is: “What are the main issues facing professional advisers attempting to
help disabled students?”

9. Helping our students - framing the issues
problem of definitions and terminology (changing trends, new research, conflicting
ideas, disagreement ….etc)
increasing need - across the board but especially in certain areas
mixed graduate outcomes - lot of positives but still mixed
need for individual support - every case is different
Social model
Social model
not medical
model !!

10. Spotlight on autism
Discussion - what have you noticed in your own institutions?

11. Autism - key types and related conditions??
P D A - Pathological Demand
Avoidance syndrome
Asperger syndrome
Pragmatic Language
Impairment (was
Semantic Pragmatic
Disorder)
Classic Autism High Functioning
Autism
Kanner Autism
Hyperlexia
Pervasive
Developmental
Disorder (NOS)
Triad of Impairments

12. Spotlight on autism
complex condition - some suggest it is not a disorder
Potentially long diagnosis period;
spectrum condition so experienced in different ways by students
cannot generalise (if you have met one person with…..)
More students going in to HE with a spectrum condition
five times as many males as females are diagnosed with
autism.
https://www.autism.org.uk/about/what-is/asd.aspx

13. Specific Learning Difficulties (Sp L D)
Dyslexia - mainly affects reading, writing, spelling and sometimes maths. Dyslexia can
affect the way a person processes information in their brain;
Dyscalculia - mainly affects the ability to acquire arithmetical skills. Dyscalculia can cause
difficulties with understanding simple number concepts and learning number facts and
procedures;
Dyspraxia - can cause difficulties with co-ordination, and can also affect organisation,
memory, concentration and speech. Dyspraxia is also known as Developmental Co-
ordination Disorder (DCD).”
Source: AGCAS Disability Task Group

14. Helping our students - the issues re-visited
problem of definitions and terminology (changing trends, new research, conflicting
ideas, disagreement ….etc)
increasing need - across the board but especially in certain areas
mixed graduate outcomes - lot of positives but still mixed
need for individual support - every case is different, (co-morbidity) potential challenges

15. Looking ahead - practical support
Disclosure and the early stages………..
Lot that we can do to help - manage anxiety, provide context, reassurance, perspective
Encourage formal diagnosis (if necessary) - confidence to come forward
Encourage use of other services - formal referral?
Support where difficulties are encountered - length of time, wrong diagnosis
Using guidance to clarify, and help client clarify, what is needed
Support client with advice on how to disclose and when - terminology, descriptions etc
Social model
not medical
model !!

16. Disclosure - some useful steps
You are not alone: According to the charity Mind, approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK
will experience a mental health problem each year.
Be prepared to provide information
Be prepared to describe your condition simply and briefly, and how it affects you.
Share what’s relevant: It is important to avoid jargon and to share information
Focus on your strengths and what you CAN do - provide examples
Assert your needs: Be open and tell potential employers what adjustments you may
need in order to fulfil the role requirements.
Acknowledgement: AGCAS Disability Task Group

17. Reasonable adjustments - some case studies
Almost all conditions can be supported
Equipment - hearing loops, prostheses, hearing aids, adapted desk
Environment - wheelchair access, quiet space, pot plants, ambient lighting
Software - text help, read/write, Dragon Naturally Speaking
Time - breaks (medicine: diabetes, MS etc…)
Terms of employment - light duties, adjusted job descriptions, compressed hours
Attitudes - simple understanding
Most are free or low cost and easily available
Additional support - “Access to Work” scheme (Work Coach - Job Centre Plus offices)

18. Useful sources
AGCAS Disability Task Group - www.agcas.org.uk (What Happens Next?, blog, training…)
Employability - www.employ-ability.org.uk
‘MyPlus’ Students’ Club - https://myplusstudentsclub.com (newsletter, opportunities, events
(staff and clients)
www.autism.org.uk
www.scope.org.uk
www.mind.org.uk
www.disabilityrightsuk.org
www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk
CHESS (University of Central Lancashire website: www.uclan.ac.uk)

19. Thank you very much!