THE PRECEPTS

General principles

  1.  Institutions should ensure that in all their policies, procedures and activities including strategic planning and resource allocation, consideration is given to the means of enabling disabled students' participation in all aspects of the academic and social life of the institution.

The physical environment

  2.  Institutions should ensure that disabled students can have access to the physical environment in which they will study, learn, live and take part in the social life of their institution.

  3.  Institutions should ensure that facilities and equipment are as accessible as possible to disabled students.

Information for applicants, students and staff

  4.  The institution's publicity, programme details and general information should be accessible to people with disabilities and describe the opportunities for disabled students to participate.

The selection and admission of students

  5.  In selecting students institutions should ensure equitable consideration of all applicants.

  6.  Disabled applicants' support needs should be identified and assessed in an effective and timely way, taking into account the applicant's views.

Enrolment, registration and induction of students

  7.  the arrangements for enrolment, registration and induction of new entrants should accommodate the needs of disabled students.

Learning and teaching, including provision for research and other postgraduate students

  8.  Programme specifications should include no unnecessary barriers to access by disabled people.

  9.  Academic support services and guidance should be accessible and appropriate to the needs of disabled students.

  10.  The delivery of programmes should taken into account the needs of disabled people or, where appropriate, be adapted to accommodate their individual requirements.

  11.  Institutions should ensure that, wherever possible, disabled students have access to academic and vocational placements including field trips and study abroad.

  12.  Disabled research students should receive the support and guidance necessary to secure equal access to research programmes.

Examination, assessment and progression

  13.  Assessment and examination policies, practices and procedures should provide disabled students with the same opportunity as their peers to demonstrate the achievement of learning outcomes.

  14.  Where studying is interrupted as a direct result of a disability-related cause, this should not unjustifiably impede a student's subsequent academic progress.

Staff development

  15.  Induction and other relevant training programmes for all staff should include disability awareness/equality and training in specific services and support.

Access to general facilities and support

  16.  Students with disabilities should have access to the full range of support services that are available to their non-disabled peers.

Additional specialist support

  17.  Institutions should ensure that there are sufficient designated members of staff with appropriate skills and experience to provide specialist advice and support to disabled applicants and students, and to the staff who work with them.

  18.  Institutions should identify and seek to meet the particular needs of individual disabled students.

  19.  Internal communications systems should ensure that appropriate staff receive information about the particular needs of disabled students in a clear and timely way.

  20.  Institutions should have a clearly defined policy on the confidentiality and disclosure of information relating to a person's disabilities that is communicated to applicants, students and staff.

Complaints

  21.  Institutions should ensure that information about all complaints and appeals policies and procedures is available in accessible formats and communicated to students.

  22.  Institutions should have in place policies and procedures to deal with complaints arising directly or indirectly from a student's disability.

Monitoring and evaluation

  23.  Institutional information systems should monitor the applications, admissions, academic progress and nature of impairment of disabled students.

  24.  Institutions should operate systems to monitor the effectiveness of provision for students with disabilities, evaluate progress and identify opportunities for enhancement.