Designing accessible courses
What can academics do to advance disability
equality?
Chris Brill, Senior Policy Adviser
Equality Challenge Unit
Aims and objectives
= Understand….
… how course arrangements can potentially disadvantage disabled
learners and why competence standards are so important
= Practice….
… developing competence standards that are compliant with
disability legislation
= Consider…
… how competence standards interact with assessment
Firstly, some quick stats….
Question: What percentage of students
disclosed as disabled in 2003/04?
Firstly, some quick stats….
Answer: 5.4%
Source: http://www.ecu.ac.uk/guidance-resources/usingdata-and-evidence/statistics-report/
Firstly, some quick stats….
Question: What percentage of students
disclosed as disabled in 2013/14?
Firstly, some quick stats….
Answer: 10.0%
Source: http://www.ecu.ac.uk/guidance-resources/usingdata-and-evidence/statistics-report/
How can course arrangements
potentially disadvantage disabled
learners?
What are the barriers?
Some solutions
What are the barriers?
Definition
‘An academic, medical or other standard applied for the
purposes of determining whether or not a person has a
particular level of competence or ability.’
Equality Act 2010 (Sch 13, para 4(3))
‘The requirement for students studying for a law degree
to demonstrate a particular standard of knowledge of
certain areas of law in order to obtain the degree is a
competence standard.’
(EHRC, 2010)
Recap of the key points so far…
= Adjustments can be made to physical environment, equipment
and aids, and policies and practices
= Different universities may use different terms for competence
standards
= Competence standards are applied to determine whether or not
a person has a particular level of competence or ability.
= Universities have a legal responsibility to ensure competence
standards are non-discriminatory
Developing non-discriminatory
competence standards
Developing non-discriminatory
competence standards
1) Is the standard under development or review a
competence standard or is it some other kind of criterion
or policy?
Yes or No?
A modern language course has a requirement that
students spend a year abroad.
Is the year abroad a competence standard?
Answer
The year abroad itself is not on its own a competence
standard.
The competence standards will be the knowledge and
skills which the student will be expected to acquire during
the year abroad.
This requirement would therefore be subject to the duty
to make reasonable adjustments.
Developing non-discriminatory
competence standards
2) Is the competence standard an appropriate and
necessary way of meeting a legitimate aim?
Developing non-discriminatory
competence standards
• Is the aim or intention legitimate in the context of the
course?
• Is the competence standard genuinely relevant to the
course?
• Is the competence standard an appropriate and
necessary means of achieving the aim?
• Could the competence standard have an adverse
impact on a disabled student?
Yes or No?
Is requiring students to gain skills in listening and speaking
in a different language a competence standard?
YES
Modern Language
Comparative Literature
NO
Developing non-discriminatory
competence standards
3) Is this competence standard articulated in a way which
may present unnecessary barriers to disabled students?
Yes or No?
Are any of these skills essential for your courses?
YES
Speaking
Listening
Handwriting
Communication
NO
Recap: key questions when developing
competence standards
= Is the standard under development or review a
competence standard or is it some other kind of
criterion or policy?
= Is the competence standard an appropriate and
necessary way of meeting a legitimate aim?
= Is this competence standard articulated in a way which
may present unnecessary barriers to disabled students?
Key points: assessing competence
standards
= Adjustments can be made to the way competence
standards are assessed
= Providing a range of modes of assessments
= Provide clear instruction
= Develop a team approach
Take home 3 points…
1. Competence standards have different associated legal
requirements than other standards
2. Competence standards should be a proportionate
means of achieving a legitimate aim
3. Reasonable adjustments can be made to the way that
competence standards are assessed
Resources
= ECU work on competence standards
http://www.ecu.ac.uk/guidance-resources/studentrecruitment-retention-attainment/studentretention/inclusive-learning-teaching/competencestandards-reasonable-adjustments/
= Disability legislation: practical guidance for academic
staff Revised 2010 (ECU and HEA guidance)
http://www.ecu.ac.uk/wpcontent/uploads/external/disability-legislation-foracademics-revised.pdf
Any questions…
= Chris Brill, Equality Challenge Unit
= 0207 438 1021
= Chris.brill@ecu.ac.uk