DISABILITY ACCESS
ROUTE TO EDUCATION
Cork IGC
Branch
Grace Edge, Sinead Quinn (IUA)
& Mary O’Grady, UCC
What we will cover..
• DARE & HEAR Admissions
• DARE changes for 2016
• Completing the Educational Impact Statement
• DARE Changes for 2017
• Tips on introducing DARE to potential applicants
DARE Admissions 2013 - 2015
DARE Admissions 2013 - 2015
1558
1277
947
629
453
648
752
806
494
2013
On or Above Points
2014
Reduced Points
2015
Combined (OAP+RP)
HEAR Admissions 2013 - 2015
2345
2155
2012
1060
1144
1244
952
1011
2013
2014
On or Above Points
Reduced Points
1101
2015
Combined (OAP+RP)
DARE & HEAR Admissions
3903
3432
2959
2013
2014
2015
Admissions Quick Analysis
HEAR
 OAP admissions up by 17% (n=184).
 RP admissions up by 16% (n=149)
 Combined Admissions (AOP + RP) up by 17% (n=333).
DARE
 OAP admissions up by 66% (n= 299)
 RP admissions up by 63% (n=312)
 Combined Admissions (AOP + RP) up by 65% (n=611).
Background to Changing DARE
• DARE HEAR Evaluation 2013, Maynooth University &
University of Edinburgh.
• Desire from the participating HEIs for improvement to
the existing criteria.
• Feedback from the IGC and individual Guidance
Counsellors.
• Feedback from other stakeholder groups including
students with a Disability.
Rationale for changes..
• DARE not getting the students that are necessarily impacted as a
result of disability. Previous DARE criteria for eligibility is evidencing
of a disability but does not for the most part measure educational
impact of a disability.
• Cost of providing evidence of disability documentation discouraging
applicants from lower income families applying.
• Intersection between disability and socio-economic disadvantage.
There is a group of students with disabilities who are socioeconomically disadvantaged and are most educationally impacted.
• Reconsideration of the policies and processes surrounding
targets/quotas within and across participating HEIs and the
admissions process.
New DARE
• Broadening avenues for applicants to provide
evidence of disability in order to make it easier and
more affordable to apply to DARE.
• Targeting applicants who have been educationally
impacted as a result of a disability as opposed to
students with a disability.
• Increasing the number of students that are
particularly under represented in higher education.
Evaluation of New DARE
• DARE will look for feedback on the experience of
Guidance Counsellors on the changes to the
scheme
• An optional survey will be circulated mid/late April
2016 through the branch network (TBC).
• Modifications / changes will be made based on
feedback
Disability
Type
Timeline
1. The Educational Impact Statement replaces Section B
Second Level Academic Reference.
All
Entry 2016
2. Personal Statement becomes ‘Applicant Statement’ and is
part of Section B.
All
Entry 2016
3. New DARE Eligibility Criteria on Educational Impact
All
Entry 2016
Non-Specific
Learning
Difficulty
Entry 2016
All
Entry 2016
Physical /
Sensory
Entry 2016
Specific Learning
Difficulty &
DCD
Entry 2017
Overview of Changes
4. GP Verification of a consultants diagnosis for non-SLD
applicants
5. Prioritisation of offers to DARE and HEAR eligible
applicants
6. Prioritisation of offers to students with physical and
sensory disabilities.
7. Removal of the mandatory requirement of a full psychoeducational assessment dated within three years of
application.
What is DARE?
The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) third
level alternative admissions scheme for school-leavers
whose disabilities have had a negative impact on their
second level education.
DARE offers reduced points places to school leavers who
as a result of having a disability have experienced
additional educational challenges in second level
education.
Who should Apply?
• Applicants with a disability that has had a negative impact
on their educational performance in school.
• Applicants who therefore may not be able to meet the
points for their preferred course due to the impact of
disability.
• Applicants to CAO under 23 years as of 1 January 2016.
Disabilities eligible for consideration
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Autistic Spectrum Disorders (including Asperger’s Syndrome)
ADD / ADHD
Blind / Vision Impaired
Deaf / Hard of Hearing
DCD – Dyspraxia/Dysgraphia
Mental Health Conditions
Neurological Conditions (incl. Brain Injury & Epilepsy)
Speech & Language Communication Disorder
Significant Ongoing Illness
Physical Disability
Specific Learning Difficulty (Dyslexia & Dyscalculia)
Educational Impact
Has applicant’s disability impacted on 2 of the following?
1. On their Learning or Exam Results?
2. On their Attendance or regularly Disrupted their school day?
3. Has it affected their School Experience and Well-being?
4. Have they received Intervention or Supports?
5. Has it affected their homework and study Time?
6. Has it caused any other Educational Impact?
7. If they have a Specific Learning Difficulty, is it severely
impacting on their literacy or numeracy skills?
DARE Eligibility Criteria?
• To be eligible for DARE an applicant must meet both the DARE evidence
of disability criteria and DARE educational impact criteria.
• Applicants must provide the required evidence of their
disability and provide an Educational Impact Statement from
their school to be considered for DARE.
Supplementary Information Form (SIF)
Section A: Applicant Information
• Completed by applicant by 1st March 2016.
• Answer Yes to Q1 to apply to DARE and fully complete
Questions 1-4.
Section B: Educational Impact Statement
• Applicant Statement completed by applicant.
• School Statement completed by school.
• Send to CAO by 1 April 2016.
Section C: Evidence of a Disability
• Completed by the appropriate professional.
• Send to CAO by 1 April 2016.
Section B: Educational Impact Statement
Provides information on how an applicant’s disability has
impacted on their second level education. There are 2 sections:
1. Applicant Statement
2. School Statement
Applicant Statement
• Download form.
• Complete the Applicant Statement with the applicant.
Applicant Statement
What we require:
• Applicant answers ‘yes or no’ to the five statements.
• Applicant writes no more than 200 words, expanding on the
above five statements or covering other ways their
disability has affected their post primary education.
• Applicant can use bullet points.
Role in Assessment:
• If an applicant does not complete the applicant statement
they may still be eligible.
• However, important to complete as used in assessment to
compliment or clarify information provided in the School
Statement.
Section B: Educational Impact Statement
School Statement
• This section needs to be completed by either:
• Guidance Counsellor
• Learning Support Teacher
• Year Head or
• Visiting Teacher
• The form MUST BE signed and stamped by school
principal/deputy principal.
• Applicant must return to the CAO by 1 April 2016.
• It is also advisable to ask the applicant (or their
parent/guardian if they are under 18) to sign the EIS.
• EIS must cover at least final three years of post primary.
EIS: What DARE is looking for..
Indicator 1: Learning and Exam Results
1.1 Applicant’s grades noticeably & significantly decreased since onset (or
deterioration)
 Would apply to for example the Mental Health & Significant Ongoing illness
categories.
 Looking for evidence of decline in school exam results.
1.2 Ability to complete homework or study
1.3 Performance in class or expected exam performance
1.4 Ability to access the curriculum
 Only need to meet one of the above three. So it is not necessary to find
teachers that would confirm them all.
 Applies to all types of disabilities.
1.6 Applicant attending supported or specialised school
 Applies to a small number of applicants, e.g. school for the deaf.
EIS: What DARE is looking for..
Indicator 2: Attendance & Disruption
2.1 Impact on School attendance
 Applicant needs to have been absent for at least 20 days in one year
or an average of 15 over two years due to disability.
 No need to search for records of other years if applicant is meeting
the above.
2.2 Class Attendance or Completion of the full school day
 Quantify time missed as accurately as possible
 Give reason(s) for classes missed
 If unsure if time missed is significant, tick yes & provide information
2.3 Any other type of significant absence
 Example might be applicant has to repeat year due to disability.
EIS: What DARE is looking for..
Indicator 3: School Experience & Well-being
3.1 Applicant’s potential to participate fully in extra-curricular or
social activities
 School in consultation with the applicant must provide a
specific example.
3.2 Applicant has received support due to the emotional impact
of the disability/condition
 Just need to know who that support was received from.
 Detail of that support is not necessary.
EIS: What DARE is looking for..
Indicator 4: Intervention & Support
4.1 Applicant received additional Support in School
 List supports provided over the years of attendance in school.
 Learning support teacher may be best person to provide this.
 In general applicants who have had support for two years or
more will meet this indicator.
4.2 Accommodations for State examinations
 If applicant was granted RACE for leaving cert they meet this
indicator.
 If application is pending or being appealed DARE will consider
Junior Cert Accommodations.
EIS: What DARE is looking for..
Indicator 5: Time Issues
5.1 It takes applicant considerably longer than their peers to complete
school/work study
 Find out from the applicant how long it takes them.
 If longer than peers, tick yes and indicate extra time required.
5.2 Applicant has less time than their peers to dedicate to study
 Applies to disabilities or conditions where time is required to manage
the condition
 If applicant requires time to do this, please give amount of time
required and brief details of the nature of the activity.
EIS: What DARE is looking for..
Indicator 6
6.1 Other Educational Impact
 This section is to capture any other impact not stated
previously
 You should provide as much detail as possible.
EIS: What DARE is looking for..
Indicator 7
7.1 Attainment Scores for applicants with a Specific Learning
Difficulty
 Applicants with an SLD must meet this indicator
 For entry 2016 this information can only be taken from a full
psycho-educational assessment dated on or after February 1st
2013.
 Report must show two literacy or numeracy scores on or below the
10th percentile
 Report most contain General Ability score on or above a standard
score of 90.
Educational Impact Statement
Summary
If applicant is meeting one of the impact questions under an
indicator they meet that indicator.
Applicants with a Specific Learning Difficulty need to meet
indicator 7 and one other indicator.
All other applicants need to meet any 2 of indicators 1-6.
Section C: Evidence of Disability
Provides verification of disability and helps to determine
3rd level supports.
• Applicant can provide an existing report OR
• Complete Section C Evidence of Disability.
Get form completed, signed and stamped by the
appropriate professional or accompanied by their business
card or headed paper. GP Verification
Your GP may be in a position to complete
Section C Evidence of disability, if they have
the appropriate information on file from the
consultant/specialist.
Section C: Evidence of Disability
General Practitioner (GP) Verification:
 Applies to all applicants except where a psychoeducational assessment is required.
 GP must have the information on file from the DARE
listed Consultant/Specialist.
 Diagnosis or re-confirmation of diagnosis must be within
the given timeframe if one applies.
 If GP does not have appropriate info on file, they should
refer applicant to consultant/specialist.
 GP diagnosis not acceptable in any circumstances.
Section C: Evidence of Disability
Age of Reports
It is important to note that applicants applying under the
following disability categories must provide a report that is
less than 3 years old i.e. dated after 1 February 2013.
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ADD / ADHD
Mental Health Condition
Significant Ongoing Illness
Specific Learning Difficulty (including Dyslexia and
Dyscalculia)
• DCD - Dyspraxia/ Dysgraphia.
Section C: Evidence of Disability
Psycho Educational Assessment
Applicants with a
•
Specific Learning Difficulty (including dyslexia and dyscalculia)
must provide a full psycho-educational assessment
dated after 1 February 2013.
Applicants with
•
DCD - Dyspraxia/Dysgraphia.
must provide a full psycho-educational assessment
dated after 1 February 2013
AND
Evidence of Disability Form 2016
OR
Existing report completed by Occupational Therapist
or Neurologist or Chartered Physiotherapist
(No age limit)
Change for 2017
Psycho-educational Assessment
DARE will no longer require a full psycho-educational assessment dated within
the previous 3 years of application for students applying on the basis of a:
 Specific Learning Difficulty (SLD)
 Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD) – Dyspraxia/Dysgraphia
Details of the new requirements will be announced and circulated in early 2016.
Benefits of DARE
Reduced Points (as before)
• An example: If the Leaving Certificate points for a course is 360 points,
an eligible DARE applicant could be offered a place with a lower points
score e.g. 350 points.
• Applicants need to meet entry and programme requirements to be
considered for a DARE reduced points offer.
• The amount of points a particular course is reduced by is dependent on:
• The overall number of places on the course
• The number of reserved DARE places on the course
• The number of DARE eligible applicants competing for these
reserved places.
• The reduction in points for DARE places can vary every year.
However, the following groups will be prioritised by participating colleges
when allocating reduced points places :
• Applicants eligible for both DARE and HEAR
• Applicants with a physical or sensory disability
Benefits of DARE
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College supports may include:
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Orientation Programmes
Learning Support
Assistive Technology
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Library Support
Exam Accommodations
Educational Support Worker
Academic Tuition
• You don’t have to be eligible for DARE to get support in
college.
• A needs assessment is conducted to identify specific support
requirements.
Introducing DARE to Potential Applicants
• DARE HEAR presentation to class group.
– Emphasis on Disabilities Eligible for Consideration &
Educational Impact Slides.
• Speak to Learning Support Teacher.
• Speak to potential applicants individually.
• Be aware of the possible emotional impact on
student of applying to DARE.
DARE / HEAR Timeline
Applicants must apply to CAO by
DARE & HEAR closing date
Supporting documents closing date
Notification of eligibility
Application recheck
DARE/HEAR offers
1 February 2016
1 March 2016
1 April 2016
Late June 2016
July 2016
August 2016
College Orientation
Late Aug /Early Sept 2016
Q & A on
DARE & HEAR
Contact Information
www.accesscollege.ie
Or
Mary O’Grady
021 490 2985
dare@ucc.ie