Higher Education

Main improvements (for blind or visually impaired students) Computer technology is improving Well structured digital books available Support of assistants available at many Universities Awareness: blind people are expected to get a proper education (in some countris) Training of social skills for young people with disabilities available (some countries)

Main Challenges (for blind or visually impaired students)  Still limited access to information (e.g. copyright limitations)  Learning how to improve the processing of information (e.g. by study techniques)  Mobility required for studying (from home to University, within University)  Sometimes blind people are not immediately socially included into study groups  Technology is still limited (e.g. musical notation, mathematical symbols, Arabic etc in some countries not available in Braille)  Free choice of study topics is limited by accessibility of buildings and insufficient technology

Recomendations (from blind or visually impaired students) We need to do the first step. In lower school levels others might need to know what our support needs are, but in Higher Education it is ourselves who have to make clear what we need. Need for good counselling regarding what is really possible to do in the future (i.e. study and job opportunities) based upon our individual wishes

Main improvements (for students with other kinds of disabilities) Mobility / accessibility issues are more and more a topic of discussion and debate Disability becomes more visible and common Slowly the accessibility of buildings (incl. restrooms) is improving Availability of assistants

Main challenges (for students with other kinds of disabilities) Lack of knowledge about disability People still don‘t look at us as people Accessibility needs are different to different people Our voice needs to be heard Transportation creates exra costs if you want to study Need for good counselling regarding what is really possible to do in the future (i.e. study and job opportunities) based upon the individual wishes (same point as for blind and visually impaired students)

Views and opinions regarding Inclusive Education Why would we need a special University? Inclusive Education plus individual specialised support was the best preparation for Higher Education Specialised Centres would be of help to support us to inform Universities properly about the required help

Ideas and wishes for the future Further adaptations are required Better / broader information on the needs of students with disabilities are required Remove as many steps as possible Non-disabled people should know that they can ask the person himself/herself whether help is needed or not Remove barriers inside ourselves and inside the others

Conclusion Let us not try to change the mentality of the whole world because it is too big an effort. It is more efficient, if we change the way we are thinking. We need to accept our disability and need to grow beyond it. Then it is also easier to accept for the others.