1. Postgraduate students with disabilities - how are they getting on?
Postgraduate Lives—Challenges and Opportunities in Postgraduate Support and Education
May 9th 2019
Dr Declan Reilly

2. Outline UG and PG Students with disabilities in HE in Ireland
UG and PG Students with disabilities in HE in Ireland
UG and PG Students with disabilities in Trinity
Why are there fewer PG students with disabilities?
UG and PG outcomes by disability type
Challenges facing PG students with disabilities

3. UG and PG Students with disabilities in HE in Ireland – Ahead 2019

4. UG and PG Students with disabilities in Trinity – DS 16/17 to 18/19

5. UG and PG Students with disabilities in Trinity – DS 15/16 to 17/18

6. Postgraduates with disabilities 2018-19

7. Postgraduates with disabilities by faculty 2018-19

8. Postgraduates with disabilities by country 2018-19

9. Why are there fewer PG students with disabilities?
Additional time and cost of additional time (in years) spent at UG level – students applying at UG level via DARE are 1 year older than the CAO average
Less time and energy available to work part time – pay for PG fees
No access route to PG education (like DARE)
Higher non completion rate of some disability categories; deaf/hard of hearing, mental health and ASD
Less need of specific supports (such as exam accommodations for PG courses that don’t have written examinations)
Having completed at UG level – many students with disabilities learn to better self manage and rely on less supports – less need for supports

10. PG participation by disability type
Comparison – current UG and PG students by disability type - May 2019
PG Current
% of total
UG Current
ADHD 11 5%
113 7%
ASD 59 4%
103
Blind VI 6
2.5% 29 2%
Deaf HoH 3 1% 34
DCD 5 75
Mental Health 44
18%
390
26%
Neurological 9 70
Physical 32
13% 80
Significant Ongoing Illness 36
15%
233
16%
Specific Learning Difficulty 86
35%
354
24%
238
1481

11. PG and UG participation by disability type 2018-19

12. Undergraduate outcomes by disability type
Data for graduates and withdrawn UG students by student number 2005 to 2017
Graduates
(Grad)
Withdrawn
(WD)
Total: Grad & WD
% Grad of Total
ADHD 75 20 95
79%
ASD 47 17 64
73%
Blind VI 25 3 28
89%
Deaf HoH 60 26 86
69%
DCD 42 5
Mental Health
308
145
453
68%
Neurological 49 7 56
87%
Physical
115 24
139
83%
Significant Ongoing Illness
193 41
234
82%
Specific Learning Difficulty
602
118
720
84%
1516
406
1922

13. Postgraduate outcomes by disability type
Data for graduates and withdrawn PG students by student number 2005 to 2017
Graduates
(Grad)
Withdrawn
(WD)
Total: Grad & WD
% Grad of Total
ADHD 21 4 25
84%
ASD 12 3 15
80%
Blind VI 19
79%
Deaf HoH
DCD 6
100%
Mental Health 58 17 75
77%
Neurological 11 1
92%
Physical 44 8 52
85%
Significant Ongoing Illness 50
86%
Specific Learning Difficulty
184 22
206
89%
422 71
493

14. Challenges facing PG students with disabilities
Common PG Challenges:
isolation, stress, conflict with supervisor, finances, lack of work/life balance, time management, lack of personal support, lack of institutional support, concern for the future, motivation
The Irish Survey of Student Engagement for Postgraduate Research Students
2018final.pdf

15. Disability specific challenges:
Direct impact of disability on course: attendance and academic work
Indirect impact of disability on course (exacerbation of all of the common PG challenges above)
Disclosure to department/school
Requesting Reasonable Accommodations
Resolving issues related to impact of disability or accommodations
Issues with meeting deadlines & managing workload
Employment – transition to employment

16. Supports for Postgraduates at Trinity

17. Thank you Dr Declan Reilly Disability Service Trinity College Dublin reillyde@tcd.ie