Meeting with the Disability Service

Find out how to use our Disability service at DKIT to register, access support and talk about any adjustments you may require.

Disability Service Video

Background

The Disability Service at DKIT is your main point of contact for any disability related queries throughout your studies. The Disability Officer is responsible for recommending and coordinating your support and/or reasonable accommodations.

DKIT believes that all students make a valuable contribution to our community – none more so than students with a disability. We extend a warm and supportive welcome to such students and will do everything we can to help.

DKIT is committed to the provision of an equitable learning environment for all students and through inclusive policies passionately promotes active participation and seamless integration into college life which is aimed at supporting all students to become independent learners and skillful graduates.

Additional facilities and supports are available for all registered students with disabilities (including physical/learning/sensory disabilities, significant ongoing illness and mental health difficulties). Each student’s needs are assessed individually, taking into account their particular requirements.

To avail of these facilities, you must be registered with the institute’s Disability Service. Supports include but are not limited to:

  • Note Takers
  • Personal assistants
  • Academic staff liaison on behalf of or with students (with consent)
  • one to one learning support
  • Access to assistive technology
  • Group and 1 to 1 assistive technology training
  • Access to the Assistive Technology (AT) Room
  • reasonable accommodations in examinations
  • extended library loans

All supports are tailored to each student’s needs and are dependent on evidence of disability being supplied by the appropriate professional.

If you haven’t done so already we would encourage you to contact our Disability service team disability@dkit.ie in order to talk about the support available to you and ensure any reasonable accommodations in lectures and/or examinations are made in time for your arrival at DkIT.

 

 

How could this affect me?

If you decide not to contact the team prior to starting your course you are still welcome to contact us at any point throughout your studies.

It can take time to arrange and implement any support you may require so we would encourage you to contact us in good time prior to your arrival so that we can ensure you have everything in place at the earliest possible opportunity.

What to do next?

Contact the Disability Office

Practical tips

Geraldine Kneel –  Disability Officer

Room F111, Student Services Centre,

Faulkner Building

geraldine.kneel@dkit.ie

+353-0429370237

Paula Shields – Assistive Technology Officer

W220 – AT Training Room, Library.

Paula.Shields@dkit.ie

 

Questions to think about

It might be useful to think about:

  • how you would like to describe your autism and anything you think would be useful to share with your tutors?
  • any support you have received in the past, what has worked well and what hasn’t worked for you?
  • how you plan to travel to DkIT?
  • your experience of teaching sessions, what helps you to gain an understanding of a new topic or task?
  • how you have found note taking and researching for assignments?
  • how you have found assessments in the past, e.g. exams, essays, presentations, etc.?
  • how you feel about group work, placement and practical tasks?

5 Tips for New College Students with Disabilities – YouTube

Additional information and links

If you decide that you are going to attend a different College we would recommend that you contact the Disability Service team at your chosen university.