Current Policy

 

The Institute promotes equal opportunities in all its activities irrespective of disability, ethnic origin, gender, marital status, nationality, politics or sexual orientation.  It provides education on the basis of merit alone and accepts only those applicants most likely to complete the course successfully and derive benefit from it. 

The Institute welcomes applications from disabled students, who are considered on the same academic criteria as all others.  There is, however, special consideration in the Institute's assessment system for students with disabilities according to individual needs.  Some financial assistance is available from the Institute's hardship fund to help students with disabilities with travel, accommodation or other relevant expenses. 

Current Provision


a. Co-ordinator

Members of staff responsible for students with learning disabilities and/or disabilities: Academic Registrar (tel.:020-7848 2646, fax. 020-7848 2410).  Human Resources Manager (020-7848 2582). The Academic Registrar helps applicants with specific enquiries relating to facilities for students with disabilities.

 b. Advice

The Institute is a fairly small institution with approximately four hundred students, and consequently aims to provide personal attention for applicants and students with special requirements.  The Institute would not claim to be able to accommodate all students with disabilities, but it will take all reasonable steps to make adjustments and provide necessary facilities to enable any student with a disability to attend a course for which he/she has been accepted on academic grounds.

While attending the Institute, students with disabilities are offered advice and assistance from the following support systems:

i) Personal Tutor System: all students at the Institute are allocated a Personal Tutor who is responsible for advising them on matters relating to work and social/personal problems.

ii) Welfare Officer:  the Institute has its own Welfare Officer, who is able to give informal and friendly confidential advice to students on an individual basis.  She has received appropriate training.  In addition, students have access to the University of London Union, which has officers to advise students on a range of matters.

(iii) Health: Gower Street Practice: a doctor from the health centre comes at the beginning of each academic year to give information about its services and facilities to new students.  In addition to offering a full medical service, the health centre provides professional counselling for students with stress and emotional problems.

(iv) Careers Advice: Students have access to the University of London Careers Group, which houses an extensive reference library and arranges interviews with Careers Advisers, one of whom has special responsibility for the Institute's students.

c. Academic Services
Special provision is made for disabled students and those with special needs taking examinations at the Institute.  Each case is looked at individually.  The arrangements made will be dependent upon the nature and gravity of the disability and the mode of examination.  Students are requested to submit supporting medical evidence and the arrangements to be made are normally determined by the Academic Registrar.  The following is an outline of procedures adopted by the Institute:

(i)  Special Seating:  In cases where medical attention may be necessary, students may have special seating arrangements.

(ii) Interruption of Examination:  Arrangements can be made in advance for a candidate to interrupt an examination in order to rest an arm or stretch their legs.  During the break period, the examination paper is removed.  In this way a candidate is able to have the full amount of writing time.

(iii) Amanuenses:  A candidate may be permitted to use an amanuensis.  The normal examination time is allowed for dictation.

(iv) Word-processing:  A candidate may by permitted to word-process his/her examination paper. In such cases the Institute will arrange the provision of a computer and separate accommodation.


Visually-handicapped Students: history of art by its very nature is a problem for blind students, but special arrangements may be made for partially-sighted candidates on production of relevant medical evidence.


Hearing-impaired Students: a loop system is available in the Lecture Theatre and other means of support are made available.

(vi) Dyslexia: each case is considered individually and requests for special arrangements need to be accompanied by a recent (within the last 2 years) report from an Educational Psychologist.  If the report recommends extra time, the maximum normally permitted is ten minutes per hour.  The use of a computer may also be granted.  The examiners are informed of a candidate's condition via a note attached to the script.  A facility also exists for an illegible script to be  transcribed at the request of an examiner.

d. Computing Facilities
The Institute provides computer facilities for all students (word-processing software, access to the Internet) through its IT Centre and Internet Cafe, which have been designed to provide access to all students.

e. Physical Environment

The Institute is located in the Strand Building of Somerset House, built in 1776-80 and one of the grandest and most famous neo-classical buildings in the centre of London.  Facilities for disabled students in this Grade 1-listed building are generally good, as there is a lift in both wings.  This gives access to the lecture theatre, to most of the galleries, to most seminar rooms, to the students' union and refectory, and to the Book Library and Photographic libraries.  Access within the libraries is limited, as not all changes of level can be managed with the aid of ramps, but staff are happy to provide special delivery services for students who are unable to negotiate the stairs.  Some teaching takes place in the study rooms of individual members of staff; not all of these study rooms are accessible by lift, but teaching is re-located to accommodate students with disabilities whenever possible.  There is no parking at the Institute, but special arrangements may be made for a limited number of students who have to use cars.

The Institute does not have its own residential accommodation, but its students are eligible to apply for places in the University of London Intercollegiate Halls of Residence.  Approximately 55% of first year students are successful in obtaining rooms in the various halls.  The remainder live in private accommodation and are assisted in finding suitable housing by the University of London Accommodation Office, which has a register of properties available for rent.  The halls of residence are not well provided with accommodation specifically designed for students with disabilities. Applicants are therefore advised to consult the Institute in the first instance, with details of their requirements.  It may then be possible to direct them towards suitable accommodation.  The University of London Accommodation Office also has details on outside organisations who can provide housing advice for students with disabilities.

f. Other Provision
The Gower Street Practice provides a medical, dental and counselling service for students registered at the Institute.  The central location of the Institute means that is well served by London Transport (the nearest railway stations are Charing Cross and Waterloo; the nearest tube stations are Temple, Charing Cross and Holborn).  As the Institute is close to Covent Garden it is very well supplied with shops, as well as being near major museums and galleries.  The Institute holds its own a degree ceremony held annually in July in a location  where wheelchairs can be accommodated.

Future Activity and Policy Development

 

The Institute has reviewed its provision for students with disabilities in the light of the Disability Discrimination Act and the HR Manager is working to enhance provision.

June 2005