Extra costs for students with disability
Concerns have been expressed by guidance counsellors who are opposing plans by higher education institutions to require those with a specific learning disability, such as dyslexia, to provide an assessment carried out by an educational psychologist in the past three years.
In previous years, colleges requested a report from the previous five years that is often already available for a student who had an assessment done in first or second year at school. But they are likely to need a new report if the changes are introduced.
Almost 2,000 applicants signified they had a physical or learning disability on their CAO forms this year.
“The National Educational Psychological Service is overstretched and pupils are already waiting up to two years for assessments in some parts of the country. The new rules could mean students will have to be assessed privately if they are to submit a report with their CAO application,” said Institute of Guidance Counsellors president Frank Mulvihill.
“We understand the need for colleges to have information to help them support prospective students, but extra pressure could be put on applicants to higher education,” he said.
Mary O’Grady, secretary of the Disability Advisors Working Network, representing disability officers in higher education colleges, said they have recommended the rule remains unchanged for those applying to the CAO this year.
“We would like to see the three-year rule in place by 2009, to allow a lead-in time for students who might need an assessment,” said Ms O’Grady, disability officer at University College Cork.
“This extension recognises the dilemma faced by young people and schools because of the shortage of psychologists and the need for the Department of Education to properly resource [the service],” she said.
The information provided to colleges through the CAO gives disability officers an idea of the supports a student has been receiving in school and the resources they might need to provide if they go on to gain a place.
The CAO opened applications for those seeking college places next autumn yesterday afternoon, with more than 60 people applying for college courses in the first four hours of business.
Following technical difficulties with the site in the days before last February’s deadline, the service has upgraded its computer systems.
* www.cao.ie.
* Closing Date: February 1, 2008.
* Fee: €45.
* Discounted Fees: €35 if online before January 20, 2008.
* Late Applications: May 1, 2008 (€70 online, €90 by post).
* Change Of Mind: Up to July 1, 2008.
