Implications of the DED for Implications of the DED for Learning and TeachingLearning and Teaching

Shirley HillShirley Hill

Head of Disability ServicesHead of Disability Services

University of DundeeUniversity of Dundees.hill@dundee.ac.uks.hill@dundee.ac.uk

Disability Legal FrameworkDisability Legal Framework

Disability Discrimination Act (1995)Disability Discrimination Act (1995)

Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (2001)Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (2001)

DDA Amendment Regulations (2003)DDA Amendment Regulations (2003)

Disability Discrimination Act (2005) (Disability Equality)Disability Discrimination Act (2005) (Disability Equality)

DDA Amendment Regulations (2006)DDA Amendment Regulations (2006)

What is the Disability Equality Duty?What is the Disability Equality Duty?

From 5From 5thth December 2006: December 2006:

Disability Discrimination Act (2005) expands the definition of Disability Discrimination Act (2005) expands the definition of disability and introduces a new Disability Equality Duty (DED) on disability and introduces a new Disability Equality Duty (DED) on public sector authorities to:public sector authorities to:

Eliminate unlawful discrimination of disabled peopleEliminate unlawful discrimination of disabled people Promote equality of opportunity for disabled peoplePromote equality of opportunity for disabled people Promote positive attitudes towards disabled peoplePromote positive attitudes towards disabled people Publish a Disability Equality Scheme (DES)Publish a Disability Equality Scheme (DES) Involvement of disabled people is central to new dutyInvolvement of disabled people is central to new duty

More info at: More info at: www.dundee.ac.uk/disabilityservices/disability/DDA.htmlwww.dundee.ac.uk/disabilityservices/disability/DDA.html

What is the University doing to meet the What is the University doing to meet the Disability Equality Duty?Disability Equality Duty?

Preparation of draft DES involving disabled staff and Preparation of draft DES involving disabled staff and students (approved by Court on 23students (approved by Court on 23rdrd October) October)

Review of disability-relevant functions, policies and Review of disability-relevant functions, policies and procedures to assess impact on disabled peopleprocedures to assess impact on disabled people

Awareness raising and staff developmentAwareness raising and staff development

Ongoing improvement of physical access on campusOngoing improvement of physical access on campus

Focus on identifying and removing barriers to accessFocus on identifying and removing barriers to access

Participation in ‘Using Teachability’Participation in ‘Using Teachability’

Teachability at Dundee University

Three departments undertook Teachability audits in Three departments undertook Teachability audits in 2001: Applied Computing, Design, English2001: Applied Computing, Design, English

Four members of staff currently participating in ‘Using Four members of staff currently participating in ‘Using Teachability’:Teachability’:

- Cowan Ervine (Law) - Cowan Ervine (Law) – programme review– programme review- Lissa Monk (Accountancy)- Lissa Monk (Accountancy) – programme review– programme review- Roland Ashcroft (Design)- Roland Ashcroft (Design) – course info, practicals– course info, practicals- Shirley Hill (Disability) - Shirley Hill (Disability) – QA, staff development– QA, staff development

Focus on identifying Focus on identifying corecore programme requirements programme requirements

How will Teachability be embedded?How will Teachability be embedded?

Requirement to undertake Teachability audit part of Requirement to undertake Teachability audit part of programme approval and review processprogramme approval and review process

Requirement to promote inclusiveness in programme Requirement to promote inclusiveness in programme design and delivery part of L&T Strategy 2006-10design and delivery part of L&T Strategy 2006-10

DMAG secondment to support provision of core DMAG secondment to support provision of core programme information via accessible web pages and to programme information via accessible web pages and to support accessible teaching/assessment via VLEsupport accessible teaching/assessment via VLE

How will Teachability be embedded (cont)?

‘‘Using Teachability’ participants to support staff Using Teachability’ participants to support staff development across all Colleges on the Teachability development across all Colleges on the Teachability approach to curriculum accessibilityapproach to curriculum accessibility

Online good practice forum to be established with case Online good practice forum to be established with case studies together with online staff development module on studies together with online staff development module on “developing inclusive curricula”“developing inclusive curricula”

Progress to be monitored via Learning and Teaching Progress to be monitored via Learning and Teaching Committee, Equality and Diversity Working Group and Committee, Equality and Diversity Working Group and University’s Disability Equality Scheme (DES)University’s Disability Equality Scheme (DES)

What are the DES’s priorities for L&T?

Admissions Policy (3.2)Admissions Policy (3.2)

Learning and Teaching Strategy (3.3)Learning and Teaching Strategy (3.3)

Student Placement Policy (3.3)Student Placement Policy (3.3)

Competence Standards/Fitness to Practice (3.3)Competence Standards/Fitness to Practice (3.3)

Student Assessment Policy (3.4)Student Assessment Policy (3.4)

Student Appeals Procedure (3.4)Student Appeals Procedure (3.4)

Useful WebsitesUseful Websites

Action on Access: Action on Access: www.actiononaccess.orgwww.actiononaccess.org Disability Rights Commission: Disability Rights Commission: www.drc.gov.ukwww.drc.gov.uk Disability Services: www.dundee.ac.uk/disabilityservicesDisability Services: www.dundee.ac.uk/disabilityservices Equality Challenge Unit: www.ecu.ac.ukEquality Challenge Unit: www.ecu.ac.uk Equality Forward: www.equalityforwardscotland.ac.ukEquality Forward: www.equalityforwardscotland.ac.uk Scottish Disability Team: www.sdt.ac.ukScottish Disability Team: www.sdt.ac.uk SKILL: www.skill.org.ukSKILL: www.skill.org.uk Teachability: www.teachability.strath.ac.ukTeachability: www.teachability.strath.ac.uk TechDis: www.techdis.ac.ukTechDis: www.techdis.ac.uk