Great Expectations

The mission of AHEAD is to encourage students with disabilities to access higher and further education. Students with disabilities have traditionally been underrepresented within third level education. Therefore it is extremely important that students with disabilities are encouraged by teachers, parents and Guidance Counsellors to expect to progress to higher education and professional careers.

AHEAD and the Institute of Guidance Counsellors received funding through the Dormant Accounts Fund, to develop and pilot Disability/Equality Training for Guidance Counsellors. This project involved the creation of an online information resource containing information about supports available in third level for students with disabilities.

In recent years disability services have been well developed in both the Universities and Institutes of Technology. Such a service exists to support the inclusion of students with disabilities in all aspects of college life. The disability support service may also provide Assistive Technology such as voice recognition software and screen reading software which play an important role in helping the student to deal with the disadvantage caused by their disability.

Ensuring that buildings are accessible, that curricula are more inclusive and methods of assessment are flexible is encouraging more students with disabilities to go to college. Providing students with disabilities with additional supports does not give them an unfair advantage all it does is level the playing field giving them an opportunity to compete at the same level as their peers. Career guidance plays a crucial role in putting students on the right path for both educationally and socially. Students with disabilities may guidance and counselling that takes into account the impact of their disability on their educational and social experiences.

ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS

Aim: The Association for Higher Education Access and Disability (AHEAD) promotes equal access to third level for students with disabilities. This workshop explores and challenge the myths and stereotypes surrounding disability, and explore further education (and career) opportunities for students with disabilities.

Duration: 2 hours

For further information about the types of training AHEAD offer please email ahead@ahead.ie∞

Great Expectations Manual - A Handbook for Guidance Counsellors when working with Students with Disabilities

This highly practical and informative manual was developed especially for guidance counsellors providing a careers service to students with disabilities and complements the workshops. The manual aims to provide guidance counsellors with user-friendly information so that they can build on their existing competencies and skills. This manual is now available to purchase from AHEAD.

Price: €30.00 (including postage & packing)

WEB BASED RESOURCE

Information about the support services available to students with disabilities in third level colleges was gathered and is available from AHEAD∞ and on the QUALIFAX∞ website.

Steering Group:

Brian Mooney - The Institute of Guidance Counsellors
Tom Farrell - Qualifax
Hilary Lynch – National Council for Guidance and Education
Maureen Bohan – Department of Education and Science
Anne B. Ryan – NUI Maynooth
Tina Lowe – Get AHEAD
Lorraine Gallagher – AHEAD
Mary Quirke – AHEAD
Ann Heelan - AHEAD

AHEAD is delighted to have had the opportunity to further cement its working relationship with the IGC and would like to thank the steering committee for all its hard work and support in making this project a great success.

The Great Expections Project was financed through the Dormant Accounts Fund.