INFORMACIÓN PÚBLICA GENERADA ANTES DE LA VIGENCIA DE LA LEY.

Objectives  for  Phase  1  of  the  student  journey  are  to  i)  increase  the  number  of   students  with  sensory,  physical  and  multiple  disabilities  in  HE  as  stated  in   the  National  Plan  for  Equity  of  Access  to  Higher  Education  2008  –  2013,  ii)       engage  students,  parents  and    practitioners  in    pre-and-post  entry  activities  in   preparation  for  the  transition  to  HE,  and  iii)  identify  factors  that  function  as   either  promoters  or  barriers  for  students  with  disabilities  applying  to  HE.   Phase  1  is  delivered  via  the  Pathways  to  Trinity  web  strategy,  the  Pathways   Outreach  Project,  and  the  Pathways  Transition  Tool.    This  model  is  included   in  the  Compendium  of  Effective  Practice  (HEA,  2012),  a  publication  which   presents  a  wide  range  of  strategies  and  initiatives  focused  on  improving  the   student  experience.  

Pathways  to  Trinity  Website  www.tcd.ie/pathways-to-trinity

Students  and  their  transition  partners  require  access  to  relevant  information   in  an  accessible  format  presented  in  an  uncomplicated,  jargon  free  context.       Felsinger  and  Byford  (2010)  identify  pre-entry  activities  as  a  reasonable      

adjustment  for  students  with  disabilities  and  argue  that  ‘students  can  have  a   smoother  transition  to  higher  education,  subsequently  influencing  their       retention  and  progression’  (2010,  p.  22).  This  study  also  recommended  that   strategic  actions  for  HEIs  should  include  public  dissemination  of  information   on  reasonable  accommodations,  entitlements  and  supports.  

The  Irish  Universities  Quality  Board  (IUQB)  Public  Information  project   (2011)  surveyed  second  level  students  (n  =  266)  and  Career  Guidance       Counsellors  (n  =  264)  throughout  Ireland,  to  ascertain  what  types  of       information  should  be  available  on  university  and  other  websites,  in  a  format   that  is  clear  and  accessible.  Students  indicated  a  need  for  information  on   course  content  and  entry  routes,  clearer  and  simpler  use  of  language,       explanation  of  higher  education  jargon  or  key  words,  and  provision  of  a  site   specific  search  engine.  Guidance  Counsellors  indicated  a  need  for  course     specific  information,  a  glossary  of  key  terms,  realistic  accounts  of       programmes,  entry  routes,  and  student  supports.  The  IUQB  recommended   inclusion  of  feedback  on  the  experiences  of  students  in  college  with  regard  to   specific  courses  and  campus  life.  

The  Pathways  to  Trinity  website  is  a  dedicated  transition  site  for  second     mlevel  students,  parents,  professionals,  and  other  stakeholders  that  assists   with  transition  planning.  The  purpose  of  the  site  is  to  collate  and  disseminate         information  identified  in  the  IUQB  study,  as  being  critical  to  transition       success.  The  website  hosts  longitudinal  surveys  for  completion  by  students,   parents  and  practitioners,  which  provides  quantitative  and  qualitative  data  on   the  transition  experience,  with  the  purpose  of  informing  future  practices  with-­ in  senior  cycle  and  HE.  

Analysis  of  visitors  since  launch  of  the  website  in  April  2011  is  facilitated  by   embedding  Google  Analytics  in  each  of  the  web  pages,  an  enterprise  class   analytic  tool.  Such  data  (April  2012)  indicates  encouraging  trends:    7,868   visitors  have  accessed  the  website  of  which  5,134  are  unique  visitors;;  62.13%   of  these  were  new  visits  and  37.87%  returning  visitors,  from  94  countries.   Pages  have  been  viewed  19,  992  times,  the  most  popular  content  by  ranking   is  study  skills,  college  application,  DARE,  course  choice,  and  college      

supports.  It  is  anticipated  that  these  trends  will  increase  significantly  as     Pathways  becomes  embedded  as  a  resource  at  second  level.  

Pathways  Outreach  Project

This  pilot  programme  seeks  to  engage  students  with  disabilities  during     Leaving  Certificate  year  by  providing  college-based  workshops  which       explore  topics  such  as  assistive  technology,  academic  skills,  planning  a         college  career,  and  the  college  application  process.  Parents  and  practitioners   are  encouraged  to  engage  in  workshops  which  provide  advice  on  the  college   application  process,  supporting  students  through  state  examinations,       managing  student  stress  and  setting  up  a  study  environment.    Sessions  are   designed  and  delivered  by  DS  staff  and  Occupational  Therapists,  together   with  sessional  input  from  current  students  with  disabilities  in  the  university.   All  participants  in  the  workshop  are  introduced  to  the  Pathways  Transition   Tool.  

The  first  cycle  of  workshops  took  place  between  October  2011  and  April   2012  with  11  students    and  13  parents  in  attendance;;  the  second  cycle  ran   between  September  2012  and  January  2013,  with  17  students  and  4  parents   in  attendance.  Quantitative  and  qualitative  data  for  both  cycles  was  gathered   from  a  survey,  examining  parent  and  Data  from  the  first  cycle  was  used  to       re-evaluate  /  adjust  programme  format  and  content,  for  the  following  cycle.   Parents  expressed  improved  confidence  and  engagement  by  students  with   the  transition  process,  and  whilst  students  were  satisfied  with  the  content  of   the  workshops,  logistics  such  as  travel  time,  venue  and  breaks,  caused  some       difficulties.  No  feedback  was  received  from  any  of  the  practitioners    from   either  cycle  of  the  workshops.

Pathways  Transition  Tool

Students  with  disabilities  should  be  assisted  with  planning  and  recording  the   steps  in  the  transition  process,  adapting  their  goals  and  needs  as  they       progress  through  their  school  career,  and  reviewing  such  goals       collaboratively  with  a  transition  ‘partner’,  be  that  a  parent,  teacher,  Guid-­ ance  Counsellor  or  other  practitioner.  The  Pathways  Transition  Tool  is  a       web-based  assessment  and  planning  resource  structured  into  five  modules:  

Preparing  Myself  for  the  Future,  Independent  Living,  Academic  Skills,         College  Application  and  Course  Choices,  and  Identifying  and  Using       Reasonable  Accommodations.  The  Transition  Tool  is  currently  available  as   separate  Word  documents,  and  an  online  version  is  in  development.