1,000 college places for students with disabilities

ANNE MARIE Scarry's vision impairment failed to act as a barrier to her getting a third-level degree. More than 1,000 college places are now due to be reserved for students with disabilities from next year.

The Cork student is completing a masters degree in applied psychology at University College Cork where she already completed a primary degree thanks to the disability support service's help.

"During my studies, I've received assistive technology and training in how to use it, additional tuition and copies of overhead lecture notes. This support was really beneficial in assisting me to achieve an honours degree and eased the difficulties associated with my vision impairment considerably," said Ms Scarry.

She has also been active in the college's psychology society and other student organisations, as well as working with the disability support service helping other student with disabilities.

"This has been a really enjoyable experience, I have learnt so much but also I have become so familiar with the work environment and have gained so much confidence as a result," she said.

Anne Marie's latest studies are focusing on how students with disability cope in third level education and strongly recommends students to pursue an undergraduate course.

This can be made possible by an initiative by the seven universities, Athlone and Dublin Institutes of Technology, National College of Ireland and the Mater Dei Institute. They will offer an average of 5% of places on courses next autumn to students with disabilities, by recognising the impact of disability on educational attainment and reducing the Leaving Certificate points they will need for entry.

It is expected that more than 1,000 places will be filled through the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) programme at the colleges involved. Students can apply by providing additional information with their normal Central Applications Office (CAO) form up to next February, and a website contains full details at www.accesscollege.ie.

Higher Education Authority figures show that almost 1,400 – or 4.2% – of all those who started college two years ago had a disability. When students with specific learning difficulties are included, there were almost 4,400 in third level last year, up from 990 in 1993.

A similar initiative to reserve more than 1,000 college places for disadvantaged students will also come into effect from next autumn, with details available from the same website.