Original article 195
A census of students with disabilities and the support provided at the University of Aix-Marseille Marion Pratsa, Marjorie Kerzoncufa, Laurent Bensoussana, Jean-Philippe Agrestib, Béatrice Delorgec, Jean-Michel Vitona and Alain Delarquea Access to the college cycle for students with disabilities and their employability have become a priority for universities. The Handicap Mission manages it within the Aix-Marseille University (AMU). Few studies have focused on the students with disabilities’ insertion/integration within the universities and on the compensations. The objective of this study is to analyze within the AMU the students with disabilities census and characteristics, and the Handicap Mission’s operating. The census was conducted using a selfadministered questionnaire (Handi need card: university curriculum, deficiencies, technical and social help, adjustments appealed for at the university). It was performed by the staff at the AMU’s Mission Handicap Department/Office. If supporting measures seem to be necessary, the interdisciplinary team (comprised of representatives of the University teaching, Administrative and Technical staff, Mission Handicap staff, Preventive Medicine staff, and partners from associations involved in assisting people with disabilities) then defines and sets up suitable means of assistance. The Handicap Mission improves students with disabilities insertion, defines necessary adjustments, and promotes research on disability. A total of 551 students with disabilities were
identified, 304 in law and human sciences. In all, 141 deficiencies encountered related to language disorders, among which 105 were not defined by the students (‘Other’ in the questionnaire). In all, 519 SWD benefited from extra time when sitting exams and 40 were helped to take notes by others students. Compensations and Handicap Mission improve the monitoring and the link between high school and university for the students with disabilities, promote their exam success, and support them in their working life. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research 38:195–198 Copyright © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
Introduction
2011), comparisons between the behavior of students with and without disabilities (Werts et al., 1996; Gallegos et al., 2013), and the means of rehabilitation available for the treatment of students with disabilities (Bialocerkowski, 2013).
The University of Aix-Marseille (AMU) is a signatory to the French university disability charter and meets the requirements of the French Law on equality of rights and opportunities, participation, and the citizenship of people with disabilities. Mission Handicap is a group involved in supporting students with disabilities at the AMU, providing technical and human assistance and ensuring access to courses. The AMU is attended by more than 70 000 students, including an increasingly large number of students with disabilities, in line with the trend observed at all the other French universities. Despite the increasing numbers of university students with disabilities, very few studies have been published on this topic in general or on the means of support available to these students depending on the type of disability. Studies on disabled populations in educational settings have mainly dealt so far with primary and secondary school pupils with special needs (Rotheram-Fuller et al., 0342-5282 Copyright © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
International Journal of Rehabilitation Research 2015, 38:195–198 Keywords: adaptation, censuses, disabilities, psychological, students, support a
Department of PRM, Medical School University Hospital, bStudent Life and Representatives for Disabled Students, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
c
Correspondence to Marion Prats, Department of PRM, Medical School University Hospital, Marseille 13005, France Tel: + 33 4 91 38 56 01; fax : + 33 4 91 38 46 12; e-mail: [email protected] Received 9 October 2014 Accepted 8 December 2014
The aim of this study was therefore to analyze the results of a census of the students with disabilities enrolled at the AMU in 2012–2013 with a view to determining their characteristics and the work of Mission Handicap, and assessing the support provided by the AMU.
Methods A census of the students with disabilities is performed every year by the staff at the AMU’s Mission Handicap Department/Office. This census is based on students’ voluntary selfdeclarations at the beginning of the university year. Students can either apply to the university’s enrollment department and be redirected to Mission Handicap or go directly to Mission Handicap. Their declarations are then DOI: 10.1097/MRR.0000000000000105
Copyright r 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
196 International Journal of Rehabilitation Research 2015, Vol 38 No 3
Results
Students with disabilities grouped by different disciplinary fields
Table 1
Total headcount 2012–2013 [n (%)]
In 2012–2013, the AMU was attended by more than 551 students with disabilities, as against 526 in 2011–2012. Total [n (%)]
Faculties of arts, languages, law, economics, and the humanities Faculties of arts, languages, and 168 (30) the humanities Faculties of law and economics 136 (20) Faculties of law, political science, 51 (9) teacher training Faculties of the humanities 34 (6) Faculties of science and journalism Faculties of medicine, pharmacy, 67 (12) dentistry, journalism Sports science faculty 59 (10) Polytechnic faculty 36 (6)
389 (70)
162 (29)
registered by the University Department of Preventive Medicine comprised of an interprofessional team (doctors, nurses, psychologists, and secretaries), which can be consulted by students. These declarations are based on a self-administered questionnaire (the Handi Needs questionnaire), which the students who volunteer complete to report their special needs and the difficulties encountered at University because of their disabilities. The questionnaire includes a list of reportable deficiencies and possible means of support, depending on the type of disability. If supporting measures seem to be necessary, the interdisciplinary team then defines and sets up suitable means of assistance. This team comprises representatives of the university teaching, administrative and technical staff (to discuss special amenities and means of circulation/access to buildings, for example), Mission Handicap staff, Preventive Medicine staff, and partners from associations involved in assisting people with disabilities. The measures adopted are reported in the Customized Higher Educational Project (CPHE), which Mission Handicap is responsible for drawing up (subject to the approval of the University Chairman) and updating. The CPHE includes proposals for special measures on the organization of the curriculum, personal assistance, and/or technical assistance facilitating the smooth pursuit of students’ studies, exams, internships, and their full participation in all the various aspects of university life.
Number of students with disabilities grouped by University level
Table 2
Headcount 2012–2013 [n (%)] First-year studies Second-year studies Third-year studies Master’s degree year 1 Master’s degree year 2
280 130 60 40 41
(51) (24) (11) (7) (7)
More than 50% of the students with disabilities enrolled in 2012–2013 were studying languages, law, economics, or the humanities. Only 20% of the students with disabilities were studying science or journalism that year (Table 1). Half of the students with disabilities were first-year students. It is worth noting that their numbers decreased with the university level (Table 2). Twenty-five percent of students with disabilities had an ‘invisible’ disability, in the form of learning disabilities (dyslexia). Twenty percent ticked ‘Other disabilities’, which were not specified because the students were reluctant to be more explicit about their disabilities. Seventeen percent had motor disorders including dyspraxia. None of them declared having problems with incontinence (Table 3). The means of support setup can be divided into two groups: means of support with studies and means of support with examinations. Ninety-four percent of students with disabilities benefited from extra time when sitting exams and 14% of them owned a computer. Some of them were helped to take notes by other students, who were either entitled to extra marks at the end of the year or paid for their services (Table 4).
Discussion The census conducted in 2012–2013 showed that the number of students with disabilities enrolled at the AMU had increased to more than 551, as against 526 in 2011–2012. This increase, which is in line with that observed at other French universities (http://enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr), is because of the fact that children with special needs are being integrated more frequently in primary and secondary schools (http://enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr), as well as recent university policies for including students with disabilities. Table 3 Types of disabilities in students involved in mission Handicap at Aix-Marseille University Headcount 2012–2013 [n (%)] Language and speech disorders (dyslexia, dysphasia) Other disabilities Motor disorders including dyspraxia Several associated disorders Psychiatric disorders Intellectual and cognitive disorders (autism, etc.) Blindness and other visual disorders Visceral, cardiac, respiratory disorders, cancer Temporary disabilities (< 1 year) Deafness, other hearing disorders Metabolic and endocrine disorders Incontinence problems
Copyright r 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
141 (25) 105 98 40 36 19
(19) (17) (7) (6) (3)
40 24 24 16 8 0
(5.1) (4) (4) (0.2) (0.1) (0)
A census of students with disabilities Prats et al. 197
Table 4 Means of assistance provided to students with disabilities s at Aix-Marseille University within a customized higher education project Headcount 2012–2013 [n (%)] Support with studies Help with note-taking by paid students Help with note-taking by students in exchange for extra marks TV learning Enlargements Braille transcriptions Support with examinations Extra time Magnifying subjects Braille transcription Computers and special software Secretarial help with examinations
20 (3) 72 (13) 5 (0.9) 5 (30) 1 (0.1) 519 5 1 80 45
(94) (30) (0.1) (14) (8)
The integration of students with disabilities has improved at the AMU thanks to the efforts made by Mission Handicap to support students through their university studies and into employment and the development of research in the field of disability, which has led to the recruitment of university staff familiar with issues relating to disability. More than 50% of the 551 students with disabilities were pursuing studies in law or languages. This pattern is similar to that observed among the students without disabilities (there were 395 000 students in law, the humanities, and languages out of 1 462 716 students, amounting to 27%). In terms of the university level, 50% of those with disabilities were first-year students and their numbers decreased with the university level. The breakdown among students without disabilities was 19% in the first year (53 900 out of 283 687 students), 10% in the second year (155 522), and 11% in the third year (163 093). Twenty-five percent of students reported having ‘invisible’ disabilities, such as learning disabilities (dyslexia). However, 20% of them ticked ‘Other disabilities’. This high percentage made it difficult to classify the various kinds of disabilities and suggest appropriate means of support. In addition, 17% of the students reported having motor disorders associated with dyspraxia (learning disabilities), which again made it difficult to propose appropriate means of support. The functional and social impact of disabilities can differ considerably depending on the types of disorder involved (e.g. the problems encountered by students with paraplegia will differ considerably from those of physically valid students with dyspraxia). Finally, the fact that no problems of incontinence were declared may have meant either that none of the students had this disorder or that the respondents were reluctant to admit it. In terms of the kinds of support provided, almost all these students benefited from extra time at examinations, but the exact amount of time was not specified in the questionnaire. The extra time granted depended no doubt on each student’s type of disability.
These self-administered questionnaires and the support provided at the AMU correspond to some of the items on the International Classification of Functioning (ICF), such as those involving body functions (mental, sensory, voice and speech, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, metabolic and endocrine, genitourinary, and musculoskeletal) in particular. The deficiencies and types of support listed in this Classification meet the need for a system of classification ensuring comprehensible healthrelated rehabilitation services (Imamura et al., 2014). However, sensory functions (such as taste, smell, proprioceptive functions, touch, and sensitivity to temperature) and pain are also mentioned in the ICF, but these deficiencies do not feature in the Handi Needs questionnaire despite their obvious impact on university students’ activities and interests. It would certainly be worth proposing specific kinds of assistance on these lines. It might be possible, for example, to alleviate pain, which is especially common among individuals with disabilities, by providing technical assistance and drug treatment. Finally, it is interesting to note that these students account for only 20% of the 55 000 undergraduates with disabilities in France: in 2012, 13 382 students with disabilities were enrolled in further education. In comparison, there were 533 600 undergraduate students without disabilities, 84% of whom (448 518) were in their first year of higher educational studies (http://enseignement sup-recherche.gouv.fr). It still remains to be determined whether this increase was because of the increase in the number of students with disabilities enrolled at University or whether it was because of improved methods of identifying these students. These figures were probably underestimated because they were based on voluntary self-reports.
Acknowledgements This study was supported by grants from the Medical School University Hospital, PRM Department, Marseille and Aix-Marseille University. Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
References Bialocerkowski A (2013). Development of physiotherapy inherent requirement statements – an Australian experience. BMC Med Educ 13:54. Gallegos J, Langley A, Villegas D (2012). Anxiety, depression, and coping skills among Mexican school children: a comparison of students with and without learning disabilities. Learn Disabil Q 35: DOI: 10.1177/0731948711428772. Imamura M, Meyer T, Gutenbrunner C, Kiekens C, Skempes D, Melvin JL, et al. (2014). ISPRM discussion paper: Proposing a conceptual description of health-related rehabilitation services. J Rehabil Med 46:1–6. Rotheram-Fuller E, Kasari C, Chamberlain B, Locke J (2010). Social involvement of children with autism spectrum disorders in elementary school classrooms. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 51:1227–1234. Werts MG, Caldwell NK, Wolery M (1996). Peer modeling of response chains: observational learning by students with disabilities. J Appl Behav Anal 29:53–66.
Copyright r 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
198 International Journal of Rehabilitation Research 2015, Vol 38 No 3
Appendix The Handi Need’s questionnaire: This questionnaire consists of a list of deficiencies and the corresponding means of support provided, as well as questions about the respondent’s academic status. The following deficiencies are listed: intellectual and cognitive disorders (autism), psychological disorders, language and speech disorders (dyslexia, dysphasia), visceral, cardiac and respiratory disorders, cancer, motor disorders including dyspraxia, blindness and other visual disorders, deafness and other auditory disorders, metabolic and endocrine disorders, incontinence, several related disorders, and temporary disabilities (with a duration of less than 1 year). It provides information about the technical means of assistance (wheelchairs, hearing aids, Braille irises), and the human and social assistance (financial assistance, disability cards, disabled worker status, accompaniment by a carer, other professional care and rehabilitation, support by a healthcare facility, recognition of the need for a specific mode
of transportation to be stocked or housed in the halls of residence) available to students with disabilities. The Customized Higher Educational Project (CPHE): This document defines means of supporting students with disabilities in their studies (engaging a paid or otherwise compensated student note-takers or employees, remote education, providing computers, help with research by students or employees, sign language interpreters, photocopying, enlargements, Braille transcriptions, geographical grouping of lectures, specially equipped premises), at exams [extra time at exams, special rooms, room layouts, special presentation of question papers (magnified question papers, Braille transcription, questions provided on USB keys, no figures/tables/photos), computers provided, secretarial help with examination papers], and in their everyday lives (special parking arrangements, carers, medical care).
Copyright r 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
A census of students with disabilities and the support provided at the University of Aix-Marseille Marion Pratsa, Marjorie Kerzoncufa, Laurent Bensoussana, Jean-Philippe Agrestib, Béatrice Delorgec, Jean-Michel Vitona and Alain Delarquea Access to the college cycle for students with disabilities and their employability have become a priority for universities. The Handicap Mission manages it within the Aix-Marseille University (AMU). Few studies have focused on the students with disabilities’ insertion/integration within the universities and on the compensations. The objective of this study is to analyze within the AMU the students with disabilities census and characteristics, and the Handicap Mission’s operating. The census was conducted using a selfadministered questionnaire (Handi need card: university curriculum, deficiencies, technical and social help, adjustments appealed for at the university). It was performed by the staff at the AMU’s Mission Handicap Department/Office. If supporting measures seem to be necessary, the interdisciplinary team (comprised of representatives of the University teaching, Administrative and Technical staff, Mission Handicap staff, Preventive Medicine staff, and partners from associations involved in assisting people with disabilities) then defines and sets up suitable means of assistance. The Handicap Mission improves students with disabilities insertion, defines necessary adjustments, and promotes research on disability. A total of 551 students with disabilities were
identified, 304 in law and human sciences. In all, 141 deficiencies encountered related to language disorders, among which 105 were not defined by the students (‘Other’ in the questionnaire). In all, 519 SWD benefited from extra time when sitting exams and 40 were helped to take notes by others students. Compensations and Handicap Mission improve the monitoring and the link between high school and university for the students with disabilities, promote their exam success, and support them in their working life. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research 38:195–198 Copyright © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
Introduction
2011), comparisons between the behavior of students with and without disabilities (Werts et al., 1996; Gallegos et al., 2013), and the means of rehabilitation available for the treatment of students with disabilities (Bialocerkowski, 2013).
The University of Aix-Marseille (AMU) is a signatory to the French university disability charter and meets the requirements of the French Law on equality of rights and opportunities, participation, and the citizenship of people with disabilities. Mission Handicap is a group involved in supporting students with disabilities at the AMU, providing technical and human assistance and ensuring access to courses. The AMU is attended by more than 70 000 students, including an increasingly large number of students with disabilities, in line with the trend observed at all the other French universities. Despite the increasing numbers of university students with disabilities, very few studies have been published on this topic in general or on the means of support available to these students depending on the type of disability. Studies on disabled populations in educational settings have mainly dealt so far with primary and secondary school pupils with special needs (Rotheram-Fuller et al., 0342-5282 Copyright © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
International Journal of Rehabilitation Research 2015, 38:195–198 Keywords: adaptation, censuses, disabilities, psychological, students, support a
Department of PRM, Medical School University Hospital, bStudent Life and Representatives for Disabled Students, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
c
Correspondence to Marion Prats, Department of PRM, Medical School University Hospital, Marseille 13005, France Tel: + 33 4 91 38 56 01; fax : + 33 4 91 38 46 12; e-mail: [email protected] Received 9 October 2014 Accepted 8 December 2014
The aim of this study was therefore to analyze the results of a census of the students with disabilities enrolled at the AMU in 2012–2013 with a view to determining their characteristics and the work of Mission Handicap, and assessing the support provided by the AMU.
Methods A census of the students with disabilities is performed every year by the staff at the AMU’s Mission Handicap Department/Office. This census is based on students’ voluntary selfdeclarations at the beginning of the university year. Students can either apply to the university’s enrollment department and be redirected to Mission Handicap or go directly to Mission Handicap. Their declarations are then DOI: 10.1097/MRR.0000000000000105
Copyright r 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
196 International Journal of Rehabilitation Research 2015, Vol 38 No 3
Results
Students with disabilities grouped by different disciplinary fields
Table 1
Total headcount 2012–2013 [n (%)]
In 2012–2013, the AMU was attended by more than 551 students with disabilities, as against 526 in 2011–2012. Total [n (%)]
Faculties of arts, languages, law, economics, and the humanities Faculties of arts, languages, and 168 (30) the humanities Faculties of law and economics 136 (20) Faculties of law, political science, 51 (9) teacher training Faculties of the humanities 34 (6) Faculties of science and journalism Faculties of medicine, pharmacy, 67 (12) dentistry, journalism Sports science faculty 59 (10) Polytechnic faculty 36 (6)
389 (70)
162 (29)
registered by the University Department of Preventive Medicine comprised of an interprofessional team (doctors, nurses, psychologists, and secretaries), which can be consulted by students. These declarations are based on a self-administered questionnaire (the Handi Needs questionnaire), which the students who volunteer complete to report their special needs and the difficulties encountered at University because of their disabilities. The questionnaire includes a list of reportable deficiencies and possible means of support, depending on the type of disability. If supporting measures seem to be necessary, the interdisciplinary team then defines and sets up suitable means of assistance. This team comprises representatives of the university teaching, administrative and technical staff (to discuss special amenities and means of circulation/access to buildings, for example), Mission Handicap staff, Preventive Medicine staff, and partners from associations involved in assisting people with disabilities. The measures adopted are reported in the Customized Higher Educational Project (CPHE), which Mission Handicap is responsible for drawing up (subject to the approval of the University Chairman) and updating. The CPHE includes proposals for special measures on the organization of the curriculum, personal assistance, and/or technical assistance facilitating the smooth pursuit of students’ studies, exams, internships, and their full participation in all the various aspects of university life.
Number of students with disabilities grouped by University level
Table 2
Headcount 2012–2013 [n (%)] First-year studies Second-year studies Third-year studies Master’s degree year 1 Master’s degree year 2
280 130 60 40 41
(51) (24) (11) (7) (7)
More than 50% of the students with disabilities enrolled in 2012–2013 were studying languages, law, economics, or the humanities. Only 20% of the students with disabilities were studying science or journalism that year (Table 1). Half of the students with disabilities were first-year students. It is worth noting that their numbers decreased with the university level (Table 2). Twenty-five percent of students with disabilities had an ‘invisible’ disability, in the form of learning disabilities (dyslexia). Twenty percent ticked ‘Other disabilities’, which were not specified because the students were reluctant to be more explicit about their disabilities. Seventeen percent had motor disorders including dyspraxia. None of them declared having problems with incontinence (Table 3). The means of support setup can be divided into two groups: means of support with studies and means of support with examinations. Ninety-four percent of students with disabilities benefited from extra time when sitting exams and 14% of them owned a computer. Some of them were helped to take notes by other students, who were either entitled to extra marks at the end of the year or paid for their services (Table 4).
Discussion The census conducted in 2012–2013 showed that the number of students with disabilities enrolled at the AMU had increased to more than 551, as against 526 in 2011–2012. This increase, which is in line with that observed at other French universities (http://enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr), is because of the fact that children with special needs are being integrated more frequently in primary and secondary schools (http://enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr), as well as recent university policies for including students with disabilities. Table 3 Types of disabilities in students involved in mission Handicap at Aix-Marseille University Headcount 2012–2013 [n (%)] Language and speech disorders (dyslexia, dysphasia) Other disabilities Motor disorders including dyspraxia Several associated disorders Psychiatric disorders Intellectual and cognitive disorders (autism, etc.) Blindness and other visual disorders Visceral, cardiac, respiratory disorders, cancer Temporary disabilities (< 1 year) Deafness, other hearing disorders Metabolic and endocrine disorders Incontinence problems
Copyright r 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
141 (25) 105 98 40 36 19
(19) (17) (7) (6) (3)
40 24 24 16 8 0
(5.1) (4) (4) (0.2) (0.1) (0)
A census of students with disabilities Prats et al. 197
Table 4 Means of assistance provided to students with disabilities s at Aix-Marseille University within a customized higher education project Headcount 2012–2013 [n (%)] Support with studies Help with note-taking by paid students Help with note-taking by students in exchange for extra marks TV learning Enlargements Braille transcriptions Support with examinations Extra time Magnifying subjects Braille transcription Computers and special software Secretarial help with examinations
20 (3) 72 (13) 5 (0.9) 5 (30) 1 (0.1) 519 5 1 80 45
(94) (30) (0.1) (14) (8)
The integration of students with disabilities has improved at the AMU thanks to the efforts made by Mission Handicap to support students through their university studies and into employment and the development of research in the field of disability, which has led to the recruitment of university staff familiar with issues relating to disability. More than 50% of the 551 students with disabilities were pursuing studies in law or languages. This pattern is similar to that observed among the students without disabilities (there were 395 000 students in law, the humanities, and languages out of 1 462 716 students, amounting to 27%). In terms of the university level, 50% of those with disabilities were first-year students and their numbers decreased with the university level. The breakdown among students without disabilities was 19% in the first year (53 900 out of 283 687 students), 10% in the second year (155 522), and 11% in the third year (163 093). Twenty-five percent of students reported having ‘invisible’ disabilities, such as learning disabilities (dyslexia). However, 20% of them ticked ‘Other disabilities’. This high percentage made it difficult to classify the various kinds of disabilities and suggest appropriate means of support. In addition, 17% of the students reported having motor disorders associated with dyspraxia (learning disabilities), which again made it difficult to propose appropriate means of support. The functional and social impact of disabilities can differ considerably depending on the types of disorder involved (e.g. the problems encountered by students with paraplegia will differ considerably from those of physically valid students with dyspraxia). Finally, the fact that no problems of incontinence were declared may have meant either that none of the students had this disorder or that the respondents were reluctant to admit it. In terms of the kinds of support provided, almost all these students benefited from extra time at examinations, but the exact amount of time was not specified in the questionnaire. The extra time granted depended no doubt on each student’s type of disability.
These self-administered questionnaires and the support provided at the AMU correspond to some of the items on the International Classification of Functioning (ICF), such as those involving body functions (mental, sensory, voice and speech, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, metabolic and endocrine, genitourinary, and musculoskeletal) in particular. The deficiencies and types of support listed in this Classification meet the need for a system of classification ensuring comprehensible healthrelated rehabilitation services (Imamura et al., 2014). However, sensory functions (such as taste, smell, proprioceptive functions, touch, and sensitivity to temperature) and pain are also mentioned in the ICF, but these deficiencies do not feature in the Handi Needs questionnaire despite their obvious impact on university students’ activities and interests. It would certainly be worth proposing specific kinds of assistance on these lines. It might be possible, for example, to alleviate pain, which is especially common among individuals with disabilities, by providing technical assistance and drug treatment. Finally, it is interesting to note that these students account for only 20% of the 55 000 undergraduates with disabilities in France: in 2012, 13 382 students with disabilities were enrolled in further education. In comparison, there were 533 600 undergraduate students without disabilities, 84% of whom (448 518) were in their first year of higher educational studies (http://enseignement sup-recherche.gouv.fr). It still remains to be determined whether this increase was because of the increase in the number of students with disabilities enrolled at University or whether it was because of improved methods of identifying these students. These figures were probably underestimated because they were based on voluntary self-reports.
Acknowledgements This study was supported by grants from the Medical School University Hospital, PRM Department, Marseille and Aix-Marseille University. Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
References Bialocerkowski A (2013). Development of physiotherapy inherent requirement statements – an Australian experience. BMC Med Educ 13:54. Gallegos J, Langley A, Villegas D (2012). Anxiety, depression, and coping skills among Mexican school children: a comparison of students with and without learning disabilities. Learn Disabil Q 35: DOI: 10.1177/0731948711428772. Imamura M, Meyer T, Gutenbrunner C, Kiekens C, Skempes D, Melvin JL, et al. (2014). ISPRM discussion paper: Proposing a conceptual description of health-related rehabilitation services. J Rehabil Med 46:1–6. Rotheram-Fuller E, Kasari C, Chamberlain B, Locke J (2010). Social involvement of children with autism spectrum disorders in elementary school classrooms. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 51:1227–1234. Werts MG, Caldwell NK, Wolery M (1996). Peer modeling of response chains: observational learning by students with disabilities. J Appl Behav Anal 29:53–66.
Copyright r 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
198 International Journal of Rehabilitation Research 2015, Vol 38 No 3
Appendix The Handi Need’s questionnaire: This questionnaire consists of a list of deficiencies and the corresponding means of support provided, as well as questions about the respondent’s academic status. The following deficiencies are listed: intellectual and cognitive disorders (autism), psychological disorders, language and speech disorders (dyslexia, dysphasia), visceral, cardiac and respiratory disorders, cancer, motor disorders including dyspraxia, blindness and other visual disorders, deafness and other auditory disorders, metabolic and endocrine disorders, incontinence, several related disorders, and temporary disabilities (with a duration of less than 1 year). It provides information about the technical means of assistance (wheelchairs, hearing aids, Braille irises), and the human and social assistance (financial assistance, disability cards, disabled worker status, accompaniment by a carer, other professional care and rehabilitation, support by a healthcare facility, recognition of the need for a specific mode
of transportation to be stocked or housed in the halls of residence) available to students with disabilities. The Customized Higher Educational Project (CPHE): This document defines means of supporting students with disabilities in their studies (engaging a paid or otherwise compensated student note-takers or employees, remote education, providing computers, help with research by students or employees, sign language interpreters, photocopying, enlargements, Braille transcriptions, geographical grouping of lectures, specially equipped premises), at exams [extra time at exams, special rooms, room layouts, special presentation of question papers (magnified question papers, Braille transcription, questions provided on USB keys, no figures/tables/photos), computers provided, secretarial help with examination papers], and in their everyday lives (special parking arrangements, carers, medical care).
Copyright r 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
