|
|
DISABILITY
Current Legal Position
The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) prevents discrimination against disabled people generally and in particular in the following areas:
- Employment (Part 2)
- Access to services, premises and private clubs (Part 3)
- Education (Part 4)
In employment terms the DDA (Part 2) prohibits discrimination in relation to employment of disabled people, including recruitment, training, promotion, benefits, dismissal, etc. It requires employers to make “reasonable adjustments” for a disabled person put at a substantial disadvantage by a provision, criterion or practice, or a physical feature of premises. It also prohibits discrimination by trade organisations and qualifications bodies and provides procedures for enforcement and provision of remedies for discrimination.
The DDA (Part 3) requires service providers to make “reasonable adjustments” for disabled people. A service provider is required to take reasonable steps to:
- change a practice, policy or procedure which makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to make use of its services
- provide an auxiliary aid or service if it would enable (or make it easier for) disabled people to make use of its services
In addition, where a physical feature makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to make use of services, a service provider has to take reasonable steps to:
- remove the feature; or
- alter it so that it no longer has that effect; or
- provide a reasonable means of avoiding it
- provide a reasonable alternative method of making the service available
It prohibits discrimination by private clubs and provides procedures for enforcement and provision of remedies for discrimination.
Part 4 of the DDA covers Education: Amended by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001, it prohibits discrimination in relation to:
- school admissions, exclusions, and the education or associated services provided to pupils
- further and higher education admissions, exclusions, and student services
Responsible bodies for schools and further and higher education institutions must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled students (or prospective students) are not placed at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with their non-disabled peers.
Responsible bodies for further and higher education are also required to provide auxiliary aids or services and have a duty to make adjustments to physical features.
The University’s Educational Policy and Standards Committee developed guidelines particularly in teaching and employment in order to meet its obligations under the DDA (1995).
Following the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act in 2001 the University issued guidelines to Colleges and Departments from the University’s Educational Policy and Standards Committee.
University Response
The University policies and practices which are relevant are as follows:
|
|
Staff |
Students |
|
Recruitment and selection |
The Code of Practice on staff recruitment and selection is set out here. |
The Code of Practice on student recruitment is available from the Admissions Office website |
|
Conditions of service or Student Support |
The University produced a Disability Equality Scheme (DES) as part of the new Disability Equality Duty (following the DDA [2005] amendment) in December 2006 which focused on both disabled staff and students. The DES includes an action plan for the next three years focusing on barriers to equality of opportunity for disabled staff and students and how the University proposes to remove these barriers. See the University DES webpage for more information. |
See Staff. |
|
Monitoring |
The University collects data on students and staff with disabilities.The University’s DES contains baseline data on disability and will enable better monitoring of both staff and student numbers to take place from now. |
See Staff. |
|
Publishing |
Figures on disabled applicants are currently published by the Admissions Office as part of their annual report. The University’s DES provides an ongoing opportunity to publish data on disabled staff and students to ensure that the University is able demonstrate progress. |
See Staff. |
Support and Advice
The Diversity & Equal Opportunities Unit is able to offer guidance and advice to departments on University policies and to students and staff and staff with disabilities on acadmic support and, in collaboration with Occupational Health, support available for staff with disabilities.
The Legal Services Office offers guidance to departments on the law.
Guidance on personnel policy should be sought by departments from their designated Sector Personnel Officer and by individuals from their departmental administrator or Head of Department.
The University offers training in best practice for those involved in the admissions process, recruitment and selection, management and teaching.
Disabled Students can get advice from the OUSU Vice President for Welfare and Equal Opportunities.
Advice on childcare is available from the Childcare Officer or on the Childcare website where full details of University nursery and childminding provision, advice on staff and student funding, and application forms are available.
The University Counselling Service is available to students directly and to staff via the University Occupational Health Service.
Services and Information
Staff
A staff forum does not currently exist but the Disability Office are keen to facilitate such a forum as an ongoing contribution to the University’s DES. Please contact the Senior Disability Officer for more information.
Students
Oxford University Students Union has a Disabilities Action Group for Disabled Students.
Contact the Vice President for Welfare and Equal Opportunities at OUSU for more
information.
Links to Legislation and external bodies
Disability Rights Commission summary of DDA Statutes
SKILL (National Bureau for Students with Disabilities)
Equality & Diversity webmaster
(eoweb@admin.ox.ac.uk)