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Disability Support
The Disability and Learning Support Service in ATU supports students with all kinds of disabilities. By registering with the service, you can avail of a range of supports from the service during your time at ATU. Our job in the Disability Office is to advocate for students, and to help put these supports in place.
Students can register at any time throughout the year, but we recommend registering as soon as possible to ensure we have time to put supports in place for exams.
Can I register for supports?
You can register for supports with the service under any of the following categories:
- ADD/ADHD
- ASD
- Blind/Visually Impaired
- Deaf/Hard of Hearing
- DCD
- Mental Health Conditions
- Neurological Conditions (including brain injuries and epilepsy)
- Physical Disability
- Significant Ongoing Illness
- Speech and Language Communication Disorder
- Specific Learning Difficulty (including Dyslexia and Dyscalculia)
You can register for more than one disability with the service.
How do I register?
If you are an incoming student who is DARE eligible then you will automatically be registered with the service. Once you have accepted your place with ATU, the CAO will forward on your file to the Disability Office.
After we receive your file, a staff member will contact you to approve any supports you are eligible for. Your accommodations from secondary school will not automatically transfer over to third level, so you must meet with a staff member to get your accommodations.
If you are DARE eligible, but you have previously deferred your place, you will need to contact the Disability Office to register when you begin your course, as we may not have your documents on file. You must register to receive supports.
If you are an incoming student who is not DARE eligible, you may still be able to register with the Disability Office when you begin your course. You will need to contact the Disability Office on your campus to register.
You will need to provide documentation of your disability to the Office to register. Have a look at the list below to see what kind of documentation you will need.
| Disability | Type of Report | Age of Report |
|---|---|---|
| Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) | A report from an appropriately qualified consultant psychiatrist or a psychologist or a neurologist or a paediatrician providing a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD. | No age limit |
| Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) | A report from an appropriately qualified consultant psychiatrist or a psychologist or a neurologist or a paediatrician providing a diagnosis of ASD. | No age limit |
| Blind/Visual Impairment | A report from one or more of the following: Ophthalmologist/ophthalmic surgeon providing a diagnosis of severe reduction in vision that cannot be corrected with standard glasses or contact lenses. The diagnosis must be in relation to best-corrected visual acuity or field of vision. A letter from the National Council for the Blind of Ireland confirming registration. A letter from the principal from a school for the blind confirming attendance. | No age limit |
| Deaf/Hard of Hearing | A report from one or more of the following: An audiogram from a professionally qualified audiologist and/or ENT consultant, indicating moderate to profound bilateral hearing loss (i.e., above 40dB). A letter from the principal from a school for the deaf confirming attendance. | No age limit |
| Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (Dyspraxia/Dysgraphia) | A report from a psychologist or an occupational therapist or a neurologist diagnosing developmental co-ordination disorder (dyspraxia). Please note: The CAO/DARE evidence of disability form is not acceptable evidence of disability for this category of disability. | No age limit |
| Mental Health Condition (i.e., Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Clinical Depression, Severe Anxiety, Severe Phobias, OCD, Severe Eating Disorders, Psychosis) | A report from a consultant psychiatrist or a specialist registrar. | Less than five years |
| Neurological Condition | A report from one or more of the following: Neurological conditions – neurologist or another relevant consultant. Speech and language disabilities – speech and language therapist. | No age limit |
| Significant Ongoing Illness | A report diagnosing a significant ongoing illness such as: Diabetes type 1 – endocrinologist or a paediatrician. Cystic fibrosis – consultant respiratory physician or a paediatrician. Gastroenterology condition – gastroenterologist. Other – consultant or a consultant registrar. | Less than five years |
| Physical/Mobility | A report from an orthopaedic consultant or another relevant specialist diagnosing a significant physical or mobility difficulty. | No age limit |
| Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia or Dyscalculia) | The report of a psycho-educational assessment by a psychologist or by an assessor (PATOSS accredited) diagnosing a specific learning difficulty. Students may be asked for their latest assessment scores/educational reports to assist HEIs in determining the appropriate level of support. All tests used in the assessment must be valid, reliable and age-appropriate. The CAO/DARE evidence of disability form is not acceptable evidence of disability for this category of disability. | No age limit |
How do I get reasonable accommodations?
Supports and reasonable accommodations are different for every student and can depend on the student, the nature of their disability, the course they are studying, and how much support the student wants.
To receive reasonable accommodations a student must be registered with the Disability Service. Reasonable accommodations are granted after a student has met with a Learning Support staff member and a Needs Assessment has been done with the student.
What is a needs assessment?
A Needs Assessment Report (NAR) is completed by the Learning Support staff member who will meet with you. They will determine, with you, what kind of accommodations you are entitled to. They will fill in a report to state what kind of accommodations you will receive and what kind of supports you may need throughout the year.
After completing your Needs Assessment, the Learning Support will pass on the details of your accommodations to the Disability Office and your Head of Department. Your school office will then inform your lecturers. The nature of your disability is not disclosed to your Head of Department or your lecturers, only your accommodations and supports.
Not all students will be eligible for all accommodations that we provide. This will be discussed with you during your Needs Assessment. Accommodations are approved based on the nature and impact of your disability, the requirements of your course and what is in line with the national guidelines.