Policies and legislation
The Disabled Student Support Team (DSST) starts from the premise that each student defines his or her own disability. Our role is to explain what support is available and to facilitate the delivery of that support. We use the UCAS disability categories for organisational purposes.
Role of Disabled Student Support Team
The Disabled Student Support Team aims to ensure that the University is compliant with its legal responsibility not to discriminate against disabled students by failing to make reasonable adjustments. It achieves this primarily through the provision of learning contracts and the delivery of specialist services for disabled students. We also play a key role in raising awareness about the need to anticipate the needs of disabled students and we promote the development of Inclusive Practice (IP). The Disabled Student Support Team is separated into two teams (see structure diagram) and includes a wide variety of roles. Please see the 'contacts' page for more detail about the team roles.
The University's Approach to Disability
There are currently two main approaches to defining disability
- the social model of disability recognises that a person may be restricted or disadvantaged by the environments in which they spend their time. Restriction and disadvantage are therefore imposed upon disabled people and can, with appropriate action, be alleviated
- the medical model of disability focuses on a person's condition or illness and how to improve or cure it
The University adopts the social model of disability and accepts that disability is socially created. Responsibility lies with the University to identify barriers and obstacles which exist within the institution and work towards removing them whenever reasonably possible. We aim to provide the support services, equipment and physical adaptations which remove barriers and obstacles, and facilitate inclusion into the university and access to all facilities and services.
In keeping with the Equality Act (2010) students are encouraged to disclose their disabilities as this will help us meet the requirements Sheffield Hallam is committed to the principles of inclusion and equal opportunities and therfore welcomes applications from disabled students.
