Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government where higher education institutions can find a definitive guide to their legal duties and responsiblities to disabled students.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published an ‘easy read’ for students of higher and further education that explains the rights students have under the Equality Act 2010 and gives clear, specific advice for disabled students. This can be found in the attached Annex A or via the following link: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/your-rights-if-you-are-further-or-higher-education-easy-read.

The EHRC also provides comprehensive advice on its website regarding disabled people’s rights when using a service. Further information can be found at: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/guidance-service-users.

The Disabled Students’ Sector Leadership Group’s (DSSLG) ‘Inclusive Teaching’ guidance aims to share practical approaches and interventions to developing inclusive practice in higher education, and makes helpful suggestions for a strategic approach to making ‘reasonable adjustments’ under the Equality Act 2010. Further information is available in the attached Annex B or via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-teaching-and-learning-in-higher-education.

The Office of the Independent Adjudicator in Higher Education (OIA) has published a framework for complaints and academic appeals. It recently held a public consultation on supporting disabled students, which makes particular reference to removing obstacles to learning for all disabled students. The OIA plans to issue revised guidance shortly.

Other groups such as that National Union of Students also publish advice for disabled students: https://www.nusconnect.org.uk/liberation/disabled-students.

A detailed guidance document on ‘What Equality Law Means for You as an Education Provider’ is available from the EHRC via the attached Annex C as well as via the below link: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/what-equality-law-means-you-education-provider-wales.

The Government has published general guidance on the Equality Act at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance. This is supported by further specific guidance to higher education providers (HEPs) regarding their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010, which is published by the EHRC at: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/higher-education-providers-guidance.

The Equality Challenge Unit, which has a specific role to support equality and diversity for staff and students in HEPs across the UK, also publishes specific advice for providers. This includes guidance on accessibility on campus to help providers understand barriers created by the physical environment, and how to alleviate them: http://www.ecu.ac.uk/guidance-resources/inclusive-environment/accessible-campus/.