Admissions
All persons with disabilities are admitted with the minimum University requirements to the first degree program. Applicants are asked to identify themselves as being a person with a disability on the application and the centre then liaise with the academic directorate to facilitate their admission. After acceptance into UCC, the Office initiate the intake process.
Financial Aid
The centre creates a centralized database of funding opportunities for all undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities and provide assistance in seeking funding. We also support students in applying to the Disability Common Fund in their Districts and inform students that their disability-related expenses (such as equipment and assistive technology) should be part of their financial need statement, not only part of the parental income statement, when seeking aid.
Priority Registration
Students who have completed their intake at the Office of Disability Services have the option to register for courses at ODS. Priority Registration will be given to these students five (5) working days in advance of general registration. If timetables are available at the time of Priority Registration, this service allows students the opportunity to select schedules that match their unique disability-related needs. If timetables are not available at the time of Priority Registration, the student will register for an additional two “safety” courses, so that if preferred courses are inaccessible, s/he will automatically have alternatives available. All registrations completed through ODS will be submitted by ODS to the Timetable Committee as priority regarding ground floor location and reasonable amount of travel time between classes (minimum of one hour).
If when the timetables are made available and the individual’s disability-related needs do not allow her or him access to any aspect of the educational setting of the registered course(s), including safety course(s), the individual has the right to request a change in location and/or time of the course(s) from the Timetable Committee. If course location and/or time cannot be reasonably changed, the following steps will be taken by the individual with the assistance of the Liaison Officer:
- Discuss with lecturer how the individual’s disability-related needs can be met with regards to location and/or time.
- If no change can reasonably be made, the individual will be registered in a preferred course(s) that is accessible. The next scheduled offering of the original course(s) will be ensured accessible by the Timetable Committee with regards to location and/or time.
Academic Adjustments
- changes in the length of time permitted for the completion of a requirement,
- substitution for specific courses required, and
- Adaptation of the manner in which a required course is conducted.
ICT and Assistive Technology and Devices
- Reading and Writing Enhancement Software
- Screen reader software (JAWS 12.0)
- Screen enlargement software (Zoom Text)
- CCTV text magnification systems
- Printer access for note-takers
- Refreshable Braille display
- Alternative navigation programs
Exam Services
- Scanned Exam using Screen Reader Software (JAWS)
- Taped Exam
- Extended time
- Braille, CCTV, Large print
- Readers
- Scribes
Support Services
- Adjunct Student Orientation including Mobility Training
- Registration assistance, including priority registration; financial aid assistance; and related university services.
- Coordination and administration of specialized services based on an individual’s disability-related needs, as determined collaboratively by the individual and Liaison Officer at ODS.
- Advocacy on campus, in community and through national agencies.
- Disability-related events and trainings.
- ICT labs with internet access, with intensive and ongoing computer training programs;
- Access to assistive technologies (e.g. JAWS, FM listening devices) including new devices that may become available with emerging technology.
- Conversion of instructional materials to accessible formats, including but not limited to, digitized, large print, electronic screen-readable text, CCTV and Braille.
- Exam services including, but not limited to, extended time; invigilating; adapting the mode or presentation of exam without changing content, scope or depth of the exam; conversion of the exam to alternative format; and provision of distraction-reduced environment.
- Oral and sign language interpreters.
- Note-takers for writing, note taking, and manual manipulation (scribe) for courses and academic activities.
- Readers.
- Lab assistants.
- On-campus mobility assistance (shuttle services) to and from university courses and related educational activities. Transportation for non-academic activities will be considered based on availability.
- Disability-related counselling and advising.
Services to Students in Sandwich Programs
The University of Cape Coast is responsible for ensuring that students with disabilities are provided reasonable support services regardless of the type of course in which the student is enrolled. The University will fully fund and make provision for support services for qualified students with disabilities enrolled in sandwich courses, including but not limited to distance learning. Such services may include but are not limited to interpreters, readers, note takers, invigilators, and the provision of instructional materials in alternative formats.
Residential Accommodations
The University provides accessible residential accommodations to students and to staff as per contract. Housing is guaranteed for the individual’s academic career. Considerations is given specific to a person’s disability, including but not limited to:
A person with a mobility impairment having easy access in and out of the room, and sufficient turning radius inside for his/her wheelchair or general ease of manoeuvring with no more than one (1) other person.
A person with a visual impairment having a room with no more than one (1) other person, due to organizational concerns related to his/her impairment, in a quiet area that allows for listening devices to be used. When newly built accessible residential accommodations are available, persons with disabilities will be given priority placement. The University will continue to make improvements to the campus environment to meet the requirements of the Disability Act of 2006, which states that institutions must be fully accessible by 2016. Please refer to the Environmental Access Policy Plan and Timeline.
Environmental Access
- Curb ramps
- Ramps at building/area entrances and access provided to every floor (by ramp or lift) and within classrooms
- Accessible restrooms in every building
- Automatic doors at building entrances
- Braille signs at building entrances and in lifts
- Hand rails
- Painted edges of steps
- Clearly delineated crosswalks
- Cleared walkways
- Traffic lights to protect pedestrians as needed
- Accessible residential accommodations