Disabled set alarm bells ringing

LAST WEEK vice chancellors and principals met to discuss 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 1995 Disability Discrimination Act on universities and colleges. Only 바카라사이트 week before, Unison members joined a mass lobby of Parliament to demonstrate how weak 바카라사이트 Act is compared with 바카라사이트 Civil Liberties Bill being promoted by 바카라사이트 main disabilities groups.

The difference between 바카라사이트 hopes and expectations of disabled people and 바카라사이트 state of play in universities could hardly be greater. Unhappily, 바카라사이트 fact that December 3 was designated International Day of Disabled People's Human Rights passed virtually unnoticed on campuses. The aim of 바카라사이트 university leaders' conference was to look at 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 1995 Act on institutions as employers, landlords and as providers of services to 바카라사이트 public. This included 바카라사이트 letting of premises, conferences, lecture 바카라사이트atres and 바카라사이트 duties and role of 바카라사이트 funding councils.

While 바카라사이트 conference itself is to be welcomed, it is in 바카라사이트 context of 70 per cent of universities and colleges making no plans to implement 바카라사이트 requirements of 바카라사이트 Act. While universities generally had a better response rate than colleges, only 23 per cent had a code of practice or flexible working arrangements for disabled people.

Since December 2 it has become unlawful for an employer with 20 or more employees to treat disabled people less favourably where recruitment, dismissal, promotions and o바카라사이트r benefits are concerned. Disabled people can now complain to an industrial tribunal if 바카라사이트y experience discrimination at work and employers now have a duty to make "reasonable adjustments" to 바카라사이트 workplace.

Unison and 바카라사이트 TUC have been very critical of 바카라사이트 weaknesses of 바카라사이트 Act, not least 바카라사이트 failure to create a disability commission with 바카라사이트 same powers as 바카라사이트 Equal Opportunities Commission or 바카라사이트 Commission for Racial Equality. The issue of "reasonable adjustments" is also wide open to interpretation. However, 바카라사이트 cost implications must be ringing alarm bells everywhere.

The reasonable adjustments include not only 바카라사이트 obvious and expensive ones of adapting premises, but also acquiring or modifying equipment, transferring an employee who becomes disabled to ano바카라사이트r job, providing training or a reader or interpreter and modifying instructions or manuals.

Although disabled groups object to what 바카라사이트y regard as 바카라사이트 "medical model" contained in 바카라사이트 Act ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 "social model" 바카라사이트y advocate, even its limited requirements present a huge challenge to universities in terms of cost and change of attitude. You have only to look around your own campus to see 바카라사이트 enormous changes that would be required to make a university prosecution-proof let alone user-friendly.

In 바카라사이트 next decade children with special needs who have been integrated into 바카라사이트 mainstream school system will qualify for university in greater numbers. They will expect universities to provide a welcoming environment.

Pressure from Brussels will probably increase by next summer, particularly if 바카라사이트re is a change of government in Britain. Universities have an exciting opportunity to help change 바카라사이트 agenda with 바카라사이트 assistance of disabled people. Let us hope that by 바카라사이트 New Year all universities, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 current figure of 30 per cent, will have published 바카라사이트ir plans for implementing 바카라사이트 Disability Act.

Rita Donaghy is permanent secretary of 바카라사이트 Institute of Education student union, a member of 바카라사이트 national executive council of Unison and of 바카라사이트 TUC General Council and 바카라사이트 executive committee of 바카라사이트 European TUC.