This study was conducted to propose an effective approach to the support of disabled students by reviewing the status of higher education for disabled students, which was altered with the enforcement of the Special College and University Entrance Syst...
This study was conducted to propose an effective approach to the support of disabled students by reviewing the status of higher education for disabled students, which was altered with the enforcement of the Special College and University Entrance System for the Individuals with Disabilities in 1995, and analyzing some problems in the support of the individuals with disabilities in colleges and universities.
Domestic and foreign materials, including books, statistical data, government publications, and Web sites, related to this subject were reviewed. In addition, a survey was carried out to get opinions from an expert group who are closely involved in the higher education for disabled students about important issues and correction measures in the support of disabled students.
Using the data obtained from the survey, the results of this study were obtained in three fields: (1) system and policy of higher education for the individuals with disabilities; (2) selection of disabled students in colleges and universities; (3) support of disabled students in colleges and universities.
1. System and Policy of Higher Education for the Individuals with Disabilities
First, the right to education and the non-discrimination shall be included in the constitution, the Framework Act on Education, and the Welfare of Disabled Persons Act as it is currently regulated. The support of disabled students in colleges and universities should be provided with the focus on the inclusive education in practical, based on the achievement of social unification, which is the fundamental goal of the welfare for disabled people. The responsibility of the government and colleges and universities for the support should be definitely provided.
Second, to maintain the policy for the higher education for disabled students in a constant and consistent manner, the ‘Higher Education Policy Department’ in the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development should take the responsibility for the policy. As special expertise is necessary to handle with affairs for disabled people, the personnel with the expertise should be allocated, and if necessary the cooperation should be made with the ‘Special Education Policy Department.’
Third, the budget for the support of disabled students shall be principally used for improving the mobility and accessibility of disabled people in colleges and universities for the present. To achieve this requirement, the government should propose a minimum standard for the support of higher education for disabled students, estimate the cost of meeting the standard, and concentrate the investment on the strategic colleges and universities selected by district. A temporary special act for the appropriation of the cost should be established.
Fourth, the evaluation of the support for disabled students in colleges and universities should be concentrated on the quality of the general management system for disabled students support in a college and especially the teaching and learning methodology.
Fifth, a college and university education development organization for disabled students should be established based on the existing infrastructure to develop and produce specific approaches to the higher education for disabled students.
Sixth, in order to improve the quality of the higher education for disabled students, a lot of government-driven basic research should be carried out, for example, by: (1) identifying the accurate statistics and status; (2) develop the reasonable standards and corrective measures; (3) offering the national measures and estimating the expected cost; (4) developing and implementing the strategy to get the necessary budget.
2. Selection of Disabled Students in Colleges and Universities
First, to correct the negative aspect of the Special College and University Entrance System for the Individuals with Disabilities, it should be applied primarily to the technical education in colleges. It should be selectively applied to the selection of disabled students who have enough ability to study in a university but could not apply for normal university accommodation due to their handicap. The system should be more elaborated than the normal college entrance system, so that most of disabled students can compete with other students without a disadvantage.
Second, as the number of beneficiary of the Special College and University Entrance System for the Individuals with Disabilities is limited, the government’s policy for the blind increase in the beneficiaries should be reconsidered.
Third, colleges do not distinguish in their student screening between the disabled students registered under the Welfare of Disable Persons Act and the special education beneficiaries under the Promotion of Special Education Act, so that the original purpose of the Special College and University Entrance System for the Individuals with Disabilities is not met. Therefore, it is necessary to definitely define the scope of application.
Fourth, to resolve an abnormal problem that about one third of the total disabled college students are at small number of colleges and universities, each college or university should develop a variety of system allowing more disabled students’ access.
3. Support of Disabled Students in Colleges and Universities
First, colleges and universities should establish the systems for the support of disabled students, for example, by: (1) improving the college and university regulations (2) establishing an organization to handle with the support (3) providing an organization dedicated to disabled students support (4) utilizing the volunteers network for disabled students support in the community (5) developing a guideline for disabled students support.
Second, to help disabled students devote themselves in studying and extracurricular activities, colleges and universities should: (1) provide facilities connecting buildings for better movement of disabled students; (2) ensure the availability and accessibility of convenience facilities in buildings; (3) install the facilities and equipment for better information accessibility.
Third, colleges and universities should support the disabled students’ learning practically, for example, by: (1) establish a system for lecture change communication by stages; (2) provide resources and equipment to support their learning; (3) ensure the availability of the library; (4) provide a program for assessing and improving the attainment of disabled students.
Fourth, colleges and universities should provide the correction of inconveniences of disabled students in their regulations, encourage disabled students to joint the autonomous activities of students, and give practical counsel to disabled students.
Fifth, colleges and universities should develop programs to help disabled students adapt themselves in the campus and make both the disabled and non-disabled students understand each other.
Sixth, colleges and universities should develop and operate a program to enhance the competitiveness of disabled students to get a job after graduation as they do for non-disabled students, and a system which can be interlinked intra- or inter-college(or university) to support the employment of disabled students.