Support center for students with special needs

The Support Centre for Students with Special Needs is a university-wide workplace.

It is located at the Informatics pavilion in the building of the Comenius University Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics. 

IT focuses its activities mainly on the following areas:

Information, advisory and consulting services: the provision of information for applicants and students with special needs, and for university teachers and coordinators;

Academic support during studies: the provision of proposals for suitable adaptations during study and individual assessment with each student with special needs (adapted forms of exams, access to study materials and courses, effective study techniques, etc.), the provision of individual teaching of selected subjects in cooperation with faculty coordinators and departments, etc.

Educational and training activities are focused on:

1.  work with assistive technologies,
2. accessibility of scholarly documents and websites,
3. the impact of disability on studies,
4. ensuring the education of coordinators and members of the academic community,
5. preparation of informational, methodological and study materials.

Technical support: advice on the selection of suitable technical equipment, the provision of study literature in an accessible form, assistance with the provision of interpreter services for the Deaf, the provision of assistive technologies according to the type of disability.

 

The centre provides:

1.  current information on study conditions at CU in an accessible form;
2. registration of applicants and CU students with special needs in line with the decree on the minimum requirements for a student with special needs;
3. assessment of applications for making appropriate adjustments and support services and preparation of proposals for appropriate adjustments and support services in cooperation with the committee (appropriate adjustments and approval by the dean of the relevant CU faculty);
4. coordinating the provision of appropriate adjustments and support services for students with special needs in cooperation with faculty coordinators;
5. consultation, information and educational activities for teaching and non-teaching staff of the university and coordinators focused on the specifics of the study of students with special needs;
6. cooperation with university workplaces and purpose-built facilities; in particular, it provides them with information and advice related to the specific needs of students and the conditions for their studies;
7. monitoring and evaluation of measures focused on removing existing barriers in the academic environment and avoiding the creation of new barriers (physical, information, communication, humane);
8. proposing steps and solutions aiming to create a generally accessible academic environment;
9. in cooperation with faculty coordinators, a budget proposal for ensuring adequate conditions for the following calendar year based on the number of students with special needs and their needs as of 31 October;
10. preparation of initiatives in relation to superior authorities on questions of implementation of legislative obligations at the university.

 In fulfilling its tasks and providing information, consulting and support services, the Centre cooperates closely with CU faculty coordinators, pedagogical and non-pedagogical workplaces, as well as external organisations, institutions and individuals.