Advice and Guidance for departments on placements for disabled students: A perspective from the University of York

Education programmes developed within higher education institutions (HEIs) follow a sequence of student activities from first to final year of study and provide the students with a range of appropriate experiences. The structure of the programme is carefully created to provide the students with a suitable education experience in their chosen domain of expertise. The programmes developed need to have workplace relevance and in many programmes then student placements form an integral part of the programme. These can take a number of forms but are invaluable to providing the student with experience outside their home university department. These placements are challenging to all students, but can be more challenging for students with disabilities. As such, there is a necessity for the students' home university department to be aware of the needs of the individual student and to provide the necessary support. This paper discusses the development of an Advice and Guidance document for departments who would need to support students with disabilities undertaking placements.