Introduction

In the last two years there is a document created at Charles University: Minimal standards of the support served to the students and applicants for the study with special needs at Charles University (further only document). In this contribution we deal with the meaning and content of this document.

Proposed document is created on the basis of the need to objectively hold and standardize the support served to the applicants and students within all faculties of Charles University. Document also reacts to European effort to standardize the support of applicants and students with special needs at European universities (The list of minimal standards for universities being the members of UNICA - Network of Universities from the Capitals of Europe). This material fulfils by its message and content a Long term intention of Charles University in the field of the students with special needs (Aktualizace Dlouhodobého záměru Univerzity Karlovy v Praze pro rok 2006/2007, čl. 4 Sociální zabezpečení studentů a zaměstnanců).

Proposed document is divided into 10 basic articles and should be legalized by Rector Provisions.

The basic points of the document:

• § Introduction - way out (art. I),
• § Definition of the study applicant and student with special needs (art. II),
• § Definition of the aim of University said by this document (art. III),
• § Determination of the tools leading to these aims fulfillment (art. IV),
• § Organization and functional schema of the support of the students with special needs (art. V),
• § Entrance proceeding (art. VI),

• Support provided within the study period (art. VII),
• Modification of study conditions (art. VIII),

• § Accommodation and boarding of the students with special needs (art. IX),
• § Final regulations (art. X).

Intention of this document is to declare and define the rights of the students with special needs preparing themselves for future employment in correspondence between legal regulations and to provide them full participation in all the fields of academic life.  Each man is entitled to free choice of employment and preparation for it (Declaration of Basic Rights of 16^th December 1992, art. 26)

People with special needs have the same right to university education as their healthy colleagues. Charles University though is obliged to provide each person with special needs with such as support or study and environment modification of which the aim is to compensate the consequences of their disabilities being displayed in academic life. It means continuously abolish architectonic, communication and information barriers and mainly provide with:

• a) Comparable conditions of application tests, continuous and final exams,
• b) Accessibility of classes,
• c) Understandableness of lectures and information accessibility,
• d) Provide with maximum ability to choose boarding and accommodation and their propriety considering student's handicap,
• e) Instructed and human dignity respecting approach of all the pedagogues of University.

Study fields of University are accessible to all who meet given study conditions. The only exception could be study fields requiring special health or other conditions (competences of each faculty and study field) in order to fulfill study demands set by each study field. 

By the study applicant or student with special need we mean a person demanding according to his/her handicap modification of entrance proceeding, study conditions, abolishment of physical barriers or any other area adjustments in order to finish the study period successfully.

Document recognizes these groups of students or applicants with special needs:

• Students with locomotive disability,
• Blind and visually impaired students,
• Deaf and ceruminous deafness students,
• Students with specific educational disorders,
• Students with psychological and mental disorders,
• Students with chronic somatic illnesses or weaknesses.

The aim of Charles University activities is to provide all people in disregard of their handicap equal access to education, their personality development, and talent, creative, intellectual and psychical skills in the range of their full potential. Further to support and promote lifelong learning of the handicapped of all ages and to make easier the passing all educational levels and cross between the school and employment (according to the Long term intent of Charles University in Prague).

Organizing and functional schema of the support of students with special needs at Charles University is as follows:

            a) There operates an Office for students with special needs at University level. It provides coordinating, consulting, informational, evidential and conception service as well as methodological help in the field of the applicants and students with specific needs.

Office for students with special needs mainly:

• - Provides information about university service for students with handicap, administrates website, every year published informational brochure and organizes its distribution,
• - Focuses on students with handicap especially freshman classes,
• - Provides with counseling and actively enforce individual study matters of the handicapped students,
• - Coordinates service and further help for the handicapped students (e.g. study assistance),
• - In order to help the handicapped students meet their study demands cooperates with contacting persons at each faculty, study office and other departments of the university,
• - Coordinates university project "Support for the students with special needs",
• - Cooperates with similar departments at other universities as well as with organizations dealing with the handicapped,
• - Formulates opinions regarding architectonical adjustments of campuses and students halls and furnishing the rooms for the handicapped students,
• - Watches new stimulations, new methods, and new facilities and informs about it initiating its implementation into Charles University.

              b) At faculties level there a system of contact persons exists who are responsible for the support of the handicapped students. These contact persons are in close touch with students, Office for the students with special needs, study department, special departments and particular departments and institutes.  

Contact person's tasks:

• - In case the applicant asks to take into account his/her specification, go in touch with him/her in order to discuss and prepare modification of entrance proceeding having in mind that generally suggested modification should diverge from a standard as less as possible (information about student is giving by the Study department),
• - inform students with special needs about service provided for them and continuously actualize website of particular faculty,
• - develop activities working for faculty pedagogues´ awareness as for students with special needs, work for forming such academic environment being friendly towards these students,

-     inform graduates about sources regarding employment and monitor their entrance to labour market

            c) Each faculty is competent to establish specialized information counseling office to meet demands of study applicants as well as students which means also students with special needs.

            Specialized offices are founded at particular faculties. Their service is though accessible to all students with special needs or other subject within University supporting these students.

Service offered includes these activities:

• - counselling and service for different groups of students with special needs,
• - individual and modified education,
• - technical support minimizing consequences of the handicap when facing study obligations,
• - presence and absence circulation of the books and study materials (including foreign languages literature),
• - sports activities and sports counselling.

When passing entrance proceeding each applicant has to prove study conditions being demanded by particular field of study in order to be accepted to University. If the applicant demands a modification during the entrance proceeding, the written approved request added by medical report must be submitted. As the Study department receives such as request, immediately informs faculty's contact person. Contact person of particular faculty communicates with the applicant in order to find out his/her specific demand and suggests particular modification of entrance proceeding to Study department.       

Support of the students with special needs consists in following mechanisms: 

• - modification of the entrance proceeding and exams during the study period with regards to student's individual needs,
• - modification of study conditions and environment in order to provide proper fulfillment of study obligations,
• - provide students with information about support system being offered by university,
• - receiving, consulting and realization of the suggestions of the students to improve accessibility of study materials, buildings and other areas of university,
• - organization of study assistance.

Note: Foreigners with special needs can use the same service in coordination with Department of foreign affairs, Office for students with special needs and contact persons.

Conclusion

In preparing this document the Office for students with special needs and assigned working group including PhDr. Daniela Janáková, CSc., Alice Melounová, DiS., PhDr. Kateřina Šámalová, Doc. PhDr. Jan Šiška, PhD., PhDr. Hana Urychová a Mgr. Pavel Wiener are working on since December 2006. In May 2007 the draft of this document passed marking up by the contact persons and project coordinators of support of students with special needs at Charles University.  In autumn 2007 this material has been passed to be marked up by deans of each faculty and in spring 2008 by rector of Charles University. 

This document will be put in practice during academic year  2008/09 when marking up is supposed to be finished.