How do I register with disability services?

Link to registration

If I am registered with Disability Services, are my lecturers automatically notified of my disability and need for accommodations?

No. We cannot provide information about your disability to anyone on campus without your consent. With your consent, university staff are informed of the accommodations you will need for the semester, not the nature of the disability.

Can I get extra academic help?

Disability services provide some group classes to help students academically. Please contact the student support officer if you have any questions regarding this.  

Will my personal information be shared with lecturers or anyone else in the university?

Your personal or medical information will not be shared with anyone outside of the members of the Disability Services team without your direct consent. Any information about you will be kept completely confidential and secure.

 

 

What is a Needs Assessment?

Your needs assessment meeting allows you to discuss what support you might need. The meeting usually lasts from 15 to 30 minutes and can be held online via MS Teams or in person at our offices in the library.

 

The purpose of the needs assessment is to:

 

  • Create a support plan that works for you
  • Check your personal details and gather relevant background information
  • Discuss the demands of your course
  • Discuss any assistive technology or training needs you might have
  • Discuss any reasonable accommodations, including exam accommodations, that you might need
  • Answer any questions you may have

 

 

What are Reasonable Accommodations?

A student's reasonable accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis during a needs assessment and are different for every student depending on what they need. Examples of these might be extra time or a smaller venue for exams, learning support, note-taking support for lectures, access to occupational therapy, or a range of assistive technology supports. 

 

What is a LENS (Learning and Educational Needs Summary)?

A LENS (Learning Educational Needs Summary) report lists the reasonable accommodations that a student requires. This is generated following the needs assessment, and a link to this will be sent to the student and to their module leaders via email from DisabilityServices@ul.ie. It is important to note that the LENS includes no medical or personal information and that the link is only accessible to the student and their module leaders. The link is here: Learning Educational Needs Summary but it will only work once the needs assessment is complete.

This link is really important!

If you have any exam accommodations, you will be in a different location to that noted on your main UL exam timetable – your LENS will have the correct venue details for your exams.