Challenge The System- successful studying and employing in Slovenia

Miha Kosi, Natasa Mauko

The Slovenian Association of Disabled Students

In the past:

Lack of legislationNo institutional supportMany barriers in built environmentNo technical supportSmall number of students with special needs

Today:

Accepted legal basis for supporting student with special needsFaculties provide various support and adjustments for disabled studentsBuildings are more accessibleDifferent ICT support is availableIncreasing number of students with different types of disabilities

Beginnings with small stepsFrom student club to Association with legal status of disability organisation

Providing many services and supportImplementing leisure activitiesTrying to improve employability of students with special needs

Partially sighted studentShe studied in University of Ljubljana,

Faculty of Arts, study programme History and Pedagogy

Adjustments: extended exam time, oral instead writing exams, extra exam dates

Before the possibility of obtaining the status of students with special needs she had to arrange everything individual with each professor

Not enough empathy and understanding from some professors

Most of exams at the end of studying year

Worked as volunteer in Association of blind in Ljubljana

Tutoring for pupils in primary schoolInvolved in programmes for adult educationCoordinator the project Equal opportunities for blind students

EVS volunteer in Belfast, Northern Ireland, RNBI Institute

After graduation she worked in primary school for 10 months

Special work experience for unemployed people at association DLAN

REGULAR EMPLOYMENT: Union of blind and partially sighted of Slovenia

The Slovenian Association of Disabled Students

Kardeljeva ploscad 5, Ljubljanainfo@dsis-drustvo.si

www.dsis-drustvo.si