Beata Borowska-Beszta, PhD Faculty of Pedagogical Sciences Department of Special Pedagogy Nicolaus Copernicus University Toru, Poland borbesz@umk.

pl

Chances are ? College education and students with disabilities in context of questions and dilemmas

Disability and higher education in Poland - basic evidence Last copmrehensive data which displays numbers of persons with disabilities in Poland, is designed by National Public Register in 2002. There are about 5,5 million persons with disabilities in Poland and about 4,3 million are adolescents above 15 and adults. In this entire disability group 4,5 million has legal and medical confirmations of their disabilities. Data collected and analyzed by Economic Activity Research of Population (BAEL) in Poland, showed that number of persons with disabilities, in adolescence above 15 and adults, systematically decreases and in year 2008 there was 3,7 million persons with disabilities in Poland. The same research showed also that in 2008 in Poland whole number of persons with disabilities, in productive age was 2,2 million, what means 9,3 % of this age population. Other conclusion of research describes education bacgrounds of disabled persons in Poland. It points that in 2008 up to 68,1 % adolescents (above age 15) and adults had no formal secondary education. Only 6,1 % graduated in higher education.(http://www.niepelnosprawni.gov.pl/niepelnosprawnosc-w-liczbach/ 2009). Consequences of such relatively poor higher education level within and for disability population relate to their future, limited opportunities and possibilities in work environments, and whole quality and well-being in personal life. Creating comprehensive higher education opportunities for students with disabilities opens windows for their succesfull life and healthy future, with great sense of belonging in dimension of social inclusion. In my opinion, it is essentially important to create many levels of participation in higher education for college students with disabilities. I mean

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levels of mental, emotional, social, material, fianacial, educational belonging to college environments. 1. Thesis : College students with disabilities in context of law regulations' assuptions are equal participants of higher education. What reality describes such participation in Poland ? There are universities and higher education schools in Poland for ex. Jagiellonian

University in Krakw, Wrocaw University in Wrocaw, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toru, Special Education Academy in Warszawa, Jan Kochanowski's Humanistic - Life Sciences University in Kielce (former witokrzyska Academy in Kielce) and other, which have basic level or developed standard of policies and implementation procedures for students with disabilities. Main goal which is ofered for students with disabilities is concerned with academic and universities' architectural, environmental, financial, social educational, accessibility for all students, according to human rights and equality of educational chances. For example, Jagiellonian University in Krakw shows appreciation and disability awareness through professional made website informations concerned special needs of college students. On the website of this university we can find following informations: "With reference to the social dimension of the Bologna Process, aims to ensure equal access to higher education and to create conditions which enable all students to complete their studies. With this aim in mind, the Jagiellonian University has taken the following measures: A Student Disability Support Service has been set up, which gives assistance to students with disabilities in the form of equal opportunities in access to education (detailed information may be found at the Disability Support Services). Disability Support Services have been created to assist Jagiellonian University students with disabilities; Local, national and European seminars and discussions concerning disability affairs and the functioning of people with disabilities in the education sector have been organised (e.g. a workshop during the Tripl-E Dose Conference); Jointly with other European universities (e.g. the University of Aarhus and the University of Cambridge), experiences in the field of accessibility to higher education for students with disabilities are exchanged; The Jagiellonian University co-ordinates European projects concerned with the issues of access for people with disabilities to the main trends in education (e.g. the IDOL project)

and actively participates in projects related to access to higher education for people with disabilities which are run by other universities (e.g. the Qatrain project co-ordinated by the University of Worcester)"(http://www.uj.edu.pl/dydaktyka/studenci.php?id=14 ) In years 2003/2004 was condected research within Polish students with disabilities in Wrocaw. Main goal of that study was to obtain comprehensive population characteristics of college students with disabilites studying in Wrocaws' facilities of higher education. Research was desined and accomplished by K. Potyn-Zaradna, L. Waszkiewicz, K. Zatoska and affiliated by the Deparatment and Chair of Social Medicine, Medical Academy in Wrocaw. Research intended to chcracterize entire population of studying college students in Wrocaw, in context of special conditions of their disabilities, types of dysfunctions, gender and age. Research process was based on quantitative study model and such analysis. "The study was carried out in the academic year of 2003/2004, with an anonymous questionnaire among 351 of disabled students of the universities in Wroclaw (95.6% of the total), in the context of the quality of their lives. 175 answered questionnaires were received and, after verification, 172 questionnaires were statistically analyzed according to gender, disability degree, kind of disability and age of the disability appearance" (K. Potyn-Zaradna, L. Waszkiewicz, K. Zatoska 2009 s. 370). The results and conclusions of such study showed that there is a need of extensive public awareness for special needs college students. Details of this research are cited below: "Women represented 54.0% of the respondents. All respondents had a certified degree of disability. The most numerous group were the students with moderate disability degree (64%), with light degree (23.3%), the students with a considerable disability degree were the least numerous (12.3%). Four kinds of disabilities were singled out according to the kind of disability declared by the students: motor disability 62 persons, sensor disability 42, other kind of disability 58 persons, mixed disability 9 persons. Four groups of students were singled out according to age of the disability appearance"

(K. Potyn-Zaradna, L. Waszkiewicz, K. Zatoska 2009 s. 370). Conclusions of research : "A nation-wide study is required to learn more about the disabled students in Poland, with regard to the degree and duration of disability. It would be advisable to conduct separate studies of the public statistics of the blind

and deaf and extend the studies by the degree of disability"(K. Potyn-Zaradna, L. Waszkiewicz, K. Zatoska 2009 s. 370). Other statistical data displays that in academic year 2004/2005 there were in Poland 1.917.293 college students and therein were 9.247 students with medically confirmed disability - it was 0.48% of whole college students population in Poland. Data from Wrocaws' colleges shows also that in academic year 2005/2006 was studying total amount of 141.388 students and therein 933 students with disabilities (Piechota S. 2007 www.wson.wroc.pl/pub/on_07.ppt) Table 1. Students with disabilities in Wrocaws' colleges
Details Total Women therein Deaf and poorly hearing persons Blind and poorly sighted persons Physical disablility Other types of disabilities

Walking abilities Total 2000/2001 2004/2005 2005/2006 Stationary studies Evening studies Nonstationary studies

Without walking abilities 13 11 6 4 32 56 326 589 396 8 185

134 476 933 593 26 314

60 232 509 292 17 200

11 24 55 30 25

23 30 84 51 5 28

31 85 199 112 13 74

Source: Piechota S. 2007 www.wson.wroc.pl/pub/on_07.ppt)

Data from M. Rutkowski (2007) coordinating disability awareness in witokrzyska Academy in Kielce (2007) (currently Jan Kochanowski's Humanistic - Life Sciences University in Kielce) points some details, concerned students with disability, studying on different faculties. There were in 2007 - 229 students with disabilities and studying on: Menagement and Administration Faculty - 33 persons, Humanistic Faculty - 44 persons Health Sciences Faculty - 15 persons, Mathematics and Biology Sciences Faculty 32 persons, Pedagogical and Artistic Faculty - 83 persons (Rutkowski M. 2007 www.ujk.edu.pl/stdniep/M.Rutkowski-prezentacja.pdf). At Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toru, in academic year 2007 / 2008 studied above 420 students with veriety of disabilities (www.umk.pl/studenci/ niepelnosprawni/

Eligibility and special needs support for students with disabilites in chosen Polish academic environments There is one main basic requirement before beginning college and higher education in Poland. It is essential to obtain secondary school certicate. Students with disabilites, as other without disabilities, are also obligated to pass necessary exams in chosen field of study. There are desinged and established disability students support units on universities, which offer professional help and support, needed informations concerned accomodation. Some colleges create within their own structures, units with plenipotents responsible for students with disabilites social affairs, education, financial support, transportation support and extensive informations concerned needed help services and disability awareness in chosen college. According to rights for the higher education level, Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Rule from 27 July 2005 states, that students (also with disabilities) have rights to improvements concerned entire college students population. Students with disability have right to special disability scholarship. Social scholarship can obtain every student with disabilities who aquires medical disability assessment document, with no concerns on personal income. Such financial special support for students with disabilites cannot be higher than 50 % of lowest salary of an assistant in given college. Social scholarschip can be received during entire time of study and also on first year of study, durig 9 monts in year. If student is studying on more than one filed of study he/she can obtain social scholarschip for student with disability on every chosen field of study. Student with disability can also applicate for different types of financial support and obtain other scholarships simultaneously (www.mnisw.gov.pl). Predominant responsibility for social and financial, educational and public awareness and support for persons with disabilities in Poland has National Fund of Rehabilitation for Persons with Disabilities (PFRON). PFRON coordinates for years many financial grants, scholarships and supports, for example: Program Student II - named lifelong learning for Students with disabilities. Eligibility for participation in Student II have students with medical confirmation of their severe or moderate level of disability, which are students of stationary or non-stationary college studies in Poland or abroad. Participants of program can also be students of regular first or second degree study, postgraduate study, doctorial study. Program offers possibility also for students of junior colleges, language colleges, teacher colleges, social worker colleges, teacher colleges of foreign languages.

Financial support can cover tuition fees, other educational expenses, accomodation, transportation, special classess which offer physical and psychical abilities support and development, also internet accessibility and entire expenses of neccesary academic study trips ( www.pfron.org.pl) .

Disability awareness and studying in Nicolaus Copernicus University 2 Thesis : Adults with disabilities as a college students require special conditions of accomodation at universities. What surfaces and subjects are included in such accomodation ? Students with disabilities require special barrier free buildings im campuses, barrier free transports and communication, and also barrier free intellectual and mental academic environment. Most universities' accomodation activities for students with different disabilities is concerned with supporting special needs in architecture area, as ramps, lifts, handrails (ex. Special Pedagogy Academy in Warszawa). There are many of universities in Poland which still need such barrier free architecture adaptation in many different faculties. Sometimes there are paradoxes in metaphorical "friendly environments design", where on ramp for students with disabilities was placed, a few years ago, big and "friendly" agave flower (T. Wieczerzak, former Plenipoterntary of JM Rector of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toru). On the official website of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toru, there are places and comprehensive informations concerned students with disability affairs. Basic knowledge for such students contains data, that at Nicolaus Copernicus University studying currently about 500 disabled students in Toru and including Medical School in Bydgoszcz. accessible and potential help. Depending of individual support needs, students with disabilities at Copernicus University in Toru can obtain following social and material support: Special place in student house, where rooms are equipped with any needed accoodation supplies ex. : electronically open doors. There are also single rooms available for students with disabilities. There is possibility of special room accomodation for individual student if needed Students with special assisstance need can count on universities' support and obtain special care of such assisstant. Such form of support is free of payment for disabled students There are also informations of special support offered at university in areas of social, financial and didactics,

Students with physical and motor disabilities can apply for special transportation help and obtain it also without payment in purpose to participate in classess, rehabilitation Students with disabilities are also eligible to payment free physicians, psychologist, nurses consultations Nicolaus Copernicus University offers also free of charge full variety of rehabilitation and swimming pool classess

Financial support at Nicolaus Copernicus University: Special scholarship can obtain every student with disability regardless personal income. Amount of scholarship if dependent of the degree of disability In any cases student with disability can receive special financial help, which can cover fees of special medical treatment or other rehabilitation expenses Student can count on professional counsel from Independent Section for Students with Disabilities affairs in purpose of future obtaining financial support from PFRON (National Fund of Rehabilitation for Persons with Disabilities) Didactics and education : In didactics and educational area students with disabilities at Nicolaus Copernicus University can record audio their lectures, if there is no possibility do it manually, because of specific motor or visual disabilities. It can be also possible to receive help of disabed persons' assisstant. Students with disabilities can obtain individual organization of study program because of their special medical treatment or cure. Students with vision and hearing disabilities can apply for special computer supplies and softwares, which can translate text into sound and sound into text. This can also be implemented during hours of library studying. There are possibilities for students with disabilites to change procedures of exams during studies e.g. : from oral to written or inversely There is possibility to help hearing disabled students to obtain sign language interpreter during exams or if needed. There are special trained lecturers and language teachers which can communicate sing language or help students with sight problems. ( www.umk.pl/studenci/niepelnosprawni/ )

Some meanings and dimensions of friendly academic environments

 3 Thesis : Main key of equality and accessibility of higher education for students with disabilities is acceptance and knowledge of disabilities within academic environment. What does it really mean ? Anna Wandzel(2009) form Sillesia University in Poland, as Plenipotentiary for Students with Disabilities, observes some unappropriate behaviors and attitudes toward students with disabilities. She notices that, there is no discrimination in classical meaning but, rather there is no understanding of specific health conditions and awareness for special needs, manifested by students with disabilities. Some problems for example occure when student, for example, is diabetic and sometimes needs go out from tutorials or lectures for a while. It happens that, such needs are misunderstood by professional staff and negatively percepted. Sometimes students don't express what special needs they really have. And without clear dialog communication between two entities is impossible. It is essential to give lecturers and tutors clear informations concerned special needs, special equipment for students or other support (Wandzel A. 2009 www.semestr.pl) These comments made by A. Wandzel (2009) are displaying a few sides of context and functioning of the disabled students at colleges. First, there is essesntial need to spread basic knowledge concerned with disabilities and second, it is also important, to create and stabilize clear (broadly meant) dialog, between two coexisting within colleges groups: persons with and without disabilites. There is also problem which is well known to me as tutor at Copernicus University. Sometimes, I notice that, there is no much interest in getting deeper knowledge about disabilities, persons with disabilities, their needs, and disability culture at Copernicus University. There are no, for example "Special needs" classess concerned disabilities, even at teacher studies, offered in many different faculties at Copernicus University. Everyone interested in such strange status quo, can obseve this paradox while reading study plans and programs. I suppose, such unprepared "for meeting disabilites" teachers will have many problems in their future work, because of lack of knowledge concerned boradly meant disabilities. Willi Aastrup (2009) also emphasized need of deeper disability awarensess within college community. He said : "If inclusion in education is to be realized in practise and not only in policy-papers it is absolutely necessary that academic and administrative staff in the ideal world: all is aware of the possible diversity in the student population. Not all students fit into the mainstream style. What is essential is that the staff should not be trained to be experts. They should be aware i.e. know of -

that the significance in the combined concept of disabled students is student. This individual student may need some educational support but is nevertheless a student with his or hers potentials. These potentials differ from one student to another. Some students are more clever, talented, motivated and study harder than others. However the social relations and intuitional context is also very crucial. Students opportunities may be significantly helped or constrained by the praxis of others. Especially if it is an Important Other and for university students university staff are very important others" (Aastrup W. 2009, http://www.konferencja.dareproject.eu/index.phpoption=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemi d=56&lang=en)

Few comments form students with disabilities perspective Below are presented comments written by students with disabilities in Nicolaus Copernicus University Students' web forum and section for disability, during last years. There are a few chosen reflections concerning studying conditions and wide environmental contexts of learning Copernicus community which means: social, mental, emotional. Post 1. " Assisstant of persons with disabilities??? In what degree is offered here help for people with disabilities??? I know, that there are many pseudo- universities, which supposedly are helping disabled people, but in reality there are only ramps and few handrails. Unfortunately it is not enough for me....: If really is any personal assisstant who can help me in anything ? Please answer me". Joanna K. 29.04.2009 "Re: Assistant of persons with disabilities??? If you are on a wheelchair, you are eligible for such an assisstant, who can help you to reach tutorials and lectures on faculty. Assisstant can help you in getting in or out buildings and in campus, also can help while shopping, and he/she will help you to get to rehabilitation. If you wanna know more you have to contact to Independent Section for Disabled Students". Sylwia 11.05.2009 Post 2. "I'm deaf. It is hard for me to integrate with hearing students community at Nicolaus Copernicus University. My name is Goka. I ' deaf student and study on IV year non-stationary Pedagogy. In this academic year I made transfer and moved from Podlaska Academy in Siedlce to Copernicus in Toru (it was caused by my difficult financial and family situation). It is very hard for me to integrate with students in Copernicus University. My hearing and speech problems make my integration problematic. Perhaps if I have possibility to study in stationary way, "process of my

integration" would be different. (I did not obtain agreement to study in stationary studies). I have a contact with my collegues only two time a month. My friends simply do not have much time for getting closer and knowing me and my disability, because I'm reading lips (I don't percept any sounds by ears). I have also a little time to adjust to communication style of my friends from study. I'm not hearing my voice, my speech is difficult to understand. Not many people know that Podlaska Academy in Siedlce is very "congested" with students with disabilities in different areas. There are physically disabled students, vision and hearing disabled. Contact with any persons with disability was not such "schock" as here for some people in Nicolaus Copernicus University. I have a problem with verbal communication. When I tell anybody that I'm deaf - some people make dodge, some trying to scream to my ear. I have to only see the face of person who I'm speaking to. I have to see lips because I'm deaf . Yes : I'm deaf. For hearing people is hard to understand because I'm not using sign language. There is such stereotype, that deaf persons only are using sign language. That's not true. My hearing device which I 'wear' does not 'bring my hearing back' or does not make my hearing better. My hearing device is only helping my remains of my hearing abilities to organize sounds which for hearing person are noises and for me very quiet sounds. What is my purpose ? I'm only one, deaf student on my study year and probably on Copernicus University I belive that after me there will come another deaf students. They will need help not only financial, material but also emotional. Most difficult barrier for deaf is 'Calmness barrier'. About problems of deaf persons seldom is spoken. Is time to change. Greetings" Goka 'Schock' 5.02.2005. "Re: Intergation I was sitting and reading about Gosia's problem. One person told that there are only a few students with disabilities. I agree, I am disabled person myself and really speaking: studying here is very difficult. College is not so friendly for students with disabilities and lecturers approach, and lectures given are also important. I was in past student of other college ant there was better, warmer and friendly and really it was nice to study there. What a pity that, there are no studies only for persons with disabilities, perhaps then would be much esier for us". Olka 05.09.2006 "Re: Integration Welcome. I read your comment an don't belive my eyes!! Because, what you write is calling for ghettos, only for students with disabilities. So there is no place for any integration, as you entitled your post. Do you want come back to communist Poland ? where there was no problem of disability, because such people were placed in stationary institutions and that's all. The term "integration" means, that in society there unite healthy people and sick people on the same rights and responsibilities. In assumption society have to do anything possible in order to enable disable people could lead normal life without social fares, low selfesteem and lack of appreciation. The

same principle we accept at this college. We try to do anything possible for persons with disabilities, in order to extend their study accessibility. In fact, some lecturers are different, they have variety of moods and this also concerned students without disabilities. To the moment, in which they could make discriminations practices toward disabled students. College authorities decisively fighting against such attitudes. Sincerely". T. Wieczerzak 06.09.2006 "Re: Integration Welcome, I'm starting study at Copernicus University. I have also severe hearing problems (...) I do not agree with such concept of designing separate colleges for students with disabilities. Is there something about integration, what educates people without disabilities, make them conscious about problems of disabled persons. I think, it would not be appropriate for me learning in separated deaf persons school, because I could not have any opportunities to learn so nice speaking. I think and I'm sure I would not be here, but in supported work schelter working as dressmaker (...) Ewa Pakalska 08.10.2006 ( Data from : www.umk.pl/studenci/niepelnosprawni/forum/ ) Discussion In presented above samples of entire picture and conditions of studying for college students with disabilities in Poland, there is regularity of increasing number of students with variety of disabilities, studying for last years in Polish colleges. There are established by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education in Poland special policies and rules for colleges, concerned broadly meant support for students with disabilities. Which means social, material and financial. Universities and colleges offer also their own assisstance for ex. at Copernicus University such help individual help is possible as obtaining personal assisstant. But simultaneously, there is no any needed information at Copernicus University official website for foreign students with disabilities about their opportunities for studying in Nicolaus Copernicus University. Concluding, I notice, that,t here is also growing need to extent the knowledge about special needs, expressed by students with disabilities, within entire college professional environments. So that there will be next step of creating better level of communication between persons with or without disabilities, using the same spaces in colleges. According to student's with disabilites comments shown above, there are many aspects of their individual needs to be met. From one hand, there are mental and communication barriers still existing at college for especially two deaf women students. There are even in desperation, I think, expressed by one student, absurd ideas about "colleges only for disabled students", what means first step for social exclusion. In conclusion, I would like to signify, that problems which still are waiting for enlightment are

tied to mental barriers existing in higher education communities in accepting basic special knowledge about special conditions and factors of disabilities. Also there is sometimes unwillingness to get the knowledge about social, emotional and cultural needs of students with disabilities, which means there is still enormus need for more disability awareness in Polish scientific and academic environments. The final questions which arise are: Is that really possible to expand disability awareness on deeper mental and emotional level within entire Polish academic scientific environments? And second one is : how do realize that ? References: Aastrup W.(2009) Disability awareness and some key issues in the universities widening participation policy and practice. http://www.konferencja.dareproject.eu/index.phpoption=com_content&view=article&id=46 &Itemid=56&lang=en data for: 21.02.2010 Piechota S., (2007) Niepenosprawni bariery aktywnoci. www.wson.wroc.pl/pub/on_07.ppt K. Potyn-Zaradna, L. Waszkiewicz, K. Zatoska (2009) Studenci niepenosprawni uczelni wrocawskich charakterystyka populacji. (w:) Problemy Hig. Epidemiol. 90(3): 370-373 www.phie.pl/pdf/phe-2009/phe-2009-3-370.pdf data for: 21.02.2010 Rutkowski M., (2007) Studenci niepenosprawni w Akademii witokrzyskiej w Kielcach. www.ujk.edu.pl/stdniep/M.Rutkowski-prezentacja.pdf data for: 15.10.2007 Wandzel A. (2009) Umie wyraa swoje potrzeby. Grudzie 2009. www.semestr.pl PFRON www.pfron.org.pl . Studenci Niepenosprawni na UMK www.umk.pl/studenci/niepelnosprawni/ Forum studentw niepenosprawnych na UMK www.umk.pl/studenci/niepelnosprawni/forum/ Biuro Penomocnika Rzdu ds. Osb Niepenosprawnych http://www.niepelnosprawni.gov.pl/niepelnosprawnosc-w-liczbach/