Waterford College of Further Education is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and welcomes applications from students with documented disabilities and specific learning needs. Students with specific learning difficulties or other disabilities may be entitled to additional supports and services to successfully complete their programme of choice.

The College aims to provide support and help for such students within the limits of available resources (namely the HEA Fund for Students with Disabilities**).

The phrase ‘people with disabilities’ includes people with physical disabilities, people who are visually impaired; people who are deaf or hard of hearing; people with specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, people with mental health problems and people with significant health or medical problems.

• Students with a disability have a responsibility to disclose their disability/ specific learning difficulty and to request reasonable accommodations in assessment.
• To apply for reasonable accommodations in assessment a student needs to complete the Application Form for Reasonable Accommodation in Assessment and provide evidence of appropriatem up to date, relevant medical/ psychological reports to the Disability Support Office.
• Once appropriate, up-to-date, relevant medical/ psychological reports are provided, applications for funding can be made. Documentation may include educational psychologist reports or consultants letters. (Diagnosis from GPs are not acceptable in any circumstances as confirmation of disability).
• The Disability Support Office is located opposite the staff room on the first floor of the main building.

**The Fund for Students with Disabilities allocates funding to further and higher education colleges for the provision of services and supports to full-time students with disabilities. The Fund aims to ensure that students can participate fully in their academic programmes and are not disadvantaged by reason of a disability.