About students with functional impairments

1. The SPS scheme

At DTU, students with one or more functional impairments may apply for SPS (special educational support). To be approved for SPS, students must have medical documentation or complete a dyslexia test. The support is provided to compensate for the specific challenges, with the aim of putting the person receiving SPS on par with other students.

A wide range of people are eligible for SPS. Support is provided for students with physical impairment and neurological disorders, as well as students with psychological problems or developmental disorders. Examples include students with dyslexia or who are deaf/hearing-impaired or blind/visually impaired or have mobility problems, post-concussion syndrome, or psychological challenges (depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADD, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, etc.).

The SPS scheme was established by the Danish Government. It is nationwide and managed by the National Agency for Education and Quality (STUK). The SPS unit at DTU serves as an intermediary between the students at DTU and STUK. The SPS unit applies for aid grants on behalf of students, arranges the support and pays for the service, and then seeks reimbursement from the Danish Government.

To initiate support, the student must contact the SPS unit at DTU—even if the student has previously received support from other study programmes, as DTU will not automatically be notified. Following a personal interview or email exchange with the student, the SPS unit submits an application to STUK and helps arrange support when a grant is given.

2. Typical forms of support

Dyslexia:

Dyslexia test and/or assessment
Support program for people with dyslexia
Access to e-books (can have the text read aloud)
Study support hours at the Copenhagen School for Dyslexia (support for the preparation of academic texts, help to create structure, and study planning)

Psychological challenges:

Clarification and assessment where necessary
Support via the Student Counselling Service
Support via an academic support teacher
Support via a support person

Physical challenges:

Assessments
Support via an academic support teacher
Support via a support person
Interpreter assistance (deaf and hearing-impaired)
Various IT and physical equipment to compensate for physical impairment

You can read more about SPS and support options for students with special needs here: https://www.inside.dtu.dk/da/undervisning/faglig/sps

3. Is the lecturer notified?

Statistically, all lecturers at DTU will encounter one or more students with functional impairment in connection with their work.

Lecturers at DTU are not automatically notified of how many or which course participants have a diagnosis and are possibly receiving SPS.

Instead, students are encouraged to inform the lecturers about their difficulties directly if they deem this necessary or relevant.

Lecturers can help break the silence by informing students at one of the early lessons that they are welcome to approach them if they have special teaching or exam needs.

In rare cases, the student wants the SPS unit to inform the lecturers. To this end, we have created an information form at DTU that the student can fill in, after which the SPS unit can pass on the student’s needs and wishes for adjustments to lecturers at DTU.

4. Regarding teaching adjustements

The information to the students states the following:

Adjustments are not always possible: On some courses, for example, group work, physical presence, or laboratory work will form part of or be essential to meeting learning objectives, which may make certain adjustments difficult. Therefore, it may be a good idea to check the course description for electives and enter into a dialogue with the lecturer on the possibility of adjustments before selecting a given course.

HOWEVER—lecturers must be aware that documentation is required for the rejection of a request for adjustment.

In the spring of 2020, the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science sent a circular letter to all universities in Denmark stressing the importance of providing special conditions and proper adjustments. If a lecturer rejects a request for special test and exam arrangements and/or for adjustments in teaching or exam situations—the lecturer must be able to justify and document the rejection.

Quotes from the circular letter:

“If a rule or practice places a disabled student at a disadvantage relative to other students, it must be assessed whether the maintenance of the rule or practice is necessary to achieve the purpose (objectivity and proportionality assessment).
a. Is the rule or practice necessary to achieve the purpose?
b. Can the same purpose be achieved in other ways that do not place the disabled student at a disadvantage?
c. Can other forms of adjustment prevent the student from being placed at a disadvantage?”

It is therefore important to be aware of and carefully consider what you write in the learning objectives, teaching form, evaluation form, etc. for the course description.

It is important to maintain the academic competency and quality of the study programme while also bearing in mind that—as an educational establishment—DTU is obliged to be accessible also to people with functional impairment.

Adjustments may be:

Have course learning objectives and study material ready early
Receiving reading lists and other study materials early can have a major impact on the study activities of many students with functional impairment. It is also recommended that the content of PowerPoint presentations, overheads, etc., be made available in electronic form and distributed in advance of the lecture so that students have time to prepare the content—it can be especially difficult for those with reading difficulties (dyslexia, concentration difficulties, etc.) to follow texts they are seeing for the first time.
Group work
For some students, it can be a major challenge to have to initiate a group project. It will be a great help to get assistance in the process of forming the group and sometimes with the group work itself. For other students, it may, for example, be stated in the diagnostic analysis of their support needs that they cannot participate in group work with many fellow students (6-8 persons), and that they can only deal with smaller groups (2-4 persons).
Position in the classroom
For some students, it is very important where they are positioned in the classroom during lectures or laboratory work. These students can generally just arrive early and find the position they want. However, in some cases this can unfortunately cause the students so much stress that they skip their lunch break, for example, because they want to be the first person to arrive. It can therefore be of great help to arrange with the entire class that the person is always allowed to sit in the front row (if the student has difficulty hearing or seeing or has concentration problems) or at the side, back, or close to the door (for example if they have autism, social anxiety, or physical impairment, etc.).
Exams
The Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs (AUS) does not automatically inform lecturers which students have had special arrangements approved for written exams. It is the student’s responsibility to inform about this. However, it may be a good idea to ask the students to contact you well in advance, as some exams are organized by the department/lecturer. (See more in the sections: ‘Special arrangements at written exams’ and ‘Special arrangements at oral exams’). Lecturers who are unsure about something are welcome to contact the SPS unit: aus-sps@adm.dtu.dk
Change of exam form
Some students may need to apply for a change of exam form. It can again be stressed that it is therefore important to be aware of and carefully consider what you write in the learning objectives, teaching form, evaluation form, etc., for the course description. And again, it must be stressed that it is important to maintain the academic competency and quality of the study programme while also bearing in mind that—as an educational establishment—DTU is obliged to be accessible also to people with functional impairment.

5. Typical characteristics, challenges and strengths

All students who apply for and are granted SPS have a functional impairment that entails challenges severe enough to warrant being given compensatory support. The various functional impairments (blindness, deafness, physical, and mental) entail greatly varying types of challenges. There are also some general challenges that are commonly experienced across the spectrum of functional impairments. The student may experience difficulties with the following:

Managing their studies
Structuring and planning their studies
Staying focused on their studies
Endurance
Feeling different to their fellow students

Simply having a functional impairment also often demands extra energy from the student. Some need to see their doctor or visit the hospital more frequently, or regularly see a psychiatrist, which can reduce the time they have available for study and leisure.

However, students with functional impairments are not only characterized by attributes which make studying more difficult. Many have experienced adversity of various kinds, which has given them strength and the will to not give up. As a result of their functional impairment, some may be able to contribute more in group work—either because they are good at ‘thinking outside the box’ or have learned a high level of structuring and planning. Finally, many have acquired compensatory strengths in life. For example, students with dyslexia who face challenges with written exams and report writing are often better at oral exams and presentations.

5a. Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Within the group with mental challenges, the group with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the largest.

All people with ASD are unique. However, there are certain common characteristics. An ASD diagnosis involves irregularities in the power of imagination, communication, and social interaction. People tend to be quite reserved, avoid initiating contact, and speak their mind openly. They may have a great need for support to create structure and overview in their studies, particularly in ‘focusing on the right things’ in relation to the academic content and maintaining an overview of progress in the learning (these will typically be the function of the SPS support).

The following is advice from Autism Denmark which you can draw inspiration and guidance from:

People with ASD need routine, regularity, structure, and predictability.
Speak calmly, using short, concise sentences. Repeat if necessary. Allow for delayed reactions. Ask whether the person is listening. Remember that lack of eye contact does not indicate defiance or indifference.
Avoid figurative words and phrases such as ‘you have ants in your pants’ or ‘I’m dying of laughter’. Be aware that some are very concrete in their thoughts and understanding.
Avoid touching the person as far as possible. Many do not like being touched.
Be aware that people with ASD are often very sensitive to noise, light, and touch.
Try to make situations as simple and clear as possible. Ideally, using tables, pictures, or written notes.
Remember to listen to the student. They know themselves better than anyone else.
People with ASD have a different culture. Their way of experiencing and thinking may be different, but it is not wrong.
(Source: Autism Denmark http://www.autismeforening.dk/log/divventura/Web_ASF_GGU_2012.pdf)

6. Advice on handling different behaviour

Like other students, the group with functional impairments have different ways of tackling their studies and may also react in different ways when they feel under pressure, unjustly treated, misunderstood, etc. For some of them, their reaction pattern is part of their diagnosis. For example, they could exhibit strong internalizing or externalizing behaviour.
In both cases, conversation and communication are the way forward to understanding the situation.

If they internalize, you might misunderstand them and mistakenly perceive them as being indifferent, lazy, or very passive. The student might, in fact, be thinking many thoughts, which he or she, unfortunately, does not dare to or cannot express.

If they externalize, remember:

The student is not doing so out of ill will but because they feel pressured or frustrated.
Avoid taking the student’s reaction personally as far as possible.
Let them speak out and ‘get things off their chest’. Within certain limits. You can ask whether you should talk about it at another time when the person is less agitated.
Remember your own limits. Set frameworks to the extent this is possible for you in the given situation.

If the student shows direct aggression and/or you feel threatened, here are some tips on how you can handle the situation:

Speak slowly to the person with a friendly and caring voice.
Avoid arguing with the person.
Do not threaten the person, as this may exacerbate the person’s fear or encourage aggressive behaviour.

DTU does not tolerate inappropriate or threatening behaviour on principle. If you have experienced such a situation as a lecturer, you can read more about the options for disciplinary measures in section 8.1.4 of the rules and regulations.

7. Are you aware of a student with functional impairment?

Lecturers who become aware of a student with functional impairment, who is not aware of the SPS scheme, are welcome to refer them to the SPS unit at DTU. The student has to contact us. The SPS unit may not approach the student.

Unfortunately, the SPS unit at DTU cannot apply for support for students who seem troubled but do not have a medical diagnosis. These students are instead encouraged to contact one or more of the following:

Their doctor
Study Guidance at DTU
Student chaplain at DTU
Student Counselling Service (http://www.srg.dk/en)

8. Do you have further advice, comments, or questions?

If you have experience related to the above and perhaps additional advice which we can add to the text, or if you have any comments or questions, please contact the SPS unit at DTU: aus-sps@adm.dtu.dk