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Moving from the transactional to the transformational student: Lessons learnt from the Trinity College Disability Service three phased transitional student journey strategy
Declan TreanorDirector, Disability ServiceTrinity College Dublin
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Pathways to TrinityThe Disabled Student Journey
The Disability ServiceStrategic Outreach, Transition, Retention
and Progression Plan
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Student Journey…
Engages students across 3 phases of their Higher Education journey:
• Pre-entry, admission and the first year experience
• Building and maintaining a college career
• Progressing through college to employment
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Philosophy…• Proactive strategy as opposed to traditionally reactive models
• Each phase is supported using a model that facilitates the acquisition of skills such as self-awareness, self-determination and self-advocacy, which are transferable across the entire student lifecycle
• Aims to move from a transactional service delivery model, to a transformational resource
• Support a dialogue with the disabled individual in the acquisition of transferable skills that can be developed across all three phases of the student journey
• Student at the center
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Evidence Research based…• Potential to help bridge the research-to-practice gap and improve
student outcomes
• Methodological inferences based on the framework of a transformational ethos reveal the potential strength of combining qualitative and quantitative methods
• A qualitative dimension is needed to gather community perspectives at each stage of the research process
• Quantitative dimension provides the opportunity to demonstrate outcomes that have credibility for community members and scholars
• Transformative mixed methodologies provide a mechanism for addressing the complexities of research in culturally complex settings that can provide a basis for social change
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Phased approach
Disability Service defined and based on which phase activity is within
Staff assigned to deliver within each phase and set KPIs reporting on set and measurable objectives
Funding targeted to achieving phased objectives
Students understand the ‘student journey approach’
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Phase 1: Pre-entry and first year experience
Tell students what Trinity and courses are really like…
Get students connected well before they come to Trinity
Prioritise those identified with greatest needs
Transition planning
Entry schemes clear and accessible
Communicate with students and parents
Keep connected in the first year
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Ambassador Programme
• A programme to develop disability leaders who will act as role models for potential entrants to Trinity
• Visits to secondary schools, to encourage pupils with disabilities from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds to study in TCD working in conjuciton with Trinity Access Programme and target schools
• Represent Trinity at revelant events
• Develop skills that can assist students as the progress to employment
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Phase 2: Retention & progression
Rationale for all reasonable accommodations set out
Engage students in needs assessment process
Involve parents in understanding the role of the Disability Service
Redesign of Disability supports services
Retention issues for students with disabilities
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Phase 2
DS Quality Review 2014-2015
– Redesign of DS
– General ‘A’ and specialist ‘B’ supports
– Communication of changes
– Mainstreaming
And the Pareto principle:
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
A and B defined by: A = Low level of need B = High level of need
Entry Route CAO merit, PG, Mature
DARE (big pts reduction), TAP, Mature
Course Non-professional courses Professional courses
Personal circumstances
Good supports with little or no difficulties
Difficulties with accommodation, finances, family etc.
Defining A’s and B’s
Considerations that might make an ‘A’ a ‘B’ or a ‘B’ and ‘A’
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Assumptions (to be challenged) about students with disabilities:
Students with disabilities:
• Are educationally disadvantaged
• Are under-represented in Higher Education
• Have increased participation rates in HE mainly due to Access programmes such as DARE
• Seek and receive support from Disability Services
• With supports, do as well or better than their peers
• Progress at the same rate as other students
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
National trends – Ahead and HEA:
• The participation rate of SWD in HE is increasing annually
• 8.9% responded to the HEA Equal Access Disability Survey
• 6.6% of all New Entrants declared a disability in 2013/14
• 4.2% of all HE students were registered with a disability service in 2013/14
• 3.3% of all New Entrants required support in 2013/14
• 15% to 30% of SWD register ‘later’ and are often continuing students
• This leads to questions about how SWD are counted in HE and how they progress in HE and what their outcomes are in comparison to peers
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Retention: Withdrawn by disability type 2003 to 2013
ADDASD
Blind VI
DCD
Deaf HI
Mental
Health
Physica
l SO
I
Spld
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
6 84 3
20
91
17 26
102
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Withdrawn students (%) by disability type 2003 to 2013
Disability Type ADD ASD Blind/VI DCD Deaf/HI MH Phys SOI Spld
277 6 8 4 3 20 91 17 26 102
% 2.1% 2.9% 1.4% 1.1% 7.2% 32.8% 6.1% 9.4% 36.8%
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Outcome (%) by entry route 07, 08 & 09 students (%)
1 & 2.1 2.2 & 3 No Result or Current
Withdrawn / Fail
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
5044
29
1412
46
35
9 10
28
42
15 15
Merit 416Supp 114Mature 99
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Students with disabilities in Trinity:
• Are not all disadvantaged and those that are - are not equally disadvantaged
• Do not always enter with a disability or support need but these can emerge at any time prior to graduation (a drop in grade outcome is more likely for this cohort)
• Are choosing to disclose more often than students did 5 to 10 years ago (especially those with Mental Health difficulties)
• Do better academically when they register for support early (use or uptake of support varies considerably)
• Often take longer to progress through HE compared to students without disabilities (medical repeats or time off)
• Sometimes have no need to be represented in Higher Education (as having a disability or needing support)
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Phase 3: Transition to employment - contextLeonardo Project-'Univers’ Emploi’- need to support transition to employment for graduates with disabilities
AHEAD- 70% of graduate sample were employed. 59% in full-time employment whilst 18% were part-time
80% of those ‘seeking employment’ do not always disclose their disability when applying for jobs
Most common reason for working part-time was that graduates wanted to but were unable to find a full-time job
Only 23% of the respondents had participated in any form of specific job-preparation training
Work experiences essential in influencing the employment prospects of graduates with disabilities
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Increase in the number of students with disabilities entering college
Support at 3rd Level provided = greater progression & retention
Educated Graduates seeking employment
Difficulties making the transition to employment
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Career Pathways…1. Developing a clearly delineated individual process comprising three stages https://www.tcd.ie/disability/career/Pathways/3stages.php
2. Development of an ePortfolio system containing both Careers and Disability Specific resources
3. Development of peer-workshops for students to discuss topics such as disclosure and reasonable accommodations
4. Providing workshops to Careers and Disability Service staff with the HEIs involved
5. Establishing connections with employers to ensure timely provision of information on equality application routes and policies
6. Development of an ambassador programme, for graduates with disabilities to act as mentors to current students
Phase 3
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Process
Exploring a Career
Building a Career
Launching a Career
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
Lessons learnt…
Three phased approach works
Strategic and focused
Specialist and evidenced based
Transactional approach is reactive and not good for student development
Transformational student is complex and not straight forward