Norbert Broenink

Klaas Gorter

Studying with a restriction

Hindrances experienced by students with physical restrictions,

psychological complaints or dyslexia in higher education

Survey executed by the Verwey-Jonker institute at the request of the ministry of Education, Culture and Science

September 2001
Summary and conclusions

Background of the survey

Early in the year 2000 "the Dutch parliament" dealt with the higher Education and Research plan 2000 called HOOP, in which the education policy for the coming 4 years was discussed. In this discussion there was al lot of attention for students with a restriction.

Despite the facilities that they have right to, like financial graduation support, an extra year scholarship and a special benefit for young people with a restriction, this category of students has experienced many main sticking points in their participation in education.

Data about this are scarce and incomplete. On that basis parliament submitted a motion in which the secretary of Education, Culture and Science (ECS) was asked to do a survey about the nature and size of the specific problems of students with a restriction experience in higher education. The Verwey-Jonker institute conducted the survey at the request of the ministry of ECS.

The survey had to find an answer to the following two outstanding problems:

●    What is the nature and size of the group of students that may experience problems when taking part in activities during the entirety of the normal educational process because of their restriction? What is the nature and size of these problems?

●    What is the difference between students with and students without restrictions with regards to going on to higher education and the results achieved.

These problems have to be looked at in the light of the experiences of the students themselves.

The intention of the survey

To address the first research question a screening was done by a random selection of 16.000 students in higher education (universities, including the Open University and higher professional education). These students got a compendious questionnaire about having physical restrictions, perception restrictions, chronic diseases. psychological complaints or dyslexia. Those that indicated that they have a restriction[1] (936 students) were asked to take part in the main survey.

They received an extensive questionnaire, with which data about the nature and size of the hindrance experienced by their participation in higher education was collected.

389 students participated in the main survey.

For the second research question another random test was taken. This random test contained people who had recent I y left secondary education with a diploma (passed their examinations for upper general secondary education ("HAVO") and pre-university education ("VWO") in the year 2000).

This question also saw a step-by-step approach. First, the screening for the present restrictions experienced by the people in the random test (8.100 ex-pupils) took place, followed by an extensive questionnaire, which those who have a restriction had to fill out. This screening resulted in 518 ex-pupils with a restriction being involved in the survey. 216 ex-pupils took part in the main survey.

The survey was completed as set out, which is based on the experience of the students themselves.

The research results thus reflect how the students witness and judge their participation in education.

Outcome

Estimations

In the survey 10 different types of restrictions were distinguished, namely restrictions in movement (for example walking or arm or hand movement), limitations in visibility (blind or poor eyesight), restrictions in hearing (deaf or hard hearing), speech defects (hard to understand or stammer), lack of endurance (e.g. trouble with walking the stairs or standing or sitting for a long time), concentration problems/ weariness/ lack of energy, chronic pain, chronic disease (e.g. Diabetes, epilepsy or asthma), complaints of psychological nature and dyslexia.

There are nearly half a million students that participate in higher education.

On basis of the screening results, the number of students with one or mare restrictions can be estimated between 61.000 and 77.000. This is 12% to 15% of the total student population[2]. About half of these students have mare than one type of restriction. The 10 types of restrictions can be divided into in three main categories: Physical restrictions (movement, sight, hearing, speech, pain, endurance, weariness/ lack of energy and chronic disease), psychological complaints and dyslexia. The number of students with a physical restriction is estimated at 45.000 to 57.000 students (9% ta12% of all students), the number of those with psychological complaints is estimated at 23.000 to 29.000 students (5% to 6%) and the number with dyslexia at 11.000 to 14.000 students (2% to 3%).

The majority of students with a restriction (estimated at 63%) indicate that they experience hindrance in participating in the educational process. The number of students that experience hindrance is therefore to be estimated at 38.000 to 48.000 (8% to 10% of all the students).

The results about the ex-pupils of "HAVO" and "VWO" agree with the results of the students. By estimation 13% to 16% of the ex-pupils have one or more restrictions[3]. Of these ex-pupils an estimated 10% to 13% has a physical restriction, 4% to 5% has psychological complaints and 2% to 3% have dyslexia. Overall 64% of the ex-pupils experience hindrance in their participation in secondary education.

It was already known from general population inquiries that restrictions are more common among women than men. This difference between women and men was also found in this survey among students. The difference was even greater than in the general inquiries. The estimation of female students with a restriction is 38.000 to 47.000, that of the male students is estimated at 21.000 to 26.000 students.

Experienced hindrance by participating in the educational process

The interviewed students indicated which problems they experienced in their participation in different aspects of the educational process because of a restriction or other health complaints.

About 40% of the students with a restriction are experiencing hindrance when they are writing interim examinations and examinations. Among the total student population their number can be estimated at 27.000 to 35.000 persons. No solution is found for nearly half of these cases. The experienced hindrance included among others time problems (not able to finish their examinations within the time limit), problems in functioning (not able to write and read clearly and problems with reading and writing fast enough), suddenly occurring physical complaints (like fatigue or headache), psychological complaints (like performance anxiety) and problems with the surroundings (like inaccessibility for students with a physical restriction or dusty rooms for people with asthma).

Many students also experience problems when studying written material (43%, by estimation 26.000 to 33.000 people), attending lectures and meetings (40%, by estimation 24.000 to 31.000 people) and

writing papers or essays (34%, by estimation 21.000 to 26.000 people).

These hindrances are common among all types of restrictions. Some other problems are related to

specific types of restrictions. This affects mainly problems with in accessing buildings with an

educational purpose, with which students with restrictions in movement (18%) are confronted. Part of

the students with limited vision (10%) also come across accessibility problems. Students who have

dyslexia have problems studying written material, because of the nature of their restriction (71 %).

According to the majority of the students, the problems detected influence their study progress. They

lag behind or have failed their interim examinations and examinations. The total of students that report

a delay in their study progress is 59%. Asked about the reason for their delay over 75% pointed

towards their restrictions or health problems. The number of university students that so far lag behind

is far greater than that of the higher professional education (HBO) students (resp. 68% and 46%). The

delay in studying among university students is also longer than that of HBO students (resp. 15 and 9

months). It has to be pointed out that the data refers to the delay at the time of the survey. About half

of the students jn the survey were at that moment half way through their study.

The negative influence of the restrictions can also be found in the related findings concerning gained

study results. Approximately one in three students is not able to pass their examinations or is not able

to attend certain subjects or other parts of their study because of their restriction.

The restrictions not only influence the study progress but also carry on in the burden of the study. For

more than one in three students that have restrictions, studying costs much more difficulty and/ or

energy. 17 % has to invest more time, 10% finds studying physically heavy or tiring and 10% has got

concentration or motivation problems.

The students were asked which solutions they had found or – in case they hadn't found a solution –

what would be necessary to solve or reduce the problems. It seems that the students' primary looked

for the solution within themselves. The most frequently mentioned solutions were wider planning and

make allowing more time for their study tasks. They further received help from others, mostly from

friends, acquaintances and fellow students. On the other hand, the role of the educational institution

was suggested more often as a solution. Many of those who didn't find a sufficient solution desired

(more) help from inside their study programmes and from their lecturers. Apart from this, many see a

possible solution in the adjustment (of the contents) of their study programmes, for example in making

them more flexible.

Hindrance can also occur outside the primary educational process. Such problems can possibly

influence studies. This applies among other things to hindrances experienced in self-care and by living

independently. Over one quarter of the interviewed students (26%) feels hindered in performing daily

actions, like eating, washing, telephoning and grocery shopping. Across the total student population.

an estimated 16.000 to 20.000 students experience hindrance in performing these actions. Apart from

this, hindrance is also experienced by taking part in sports (25%, an estimated 15.000 to 19.000

students), by participating in students' activities (15%, an estimated 9.000 to 12.000 students) and by

living independently (15%, an estimated 9.000 to 12.000 students).

Familiarity with and the use of special facilities

For students with restrictions there are several provisions and arrangements, which have as their goal

to make higher education more accessible. The executions of most arrangements are in the hands of

the educational institution in question- This includes among other things arrangement for more

examination time, adjustments of the timetable as well as the examinations and making provisions

with individual lecturers and deans of studies. More supervision and support can be obtained from

student counsellors, student advisers and tutors. Some other arrangements are executed by the

special execution institutions for social security (UVI), like the special benefit for young people with a

restriction (WAJONG), the transportation provisions to and from the place of study and computer

adaptations. Furthermore there exists an arrangement for an extra year scholarship; this can be

applied for by the "informatie beheer groep".

The majority of students with a restriction are unfamiliar with these special facilities. Only the arrangements for extra time during examinations are known by more than half of the group (55%). Especially the arrangements executed by the "UVI's" are known only by a few (between 10% and 20%). It is also striking that the arrangements for an extra year scholarship, which the students who are delayed in their study have a right to, is only known by very few students.

Between familiarity and use exists a great cohesion: facilities that are badly known are also less used. The facilities that are used the most are: individual arrangements with lecturers and student counsellors (16,1 %), more time during examinations (11,5%) and graduation facilities (11,2%). The arrangement for an extra year scholarship is only used by 1 %.

Information about this seems not to reach the students sufficiently. Over 60% of the students in the survey group declare that they haven't got any information about special facilities at all. Only one in five students valued the received information sufficiently.

Unfamiliarity with a facility is not a direct problem for students that don't have restrictions in that area and therefore do not need the facility. It seems however that almost none of the students are able to benefit much from of the facilities that concern them in view of their restrictions, this is because they have no knowledge of the existence of these facilities. Therefore the majority of the students that are restricted in movement are uninformed about the existing transportation facilities. The same is the

case for students with restrictions in writing examinations (the majority is unfamiliar with arrangements for adapted examinations) and for students that have restrictions in reference to the study schedule (the majority is unfamiliar with the arrangements for adapted study schedules). Practically all the students that do use these facilities experience no more obstructions in that particular area. We can conclude from this that these facilities on grounds of movement, adaptations of the interim examinations and the examinations and adaptations of the study schedules are efficient.

Almost half of the students with a restriction receive special guidance, support or assistance from one or more persons. The student counsellor is in the first place here (nearly 19%), followed by the student adviser/ supervisor (18,3%), fellow students (17,0%) and individual lecturers (14, 7%). The supervision exists mainly in providing a solution or in giving information about concrete problems, giving moral support in personal conversations and supervising study progress. This does not satisfy the students' needs. One in three students with a restriction gave as their opinion that they have needs in that area. The majority of them would like more personal guidance. There is also a greater need for comprehension and moral support.

The part that lectures and fellow students play is also under discussion with regard to whether there was enough understanding for the restriction or the health complaints. 44% of the students with a restriction generally experienced understanding from lecturers and administrative personnel and 61 % from their fellow students. So they experience less understanding from lecturers and administrative personnel than from their fellow students.

Hindrance experienced in secondary education.

Addressing the second research-question, the move from secondary education to higher education is paramount. The ex-pupils that were involved in the survey were at the same time questioned about the hindrance they experienced during secondary education ("HAVO" and "VWO"). The results appear to be in accordance with the hindrance that students in higher professional education (HBO) and university education (WO) experience. Nearly half of the questioned ex-pupils have experienced hindrance during participation in the lessons. In one out of three cases no solution or an insufficient solution was found. The number of ex-pupils that experienced hindrance during the writing of tests (examination papers and final examinations) is also 44%. In nearly a quarter of those cases no

solution or an insufficient solution was found. Studying written material comes third (35% was hindered, in over one in three cases no solution or an insufficient solution was found).

For 17% of the pupils their restriction has played a part in the choice of their subjects. In most of the cases they have chosen less difficult subjects. The influence of the restrictions also shows in the

length of the school period. Nearly one in three pupils' say that they have experienced delay in the

time they spent in secondary education. According to most of the pupils their delay occurred because of their restriction. The delay ran up to an average of more than one year.

The majority of the pupils (around 60%) believe that their fellow pupils and teachers generally understand their restrictions or health complaints.

To be able to prepare for a possible area of study it is important to be informed about the availability of facilities for students with a restriction in higher education. More than half of the pupils (54%)

mentioned that they received no information at al! about special arrangements and facilities and 15%

of the ex-pupils finds the obtained information insufficient.

Movement to higher education

The experienced restrictions have not stopped pupils from taking up studying. Over 80% have gone to "HBO" or "WO" after receiving their diploma. This is in accordance with the national figures about the move to higher education. The move of students, with a restriction and a "HAVO" diploma, to the HBO is even bigger than the flow on national level. It can be concluded from these study results that when someone has received their diploma for "HAVO" or "VWO", having a restriction seldom stands in the way of entering higher education. Because of the delay the transition from secondary education to higher education occurs later than with pupils without restrictions.

Conclusions and recommendations

The questions that were discussed affect a considerable part of the student population in higher education. By estimation more than 60.000 students (12% to 15% of the total student population) have one or more restrictions. It should be mentioned that a wide definition of restriction was used. The numbers mentioned include not only students with a physical or a perspective restriction, but also students with lasting psychological complaints and students with dyslexia.

In the majority of the cases having a restriction leads to hindrance in participating in the educational process. The number of students that experience one or more hindrances is approximately 40.000.

The hindrances experienced occur mostly in writing interim examinations and examinations, studying written material and following lectures.

Having a restriction has, after obtaining a "HAVO" or "VWO" diploma, having a restriction seldom influences the choice whether to go to university or "HBO" or not. The restrictions have also little influence on the choice of study programme at the university. Some influence is apparent in the choice of study programme among students who go on to higher professional education (a greater preference for studies in the field of healthcare, less for studies in the field of economics).

In the first place the experienced restrictions lead to time problems. In most of the cases studying with

a restriction takes more time. Many of the students with a restriction need more time to study the subject and other tasks and on top of that they have to repeat the interim examinations more often again because they experience hindrance by making them. In addition to this, students with a physical restriction especially have less time available to study, because they need more time to conduct common daily activities (self-care activities), transportation and medical care. Students look for a solution for these time problems by working longer and making extensive schedules. In spite of these extra efforts the majority of the students are delayed in their study. From the reasons given for the delay it was put forward that having a restriction reflects the circumstances that prolonged the durance of the study, like not being able to pursue any education during a period and having a slower pace to perform other activities. However, it cannot be said on the basis of the current data how much the total duration of study of students with a restriction differs from the durance of the study of students without a restriction. Seeing that this survey was held under students that were still studying, while the statistic data about the durance of a study of the total student population refers to completed studies.

Therefore the data is not comparable to acquire an insight in to the appearance, the size and

background of the extra delay of study as a result of the restrictions. There has to be further research, in which both students with a restriction and students without a restriction (control-group) take part.

In the second place but connected to the previous, the consequence of having a restriction is that the study often costs extra energy and more difficulty. This often leads to severe fatigue, concentration

and motivation problems. To take away the pressure it is desirable in these cases to allow a flexible educational program and to provide more personal guidance. To lead the policy measures into the

right direction it is important to investigate further the existing problems to be able to determine where they differ from those of students without a restriction. After a while it can be determined what effect

the implemented policy measures have had by using an evaluation study.

The personal guidance provided by student counsellors, student advisers and lectures is not yet sufficient enough for the existing needs. Considering the unmet needs in this area a greater availability of guidance would be desirable. With this increase of availability of personal guidance more space would be created to provide direct information about provisions which students with a restriction can appeal to. This is a point that will come up again later. In addition to this, that supervisors are in a good position to give advice if the facilities are adequate or that they need a change, because the supervisors speak with students about their experiences.

Part of the students and pupils with a restriction said that they did not come across enough understanding from their lecturers and from their fellow students and fellow pupils. Direct information

to lecturers, students or pupils about what it means to have a restriction will increase understanding of the situation. Students/ pupils with a restriction can themselves play an active roll in this education.

Only a few students with restrictions know of the existence of the arrangements and facilities that are created especially for them. Even the students that could benefit from these facilities because of their restrictions are unfamiliar with those facilities. Especially the arrangement for an extra year scholarship and the arrangements that are executed by the special executing offices of social security are very

little known. The arrangements at the educational institution in question are better known by the students. 8ecause of the unfamiliarity of the facilities they are made relatively little use of. The number of students of the research group that make use of these facilities is very small. From this data it is possible to draw the conclusion that there is a shortcoming in providing information in this area, seeing that the target group has insufficiently been reached. The information given about the available special facilities needs improvement. This information also has to be given directly to pupils with restrictions that still have to move on from secondary education, so that they can prepare themselves properly for their change to higher education. It was put forward in the pupil survey that they too were badly informed.

When the special facilities in the form of transportation, adjustments to the interim examinations and

the examinations and the adjustments to the study schedules are used, they seem to fulfil their

purpose. It is noticeable that the data is coming from the few users in the survey group. To come to definite conclusions the experiences of a greater number of users should be checked.

The inaccessibility of the educational buildings has an effects on a relative small group of students, namely those that have problems with walking (manly wheelchair users); students with poor eyesight

or blindness and hard-hearing or deaf students. 8eside these groups of students there are students

with asthma or similar restrictions who are confronted with hindrance that they experience from dusty

or smoky rooms. This doesn't make the inaccessibility problem less important, because the consequences for the involved students can be drastic: They become excluded or dependent on the help from fellow students. There has been much improvement in the past decade, namely with newly built buildings and with renovated buildings, for which there are guidelines and instructions included in

a legislation (the building resolution). But not all educational buildings are sufficiently accessible.

Further improvements in accessibility are desirable. This is not only for buildings with an educational purpose but also for the facilities of the student-corps', the sport-accommodations and the cultural accommodations.

By aiming the survey at problems of people that are in the process of studying, a big problem has been left. It considers the possibility of students that drop out because of experienced hindrance.

People that have dropped out of higher education because the hindrance was too great did not occur

in the random test. This is because the test was taken among the enlisted students. The road to higher education can also be blocked in at an earlier stage, like people who drop out of secondary education. Pupils with restrictions may have stopped their "HAVO", "VWO" and Upper secondary vocational education (MBO) schooling because of the experienced hindrance or because they failed their examinations. Children with restrictions can also meet problems as early as in primary education,

which can result in a later start or no start at all in secondary education, which would allow them

access to higher education. To get insight in these problems it deserves recommendation that the educational careers of youngsters with restrictions are researched, with special attention to be paid to the dropouts in the course of the study. Such a survey would serve to provide an insight into the measures that are necessary to prevent dropouts.