Reasonable Accommodations Policy

1.  Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to outline National College of Ireland’s framework for providing reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities, ensuring equitable access to learning, teaching, and assessment.

NCI has a legal obligation to do all that is reasonable to accommodate the needs of a person with a disability. In addition to meeting these legal duties, the College’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy sets out our broader commitment to promoting equality across all aspects of College activity and to fostering an environment in which all students, staff, and others are treated with dignity and respect.

2.  Scope

This policy applies to all registered undergraduate and postgraduate students of the National College of Ireland who have been recommended reasonable accommodations for a disability, as defined in the Equal Status Acts 2000–2018. It encompasses both students with ongoing disabilities and those requiring temporary accommodations due to short-term conditions.

The policy also applies to all relevant College staff with responsibility for supporting, approving, or implementing reasonable accommodation recommendations.

3.  Definitions

3.1. Disability

For the purposes of this policy, disability is defined under the Equal Status Acts 2000– 2018 as:

• the total or partial absence of a person's bodily or mental functions, including the absence of a part of a person's body,
• the presence in the body of organisms causing, or likely to cause, chronic disease or illness,
• the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of a person's body,
• a condition or malfunction which results in a person learning differently from a person without the condition or malfunction, or
• a condition, disease or illness which affects a person's thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgement or which results in disturbed behaviour.
• The legislation also provides that a disability may exist at present; have existed but no longer exists; may exist in the future; or may be imputed to the person concerned. Therefore, temporary disabilities are also included under the definition.

3.2. Reasonable Accommodation

The National College of Ireland (NCI) is obliged under Irish law to do all that is reasonable to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities.

For the purposes of this policy, a reasonable accommodation is defined as any action or adjustment to a course, module, work placement, teaching, learning, or assessment process which enables a student with a disability to participate fully in their chosen course, and without which they would be placed at a disadvantage relative to their peers.

Reasonable accommodations do not alter or remove the requirement for students to meet the essential learning outcomes of their chosen course and modules. They are designed to provide students with an equal opportunity to demonstrate their learning. It should be noted that in some instances, students may not meet the essential learning outcomes of their course or module despite the provision of reasonable accommodations.

An educational establishment may be held to have discriminated against a student with a disability if it does not take all reasonable steps to accommodate that student.

3.3. Needs Assessment

A Needs Assessment involves one or more meetings between a student and a member of the LDS to identify the reasonable accommodations and/or supports required for the student to engage fully with their programme of study. The assessment is informed by the student’s evidence of disability, educational history, and personal experience.

3.4.  Assessments

• “Assessment(s)” refers to all forms of assessment for which a student receives academic credit, including exams, coursework and work placement.
• “End-of-semester exams” refer to exams that are coordinated by the College’s Examinations Office.
• “In-Class exams” are defined as exams coordinated and managed by Lecturers and/or Academic Operations.
• “Continuous assessment” refers to coursework assigned throughout the academic year.

4.  Policy Statement

4.1. Commitment to Inclusion and Accessibility

National College of Ireland (NCI) is committed to providing an inclusive learning environment where students with disabilities have equitable access to all aspects of college life.

In line with the College’s obligations under Irish equality legislation and its institutional values of dignity and respect, NCI seeks to ensure that all learners can participate fully in their academic programmes. This policy establishes the framework through which reasonable accommodations are identified, approved, and implemented to support students in achieving their educational goals.

4.2. Principles

The following principles underpin NCI’s approach to the provision of reasonable accommodations:

• Inclusivity: NCI is dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment that embraces diversity and ensures equal opportunities for all students.
• Confidentiality: All information regarding a student's disability is handled with strict confidentiality, shared only with relevant personnel with the student's consent.
• Collaboration: The provision of reasonable accommodations is a collaborative process involving the student, Learning and Disability Support (LDS) Services, academic staff, and other relevant parties

4.3. Legal and Regulatory Framework

NCI’s commitment to reasonable accommodation is guided by national and European legislation and sectoral policy, including:

• Equal Status Acts (as amended), 2000-2018
• Disability Act, 2005
• General Data Protection Regulation EU 2016/679 (GDPR)
• Data Protection Act, 2018
• Higher Education Authority Act, 2022
• The National Access Plan, 2022 – 2028 (A Strategic Action Plan for Equity of Access, Participation and Success in Higher Education, HEA 2022)

4.4. Governance and Oversight

Governance of the reasonable accommodations process is overseen by the Learning and Disability Support Service (LDS) in collaboration with Academic Operations, the Examinations Office, and the Teaching Enhancement Unit. Oversight and review mechanisms are described in the Compliance and Monitoring section of this policy.

5.  Roles and Responsibilities

The table below outlines the responsibilities of the various staff involved in providing reasonable accommodations to students with ongoing disabilities.

6.  Compliance & Monitoring

Oversight of this policy is maintained through the following mechanisms:

• All reasonable accommodations are agreed through the Educational Needs Assessment (ENA) process conducted by the Learning and Disability Support Service (LDS).
• Examination accommodations are administered by the Examinations Office or Academic Operations for term-time exams.
• In-class and temporary accommodations are implemented by relevant Schools and academic staff.
• The Teaching Enhancement Unit (TEU) provides guidance to staff on accessible assessment design.

LDS maintains records of accommodations approved and implemented each semester and reports on emerging trends or issues to the Registrar and Academic Council as part of the annual quality review cycle. This data informs ongoing review of the accessibility, effectiveness, and consistency of reasonable accommodation practices.

7.  NCI Related Documentation

• NCI Equality and Diversity Policy
• NCI Data Protection Policy
• NCI Student Support Hub

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