Personal Assistance for Students with Disabilities in HE: The experience of the University of East London

Abstract

Access to higher education for students with disabilities has been improved through recent initiatives taken by the University Funding Councils but inclusion for students who require personal support remains problematic. This paper explores the experience of students using personal assistants at the University of East London. The issues explored were selected from questionnaire and interview feedback provided by students using the University service since 1993, and were used as the basis of in-depth interviews with six students who use personal assistants, by the University Co-ordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities. The personal assistants were asked to respond to the same questions but in a written, questionnaire format. Issues explored include: funding; the employer-employee role and employment matters; power and authority relationships; personal, family and professional relationships with assistants, other students, tutors, and staff, and access to non-academic activities and the management of assistants.