Bustling unit for students with disabilities at Kovsies

By Hetsie Veitch

The Unit for Students with Disabilities (USD) at the University of the Free State (UFS - or fondly known as Kovsies) is celebrating 10 years of supporting students with disabilities in 2011. The need to support students with specific needs regarding their studies at the UFS was identified in 2000 and a support unit originated from Kovsie Counselling and Development Support Services. Today the USD forms part of the Support Services of the UFS in the office of the Dean of Students. The USD aims to ensure that the University of the Free State increasingly becomes an accessible higher education institution for students with disabilities, thereby supporting and assisting the UFS in its strive to be an excellent, equitable and innovative university.

In 2001 a group of 15 students received support from the USD and the student numbers have grown to 146 in 2011 with a group of 22 new first-year students. Every year the USD proudly bids a group of students farewell after the successful completion of their studies and many students continue with post-graduate programmes. In collaboration with the careers office of the UFS, assistance is also offered with regards to application for jobs and placement in the workplace.

The students with disabilities registered at the UFS represent persons with disabilities from all walks of society and many different disability groups. Support is given to students with visual impairments, hearing impairments, mobility impairments, specific learning difficulties, psychological impairments and disabling chronic illnesses. The support of each student is tailored to the specific needs of the individual student e.g. study material in alternative format, sign language interpreting, assistance in classrooms, physical accessibility, alternative test and exam arrangements, application for financial aid, placement in campus residences and many other services.

The students of the USD are registered in all faculties on campus for many different courses of study. Continuous communication and training of academic staff ensure optimum practices for the teaching and learning process of students with disabilities. The USD promotes the development of the students as integrated as possible with other students on campus. Participation in all campus activities and student life is promoted and encouraged.
Eight students from the UFS will be representing the Free State at the 2011 Nedbank National Championships for Sport for the Physically Disabled. The students are involved in decision making processes through a representative student committee. Some of the students of the USD form part of the Broader Students Transformation Forum (BSTF) of the UFS who has been tasked with the 'rethink and restructuring' of student governance on the UFS campuses.

Interaction and collaboration with organisations and institutions in the broader disability community is of the utmost importance to the USD. Membership and representation on the different structures of such organisations enable the USD to stay updated with developments in the disability community.

The current focus of the USD is to optimise the current support services by introducing new programmes and expanding the support services that are already in place.