Disabled Students Unit - Relevant Legislation

REGULATION ON COUNSELING AND COORDINATION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

(Entered into force upon publication in the Official Gazette dated 20 June 2006, No. 26204)

PART ONE
Purpose, Scope and Legal Basis

Purpose

ARTICLE 1 –(1) The purpose of this Regulation is to set out the working procedures and principles of the Disabled Persons Counseling and Coordination Unit established within the Presidency of the Council of Higher Education, and of the disability-related units to be established within the Student Selection and Placement Center and universities, in order to take the necessary measures and make arrangements to facilitate the academic lives of students with disabilities in higher education.

Scope

ARTICLE 2 –(1) This Regulation covers the Disabled Persons Counseling and Coordination Unit established within the Presidency of the Council of Higher Education, the Student Selection and Placement Center, and the disability-related units to be established within universities.

Legal Basis

ARTICLE 3 –(1) This Regulation has been prepared on the basis of Article 15 of Law No. 5378 dated 1 July 2005 on Persons with Disabilities and Amendments to Certain Laws and Decree Laws.

PART TWO

Disabled Persons Counseling and Coordination Center and Disability-Related Units

Disabled persons counseling and coordination unit

ARTICLE 4 –(1) A Disabled Persons Counseling and Coordination Unit shall be established within the Council of Higher Education to work on matters such as the provision of equipment, the preparation of special course materials, and the preparation of education, research and accommodation environments suitable for persons with disabilities in order to facilitate the academic lives of university students with disabilities; to act as rapporteur to the commission as a basis for the actions to be taken; to obtain the opinion of the commission; and to obtain the opinion of the Council of Higher Education on the matter.

Council of Higher Education commission for students with disabilities

ARTICLE 5 –(1) A three-member commission shall be formed by the Presidency of the Council of Higher Education to identify the needs of students with disabilities and to ensure coordination among higher education institutions regarding what needs to be done in line with the identified needs. Commission members shall be selected from among people knowledgeable in the field of disability, preferably academics in related fields.

Counseling center for students with disabilities

ARTICLE 6 –(1) A Counseling Center for Students with Disabilities shall be established within the Student Selection and Placement Center. The working procedures and principles of the Center shall be determined by the Presidency of the Student Selection and Placement Center.

Duties of the counseling center for students with disabilities

ARTICLE 7 –(1) The duties of the Counseling Center for Students with Disabilities are as follows:

a) To provide counseling to students with disabilities who wish to study in higher education programs about the programs in which they can study.

b) To compile the list of higher education programs opened by universities for students with disabilities in cooperation with the Council of Higher Education and higher education institutions, and to include the relevant provisions in the Student Selection and Placement Examination Guide.

c) To compile, in cooperation with the Council of Higher Education and higher education institutions, the list of higher education programs that have not been opened directly for students with disabilities but in which students with disabilities can study according to their disability.

ç) To report the annual list of applications from students with disabilities and the evaluation results to the Presidency of the Council of Higher Education, to be considered in determining the higher education programs to be opened for students with disabilities.

Units for students with disabilities in higher education institutions

ARTICLE 8 –(1) Higher education institutions shall establish a unit for students with disabilities, under the responsibility of a vice president and affiliated with the department of medico-social health, culture and sports affairs, to identify the academic, administrative, physical, psychological, accommodation and social needs of students with disabilities, to determine what needs to be done to meet these needs, to plan, implement and develop the work to be carried out, and to evaluate its results. The working procedures and principles of the unit shall be determined by the higher education institutions.

(2) The units for students with disabilities in higher education institutions shall submit to the Presidency of the Council of Higher Education an annual report containing their activities and evaluation results.

Duties of the units for students with disabilities in higher education institutions

ARTICLE 9 –(1) The duties of the unit for students with disabilities in higher education institutions are as follows:

a) To meet the needs of students with disabilities enrolled in higher education programs while they continue their studies, to identify the obstacles they may encounter and the measures to be taken against them, to propose solutions to remove them, and to make the necessary arrangements.

b) To ensure the arrangement of the educational environment attended by students with disabilities so that instructional programs do not hinder the academic, physical, psychological and social lives of university students with disabilities, and to make decisions on the provision of equipment for persons with disabilities, the preparation of special course materials, and the preparation of education, research and accommodation environments suitable for persons with disabilities.

c) To carry out publication activities for students and instructors at the higher education level, to prepare informative documents for instructors explaining disability and persons with disabilities, the limitations it brings and the arrangements that need to be made, to raise awareness, to provide counseling services to those concerned, and to provide in-service training when necessary.

ç) To develop programs and projects on these subjects.

d) To prepare and carry out the unit's work program, and to prepare the annual budget proposal and annual activity report and submit them to the vice president to whom it reports.

e) To organize seminars, conferences and similar activities.

f) To create a website containing publications, documents and information for the parties concerned on matters within the duties and field of activity of the unit for students with disabilities, enabling students with disabilities studying at universities to express their problems and requests and allowing them to communicate with the relevant unit.

g) To monitor the implementation of the decisions it takes and the strategies it determines.

ğ) To work toward the free provision of assistive devices for students with disabilities who face financial hardship.

h) To decide on the inclusion of disability-related courses and training programs in the undergraduate programs of higher education institutions and to ensure their implementation.

ı) In order to ensure that all students are assessed fairly and accurately, to ensure equal opportunity and to make the educational process meaningful for students with disabilities as well, to take the necessary measures and make arrangements regarding the duration, location, materials and companion for examinations and other differences arising from the nature of the disability.

i) To prepare, or have prepared, informative books on employment opportunities and professions, and to ensure that they reach students with disabilities.

j) To prepare a report on the higher education programs in which students with disabilities can study, to be submitted to the Presidency of the Student Selection and Placement Center before applications for the Student Selection Examination.

PART THREE
Entry into Force and Enforcement

Entry into force

ARTICLE 10 –(1) This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of its publication.

Enforcement

ARTICLE 11 –(1) The provisions of this Regulation shall be enforced by the President of the Council of Higher Education.

 © 2006 - Republic of Türkiye Prime Ministry Administration for Disabled People - Department of Disability Research and Statistics