Campus Accessibility

Campus Accessibility is about the creation of a campus that can be used by everybody, irrespective of ability or disability.

The role of Campus Accessibility Officer, Tina Lowe, is to advise and guide the University in its duties under the Disability Act 2005. This act requires public bodies to ensure that buildings and services are universally accessible to staff, students and visitors with disabilities.

The Campus Accessibility Officer oversees action plans to incorporate accessibility to buildings and services in line with best practice in universal access and design.

An audit, conducted in 2013, identified areas for improvement to the built environment in UCD and priority works are currently being implemented. Works completed to date include major improvements to the concourse around the campus; automation of entrances and exit doors to buildings and new disabled parking bays. Work will continue over the coming years to progress UCD towards its goal of an accessible campus for all.

ICT is fundamentally important for teaching, learning, research and administration. UCD Access & Lifelong Learning and IT Services are working together to identify deficiencies in the existing systems and are working to address them.

An assistive technology for staff project has been established, to explore ways of creating AT awareness for staff in UCD.  The following link is to the webpage aimed at staff to create awareness on assistive technology and how it can assist UCD staff in their work. 

Promoting awareness of accessibility issues and the needs of staff and students with disabilities is vital to ensure the entire UCD community is aware of and supportive of the accessibility agenda. Work continues with colleagues to create awareness of the diverse needs of the campus population.

Section 38 of the  enables any person by his/herself, or through any person defined under Section 9 (2) of the Act, to make a complaint in writing to the UCD Inquiry Officer in relation to the failure of the University to comply with sections 25, 26, 27, 28 or 29 of the Act. More information on making Complaints Under the Disability Act 2005 here. 

Follow these simple guidelines to make documents accessible: Guidelines for Writing Accessible Documents

“Building for Everyone – a Universal Design approach” from the National Disability Authority: Building for Everyone

Assistive Technology tools to assist reading of content; to enhance clarity of content; to assist with creation of content and to assist with thought processing: Assistive Technology tools