E-INTERVIEW with Michael Cunningham - Cystic Fibrosis ...

INFORMATION
AHEAD
Summary
An all-Ireland organisation representative
of the third-level sector.
Its central mission is to promote
access for, and the full participation
of, students with disabilities
in higher education.
Introduction
AHEAD is an independent nonprofit
organisation working to promote
full access to, participation
in, benefit from and contribution
to third level education by people
with disabilities in Ireland, North
and South. It is a registered charity
(number CHY9999) and is
funded by the Higher Education
Authority, by members' subscriptions
(members include all third
level institutions on the island of
Ireland and students with disabilities)
and through European
Union funding.
AHEAD undertakes research in
areas relating to disability and
third level education and acts in a
consultative capacity to the
Higher Education Authority, educational
institutions and other
bodies in the education sector.
AHEAD lobbies to improve
access to and increase the participation
of students with disabilities
in third level education in
Ireland. It also strives to inform
and change national policy in the
areas of the education of students
with disabilities and the
employment of disabled graduates.
The website features the
“Inclusive Education Information
Centre”. This is an online reposi-
Association For Higher Education
Access and Disability
tory of accessible education information
for Ireland. Sections are
divided into:
oAccessing Third Level
Education in Ireland - A Guide
for Students with Disabilies &
Learning Difficulties.
oAble 4 College: Able 4 College
provides information to guidance
counsellors, teachers, parents
and students with disabilities
themselves, on career planning
and third level supports, as well
as information on different types
of disability, disability etiquette
and various teaching and learning
techniques.
oText Access: AHEAD, in collaboration
with the Consortium of
National and University Libraries,
has developed a centralised and
comprehensive catalogue of
alternative format resources for
students with disabilities at third
level.
Individuals can search for publications
from any of the participating
college Libraries in a variety
of media, including :
Electronic Text
Audio - CD
Audio - Cassette
For more details go to
http://www.textaccess.ie
oGET AHEAD - Graduate
Forum: is a national forum of selfadvocacy
on behalf of graduates
with disabilities. GET AHEAD's
motto is "by, for and with graduates
with disabilities". It draws on
10
the experience and enthusiasm
of students who have successfully
graduated from Higher
Education in Ireland.
oGreat Expectations! A project
that aims to inform guidance
counsellors about including students
with disabilities in the guidance
process.
oQuest for Learning - Useful
study skills for students. The
Quest For Learning website provides
a virtual learning support
network designed to support all
students making the move into
third level courses. The academic
demands of a third level course
are very different from those at
second level and this website has
very useful tips on how to deal
with those demands and quickly
improve ones study skills in third
level, guiding the student on how
to set up an effective study system,
how to take effective lecture
notes and retain that key information.
http://questforlearning.org
oWilling Able Mentoring -
WAM, a resource of graduates
with disabilities and employers,an
Equal funded program. WAM has
the long term aim of facilitating
and accelerating the transition of
graduates with disabilities to
careers appropriate to their skills
and abilities.
oFact Sheet ACCESS TO THIRD
LEVEL - What you need to know.
This information is aimed primarily
at students with disabilities and
is also relevant to guidance counsellors,
parents and teachers.