Phase 2:A model of support for students on professional placement in College

• Introduction
• Statistics
• Fitness to practice in College
• Project Outline
• 2nd Annual Symposium - June 2013

Introduction

This project aims to develop effective support systems which allow students participating in professional courses to be able to participate effectively in work-based placements, thus ensuring that students, academic and placement staff, are in compliance with the College Fitness to Practice Policy (2011).

There are three strands to this project:

1. An evidence-based research strand that allows us to gather information from all stakeholders, to determine what are the main issues, concerns all have in the placement process for students with disabilities;

2. Development of placement planning procedures and supports for students on professional courses, to ensure that systems are in place to support all stakeholders (student, course staff and workplace supervisors);

3. Host a symposium for all stakeholders to present findings of this professional placement project in June 2013, and write an academic paper outlining recommendations for future supports and training;

Statistics

The number of students with disabilities undertaking professional courses in Trinity has doubled to over 200 students over the past 3 years; Table 1 illustrates the increasing number of students between 2006 and January 2013.

Fitness to Practice in College

This Fitness to Practice policy (www.tcd.ie/policies) was approved by University Council on 18 May2011. The framework governing fitness to practise is placed on a firm footing in College by this policy, the 2010 Statutes and Schedules, the College Calendar, School Fitness to Practise Policies, Codes of Conduct for Schools and relevant Health Service Providers and other College Policies (e.g. Disciplinary Policy, Garda Vetting Policy).

Section 4 of the College Fitness to Practice Policy refers to the need to provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities. If a student with disabilities has been provided with reasonable accommodation which enable him/her to participate fully in his/her programme, and there are still concerns about the student’s ability to practise elements of his/her course, the case shall be dealt with under section 3 of the College policy, in the same way as any other student on the course.

However, a failure to implement section 4 of the College Policy in the case of students whose disability may cause fitness to practise concerns, will generally result in the conclusion that the investigation has not been conducted with due enquiry (see 4.3). To ensure that a School has fulfilled its requirements under section 4 of the College Policy, the School should ensure that they work with the student, the College Disability Service and the relevant work-based placement staff. In particular, the School should ensure that the work-based placement staff are aware of College policies in relation to students with disabilities and the role of the Disability Service. It is the duty of the School to ensure that they have complied with Section 4 of the College Policy. However, the College Calendar further provides that

“If the student does not engage with the reasonable accommodations process…and concerns remain in relation to the student’s fitness to participate in professional placements, the case shall be dealt with in accordance with (the normal procedures).”

If a School refers a student to the Disability Service, they should inform the student that a failure to engage with the process may adversely affect the student in the event that a fitness to practise issue arises.
In 2009, The Disability Service published a placement handbook (pdf 1.6 mb) for nursing students with dyslexia, which was the product of collaboration between the Disability Service, academic staff, and professional placement personnel. The current project aims to extend that work to all students with disabilities on all placement courses.
The initiatives and actions in this project set out to promote and enable student self-determination and self-advocacy. By engaging students and staff responsible for placements, a comprehensive picture will emerge indicating the supports students need in preparing for, during, and after placement, and how College can best facilitate this. Current and past students, placement coordinators, faculty staff, and practice educators across the Health Sciences and Education courses, will be targeted in order to demonstrate that College aims to pursue best practice and quality teaching, in supporting students with disabilities on placement.
The Disability Service will be working with students and practice education staff from:

• Radiation Therapy,
• Occupational Therapy,
• Physiotherapy,
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Nursing
• Medicine
• Dentistry
• Social Work
• Deaf studies
• Colleges of Education (Teacher Training)

Project Outline

There are three strands to this project:

• 1. An evidence-based research strand that allows us to gather information from all stakeholders, to determine what are the main issues, concerns all have in the placement process for students with disabilities;
• 2. Development of placement planning procedures and supports for students on professional courses, to ensure that systems are in place to support all stakeholders (student, course staff and workplace supervisors);
• 3. Host a symposium for all stakeholders to present findings of this professional placement project in June 2013, and write an academic paper outlining recommendations for future supports and training;

Project Objectives

Strand 1: Research phase Feb-March 2013

• Research significant literature relating to this area;
• Apply for ethical approval from Health Science Ethics Committee (Jan.13);
• Develop and distribute appropriate surveys to confirm key determinants around placement such as disclosure, pre-placement planning, facilitators and barriers to success, reasonable accommodations, and fitness to practice (Jan. 13);

• Survey current/past students to explore experiences of students with disabilities on professional placement, specifically relating to disclosure, reasonable accommodations, supports and pre-placement planning (Feb. 13);
• Survey professional placement staff and placement coordinators in Trinity  to gain perspectives on working with students with disabilities, reasonable accommodations, difficulties encountered, and how best to support staff working with students on placement (Feb. 13);

• Provide information on DS websites www.tcd.ie/disability/projects/Phase2/index.php and via placement coordinators, to promote professional courses at TCD as accessible and realistic options for students with disabilities;
• Provide information on DS websites www.tcd.ie/disability/projects/Phase2/index.php and via placement coordinators, to promote professional courses at TCD as accessible and realistic options for students with disabilities
• The results of the two surveys will be synthesized to provide an overall picture of the current situation of students with disabilities on placement, and to develop a model of support in the future (March-April 13).

Strand 2: Implementation of procedure for ensuiring reasaonable accommodation in work placement

• Introduce pre-placement planning meetings into the needs assessment process for students on professional courses, and follow up student engagement in the placement planning process with placement co-ordinators (Oct 12-March 13);
• Update Learning Educational Needs Summaries (LENS) to include placement supports, and ensure that placement co-ordinators and work placements have details of agreed reasonable accommodations (Oct 12-March 13);;
• Document findings of this pilot process and include examples of practices in the symposium for discussion on lessons learned (Oct 12-March 13);;
• Review the placement process with key stakeholders – students, College staff and practice educators (April-May 13);
• Evaluate and expand the supports available to students with disabilities on professional courses, and who participate in practice education (placement settings);
• Draft  educational materials and guides for staff and students to support them while on placement, for presentation at the symposium (April-May 13);
• Research good practice elsewhere in the development of professional placement support for students, course and workplace;
• Develop placement planning procedures and supports for students on professional courses, and ensure that there are systems in place to support all stakeholders (student, course staff and workplace supervisors);
• Identify factors that help or hinder students to succeed on placement, and the resources practice educators require to best support students with disabilities on placement;
• Enable students, college faculty and practice educators to collaborate more productively, with better outcomes for students and placement sites.

Strand 3 – Symposium and development of support material

• Invite all research participants and interested parties to attend a symposium at the end of the academic year, to disseminate the results;
• Present findings from Strand 1 & 2 at Symposium in June 2013;

• Publish an academic paper outlining recommendations for future supports and training (May-Aug 13;
• Implement findings from the pilot and introduce new support systems (May-Aug 13;
• Develop a handbook and placement guide that will include advice on preparing for placement, strategies for ensuring a successful placement, student tips, suggestions for assistive technology and useful websites (May-Aug 13); 
• Develop training resources that will provide academic and practice education staff with information on disability rights, legal obligations, reasonable accommodations, and fitness to practice issues, in addition to practical strategies and case studies illustrating good practice in supporting students with disabilities (May-Aug 13).

Models of Support for Students with disabilities on Professional Placements Symposium - 26th June 2013

• Support for Students with Disabilities in Professional Practice: Perspectives of Stakeholders - TCD - (MS Powerpoint 1MB)
• A Model for Supporting Nursing and Midwifery Students with a Disability on Placement - UCD. - (MSPowerpoint 1.1MB)
• Professional courses - A student perspective - Emma Clarke (MS Powerpoint 376KB)
• The Development and Implementation Plans for UCC Fitness to Practice Policy - UCC. (MS Powerpoint 1.24 MB)
• Developing a model for the communication and the provision of Reasonable Accommodations in professional placements - Declan Reilly, TCD. (MS Powerpoint - 1.4MB)
• Draft Guide for Students with Disabilities on Placement booklet (MS Word 9.31MB) - Declan Reilly TCD

  The development of this placement guide is part of an overall strategy within the Disability Service to support students with disabilities on their journey into professional courses, through placement and on to employment. It will allow students on professional courses to deal with disclosure, managing reasonable accommodation and working in a supportive environment.

  We intend publishing this in time for next academic year and are seeking feedback from all on content and purpose. Feedback to Declan Reilly who will introduce this tomorrow reillyde@tcd.ie

• Support for Students with Disabilities in Practice - Summary report. (MS Word 135KB)