Applicants with Disabilities
Applicants with a Disability or Medical Condition
The Access Office at IT Sligo is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities can successfully pursue and achieve their educational ambitions.
The Access Office has developed strategies of support to address the educational access needs of students with physical and sensory disabilities, hidden disabilities and students with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia. Strategic supports are developed in co-operation with the individual student and are set out in their individual support plan.
Admissions Procedure for Applicants with Disabilities
Applications must be made to the Central Admissions Office (CAO), Tower House, Eglington Street, Galway on or before 1st February. Application forms can be obtained from the CAO or online at www.cao.ie.
Many students with disabilities will gain entry to third level through the standard route. However, IT Sligo reserves a number of places each year for students with disabilities who cannot compete equally in the Leaving Certificate or FETAC Examinations and who do not achieve the necessary points through the standard route. All applicants must achieve at least the minimum entry requirements for any course.
In order to be considered for such a place a student must indicate on page one of the CAO form that he/she has a disability and complete a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) with supporting information and return to the CAO by April 1st. The CAO will supply these details to all the colleges listed on the student’s CAO form. Applicants to IT Sligo are required to provide a completed Section C or Educational Psychological Assessment from the past three years and a Second Level Academic Reference in order to be considered for short listing for an interview usually in May. Offers are made through the CAO.
Supports Provided by the Access Office
- Pre-entry support and information sessions
- Development of an ‘Individual Support Plan’ when the student registers with the Access Office. This confidential plan is devised at the beginning of the year by the student and the Access Officer and outlines the supports that will be put in place in order to ensure that the student achieves their full potential during their academic career at IT Sligo.
- Liaison with relevant Academic Departments
- Application to the Fund for Students with Disabilities
- A dedicated Learning Support Tutor to address the particular learning difficulties of Students with Dyslexia.
- Assistance with alternative examination arrangements
- Provision of assistive technology
For further information contact:-
- Catherine Mc Nelis, Access Officer, IT Sligo, Telephone:- 071-9155381 or email access@itsligo.ie
- Andrea Rynn, Learning Support Tutor, IT Sligo, Telephone:- 071-9155400 or email learningsupport@itsligo.ie