Accessibility

Accommodation

The university has a range of accessible accommodation that is especially designed for wheelchair users in a number of Halls of Residence. However, as students with mobility difficulties may stay in Halls of Residence for the duration of their course which means the accommodation may be occupied for up to four years at a time. There are also adaptations for deaf and hard of hearing students in a number of Halls of Residence.

Please contact Accommodation Services on 0191 227 4209 or email rc.accommodation@northumbria.ac.uk for advice or to arrange a visit.

Parking

If you are a disabled applicant and require a disabled driver's parking space whilst visiting the University, please contact Joy Lockey on 0191 227 3849.

There is very little car parking available at the University and both students and staff are encouraged to use other forms of transport for environmental reasons. However, there is a number of student car parking passes available – for details see the car parking application page.

Adaptations

The built environment may be no obstacle for some students but for others it can be very disabling. It is usually cheaper to include accessibility in the initial plans for a building rather than try to achieve it at a later date.

Whether a building is old, new or in need of refurbishment, it is worth considering plans which will suit the needs of all students. The Equality Act makes it unlawful not to do so.

We can help in the consideration of:

• Adaptations to buildings
• Safety Implications
• Specific Lighting
• Visual Information
• Text phones
• Loop Systems
• Security
• Fire Alarms

The academic environment can also be a difficult place for disabled students and academic staff may not be aware that simple alterations to learning, teaching and assessment methods or the use of certain specialised equipment can often enable a disabled student to learn on equal terms with his/her peers.

The Disability Support Team is very happy to discuss the needs of prospective and current disabled students with academic and support staff colleagues both individually and in groups.

We are also aware that much good practice with disabled students already exists, especially with regard to Learning, Teaching and Assessment. We value the sharing of good practice at Northumbria University and welcome any communication from School staff about this