Guideline for students with special needs in everyday study situation

Disabilities

“Disability” means the loss of, or damage to, a body part or one of the body’s functions, such as mental, intellectual, or sensory impairment. Disabilities are often divided into diagnostic groups, such as intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, or ADHD. Mental disorders, such as depression or bipolar disorder, are also covered by the term.

Special needs

“Special needs” means physical, psychosocial, or learning-related challenges of a temporary nature, such as a broken leg, the need to breastfeed, or care for minor children. However, for the institution to have a particular responsibility to provide accommodation, it is assumed that the temporary challenge must be of a substantial nature.

Applications for individual accommodation of the study situation, together with documentation, must be submitted through the online form for secure file submission. Documentation from a doctor or expert must describe the need for accommodation.

Documentation requirements

The documentation must show that the student has either a disability or a special need, and must include the student’s name and national identity number. The name of the doctor/expert must appear in the documentation, and the documentation must be dated.

The documentation must be recent unless it concerns permanent needs. It must be clearly stated whether the condition is permanent or time-limited. The documentation must specify the particular difficulties the student will experience in everyday study life, teaching, or practical training.

The documentation must be sufficiently detailed to assess what accommodation may be appropriate. If the student knows what would meet the need for individual accommodation, the student must provide this information.

If the document is incomplete, the faculty must assess whether the case is nevertheless sufficiently clarified for processing, or whether further information must be obtained.

For applications for accommodation due to reading and writing difficulties or dyscalculia, the need must be documented by a report, assessment, or similar from an expert in the relevant field.

There is no specific deadline for applying for accommodation of the study situation, but it is recommended to apply as early as possible in the academic year.

As a general rule, an application must be submitted for each academic year, unless the need for accommodation is permanent.

A processing time of up to one month should be expected; see Section 11 a of the Public Administration Act. If the application cannot be processed within one month, a preliminary reply must be sent. Applications for examination accommodation have separate application deadlines.

The officer assesses whether the application contains sufficient information. If further information is needed, the student will be invited to a meeting.

A meeting between the student and the faculty shall clarify the student’s needs and consider possible solutions and measures that may work for the individual student. A meeting does not replace a written application, the documentation requirements, or a written decision in the case.

An individual assessment must be made in each case, based on documented needs. The assessment of accommodation is made on the basis of the following:

• The accommodation must not lead to a reduction in the academic requirements set for the study programme in which the student has the right to study. This means that accommodation measures for the same student may vary between study programmes.
• As a general rule, exemptions from requirements in studies governed by national framework plans are not granted, unless the framework plan states that the requirement is not compulsory.
• The accommodation must not constitute a disproportionate burden for the institution; see section 6.
• The accommodation must be appropriate, and specific accommodation measures must be assessed in relation to the individual student’s situation, needs, and benefit. The purpose of the measure is to compensate for the disability and/or special need the student has in the study situation.
• The accommodation must not provide an advantage compared with fellow students.
• If the accommodation negatively affects third parties, such as other students, this must be included in the assessment. The decision must not contain personal data about third parties.
• Appropriate accommodation that works as compensation for one particular student will not necessarily be appropriate accommodation for another student with the same diagnosis/disability.

Each faculty must assess, in each individual case, what constitutes a disproportionate burden. In this assessment, particular emphasis must be placed on:

• The effect of the accommodation in removing barriers for these students. Consider whether the burden on the educational institution outweighs the positive effects of the accommodation for the individual student.
• The necessary costs of the accommodation. In principle, it must be accepted that individual accommodation may involve increased costs. In cases where the cost of the measure is considered to constitute a disproportionate burden, the faculty should consult the study administration/finance department, since the institution’s resources form the basis for the assessment.
• The assessment must also take into account whether others may benefit from the measures through improved accessibility. Consider whether other public support schemes can cover the student’s needs, such as a sign-language interpreter, personal assistant, etc.

There is no exhaustive list of relevant accommodation measures. Measures other than those listed below may also be relevant.

Internal measures at the university

Lingdys – tool for reading and writing support. The university offers the Lingdys reading and writing support program free of charge to all students. You can log in through Feide: Lingit. 

The program may be used freely during studies and in take-home examinations. If you need Lingdys for an on-campus examination, you must apply for it; see the Guidelines for Individual Accommodation of Examinations. More information is available on the IT Service’s webpages on applications.

Individual education plan. An individual education plan means that you spend longer than the standard duration completing your studies. Contact your faculty to have the possibility assessed for your programme.

Accommodation of compulsory coursework requirements, postponements, and extra time. In some cases, it may be appropriate to receive accommodation for compulsory coursework requirements, for example postponements and extra time. Read more about compulsory activities.

Extended right to study. Once you have accepted an offer of admission and registered, you have the right to study for the standard duration of the relevant study programme to which you have been admitted. In special cases, your right to study may be extended. Read more about the possibilities for an extended right to study.

Booking group rooms. As a student, you may reserve group rooms. Group rooms are reserved in TP. Some study locations also have quiet rooms that can be reserved. Contact the Service Point to ask about the options at your study location. At the library, you will find workspaces where you can sit alone or with others. Do you want complete quiet to study? Some libraries have a separate silent reading room. Read more about the library as a workspace.

Other possible measures

• Adapted workspace/reading-room space
• Height-adjustable desk and specialised chair
• Postponements and extra time for submissions (planned adapted course of study)
• Access to lecture materials before lectures
• Recording of lectures (video/audio)
• Sound amplification in lecture halls and classrooms/induction loop
• Reserved parking

Relevant internal guidelines

• Guidelines for individual accommodation of examinations
• Guidelines for compulsory activities
• Extension of the right to study (applies to applications after the standard period of study has been used)
• Guidelines for applications for leave of absence 

Accommodation may take place both through general measures for a group of students and through individual accommodation for a single student.

INN does not make decisions on measures provided by actors outside INN, but can assist with guidance and information about available services.

The Student Welfare Organisation

• SINN’s counselling and psychology service
• Student chaplains

NAV

Decisions are made by NAV. Each student must contact NAV themselves.
Technical aids for studies (NAV Assistive Technology Centre)
Mentor scheme (requires a decision on measures from NAV)
Reading and secretary assistance (NAV Assistive Technology Centre)

Sign-language interpreter for lectures for deaf/hard-of-hearing students. The interpreter will often need to cooperate with the lecturer before the lecture. The interpreter may be given access to the Canvas learning platform (NAV Interpreting Service).

Guide dog

Guide dogs have a statutory right to enter the university’s buildings. The student is obliged to inform the university that they have a guide dog. The student and the university must cooperate on practical arrangements for the dog’s stay on university premises.

Audiobooks

Audiobooks through TIBI – the Library for Accessible Literature.

The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund

Additional grant from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund.

Fire alarm notifications on mobile phones

At all study locations, you can receive fire alarm alerts by mobile phone. Send the keyword ALARM to 2223, and your mobile phone will be registered to receive SMS alerts. The service is free of charge.

Individual decisions may be appealed under Section 28 of the Public Administration Act.

The deadline for submitting an appeal is three weeks from the date on which the decision has reached the party concerned; see Section 29 of the Public Administration Act.