Disability Advisory Centre (Cinap)
According to the statement of the laws 104/92 and 17/99, the University of Catania welcomes students with disability and specific learning difficulties (SpLDs). From 1999 it is committed to improve the access of both undergraduate and postgraduate students to their courses, facilities, buildings and social integration.
The Disability Advisory Centre started its activity as part of Academic Guidance. It has a Division Manager and has been independent since May 2003. President, Directive Committee and Technical multidisciplinary commission are bodies of the Centre.
The entire staff strongly encourages students to disclose their disabilities and to discuss their needs so that appropriate support can be arranged.
They want to provide an inclusive and supportive environment, and to make reasonable adjustments to enable disabled people to study effectively, fulfill their academic potential, and get the most out of their overall student experience.
You can discuss your needs before starting your course at the University of Catania, or at any time during your studies with us. However, it can take time to arrange support. If you tell us what your needs are, then we can discuss appropriate solutions and put support in place as early as possible to prevent unnecessary delay later on.
Services
The activity of the CINAP is organized as follows:
Students can disclose during registration their disability or specific learning difficulties (SpLDs), at the same time, require services to the CInAP. Their assessments will be confidentially filled in the Student Support Service where staff can invite the students to discuss the required provisions.
However if the student choose not to disclose a disability or specific learning difficulties (SpLDs), s/he is unlike to receive maximum benefit from our support framework.
In each Faculty there is a Co-ordinator for students with disabilities with specific responsibility for personal and practical assistance on a range of issues: the timetabling of suitable teaching rooms, extra time at examinations, relationship between the Teachers and personal Tutor etc.
Depending on the nature of the disability/specific learning difficulties (SpLDs) a number of services can be designed to ensure that all the students have the opportunity to reach their full potential:
- individual process of arranging support;
- tutoring for general support and for study assistance and examination;
- lectures (note-takers, copies of lectures, tape-recording);
- special examination arrangements (extra time and/or the use of a word processor for students with SpLDs or physical disabilities/illnesses that make writing difficult, individual instructions for those with a hearing impairment);
- accessibility to the campus and departments libraries;
- PC (large screens, text enhancement software, open book scanner, etc.) are available in the Centre, in each Faculty and can be utilized by all the requiring students;
- students accommodation;
- sport and social facilities;
- case manager assistance to monitor the efficacy of the individual assigned services seeking feedback, guidance, follow-up and proposals, if necessary, the redefinition of the services;
- job placement;
- “Counselling Centre” providing welcoming services, assistance and integration necessary to help a fully participation to university life;
- interpreter for hearing-impaired students;
- curriculum counselling;
- specialist mentoring for students who is distressed by mental health difficulties;
- assistance and escorting to/from the university;
- information tools purchasing;
- collaboration with the Technical Office - Risk and Prevention unit of the University of Catania, for the monitoring of existing architectural barriers within the university;
- organization of workshops.
Accessibility
The majority of the University buildings are accessible at least on the ground floor. The access to upper floors is provided by lift or mobile chairs.
However in some historical buildings requiring some careful advance planning, part-time or voluntary students are giving hands to their colleagues. In any case improvements have been made or are on-going.
JOB Opportunities
The Job Placement Service provides information and guidance in postgraduate study and employment as well as in the important task of choosing a career, if it is possible, performing a joint between the offer and the demand.
Future plans
The University of Catania continues to pursue best practice and high standard of service for all the students; staff training on disability awareness will be a high priority too, according to national and international initiatives.
Contacts
Address
Via A. di Sangiuliano 259
I-95131 Catania
Phone: (+39) 095 7307 182/183/186
Fax: (+39) 095 7307 191
e-mail: uds2@unict.it - cinap2@unict.it - cinap1@unict.it