24 students with disabilities in higher education

At the start of the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 18,200 students in public universities, STSs and CPGEs who declared a disability and were provided with support of some kind. The vast majority (90%) were enrolled at university. Their numbers had doubled in 5 years. They receive more and more different types of support which are now better known and which enable students not to be set apart from the general trend of longer studies. Nevertheless, they are enrolled for the most part in the Bachelor's degree programmes and their presence declines throughout the course.

At the start of the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 18,200 students who declared a disability in higher education courses in public and private high schools under contract and in public higher education institutions under the responsibility of the French Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Research (Ministère de l’Éducation nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche - MENESR). 90% of them were enrolled in universities (table 24.01) and received disability support or care. Numbers had increased 14% per year, on average, since 2005 (chart 24.02). The main reasons for this increase were the general trend towards longer studies, more customised care, diversification and a better awareness of the support systems available.

Since the start of the 2006-2007 academic year, in accordance with the provisions of Article 20 of the Law of 11 February 2005 on equality of rights and opportunities, participation and citizenship of people with a disability, higher education institutions were made responsible for putting in place all the necessary support for students with disabilities to ensure that they can succeed in their studies and their professional integration: human and technical aids to help with learning, adjustments to courses and conditions for sitting exams.

Better access to higher education, more types of support and a better awareness account for the increase in the number of students with disabilities taking a Bachelor's degree (chart 24.04). Any obstacles to entering higher education have therefore been considerably reduced since the Law of 11 February 2005 came into force. However, in the universities the distribution of students with disabilities is not the same as for students as a whole (chart 24.03). They are concentrated for the most part in Bachelor's degree programmes and they become fewer in number as the university course progresses.

In these institutions, students with disabilities are more likely to enrol in technological university institutes (Institut universitaire de technologie - IUT) and in Arts, Languages and Humanities. They are less likely to enrol in the Law, Economics, Management and Healthcare study tracks (chart 24.05). These gaps have tended to close over the years, but nevertheless there is a link between the nature of the disability and the subject areas. Thus in Arts, Languages and Humanities, students with language impairments are under-represented, while those with mental health disabilities are over-represented. However, the distribution of students with mobility or visual impairments according to subject area is similar to that of the general population.

To help compensate for their disabilities, especially when taking exams, and to ensure that things run smoothly throughout their course of study, specific help is provided for these students. Three quarters have a support plan drawn up to monitor their studies, one third (29.1%) have some human help (note-taker, interpreter, encoder, or other form of support) or have their course specially adjusted (28%). In addition, 80% have support during examinations (table 24.06), with special adjustments being put in place (specifically adapted assistance, documents in Braille, French sign language interpreter, cued speech encoder, extra time).

Fabienne Corre