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What is an impairment?

An impairment (or disability) involves one or multiple visible or invisible disabilities resulting from a long-term or permanent physical or psychological condition.

The following types of impairments are recognised:

• Visual disability (e.g. due to visual impairment, tunnel vision);
• Hearing disability (e.g. due to hearing impairment, deafness);
• Motor disability (e.g. due to paraplegia, posttraumatic dystrophy, RSI);
• Psychological disability (e.g. due to anxiety disorder, depression, eating disorder);
• Disabilities resulting from a cerebral impairment (e.g. dyslexia, dyscalculia, AD(H)D);
• Disabilities resulting from a chronic illness (e.g. rheumatism, diabetes, cancer, Crohn’s disease, asthma, CVS).

A disability is recognised on the basis of a statement (or any other form of evidence) supplied by a licenced professional.

Students with an impairment may experience limitations when conducting certain activities, for example:

• Walking, sitting, standing up;
• Coordination;
• Gripping;
• Lifting;
• Tempo;
• Stamina, concentration;
• Seeing, hearing, speech;
• Reading, writing, typing;
• Social skills, working together;
• Planning and organising.

The nature and severity of these limitations may affect the student’s physical and psychological wellbeing as well as their study career.

Specialist in disabilities

At Tio, the study coaches specialise in advising, supporting and counselling students with an impairment. They take part in external and internal training programmes about impairments.
After the student has announced themselves, the study coach conducts an information/intake meeting with the student. During this meeting, their impairment(s) are discussed and the student is informed about the available facilities. Together, the study coach and the student determine which facilities are required. The study coach is responsible for the coordination within Tio, e.g. with the location manager and the Board of Examiners. An evaluation meeting with the student is held twice a year. 

Ranking list disabilities

For the fifth year in a row, Tio has earned the #1 position on the ranking list when it comes to facilitating studying with an impairment. Tio won by a significant margin, being awarded the highest overall score of all universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands. 

“The appreciation for Tio, a private school, remains very positive,” says the survey report. On a national level, Tio has the highest score in provision of information, tools and customisation of educational programmes.

Source: Report studying with an impairment 2017

This ranking list is based on the evaluations of students with a disability regarding the way they are supported, counselled and facilitated by their study course. These evaluations come from a separate handicap module that is part of the National Student Survey, a large-scale national survey among students of all universities and universities of applied sciences. The Centrum Hoger Onderwijs Informatie (CHOI, the Centre for Higher Education Information) researched the extent to which universities of applied sciences offer counselling for students with a disability such as dyslexia and dyscalculia.