Taster days provide disabled students with open days to experience HEP life / access materials prior to entering HE to help them successfully get through the transition process. These events should also include information on approaches to inclusive assessment, campus accessibility and adjustments that can be made to accommodation to cater to their needs. This is important to enable students to understand what they can expect as a disabled student early on, for example, before an application to study at an HEP has been made. Course and subject specific information should be included together with the opportunity to meet academic staff and find out about teaching and learning requirements. Taster days should also include relevant professional specific information to ensure students are fully aware of teaching, learning and assessment requirements, and also profession practice where relevant

It is also important to note that information about early engagement events should be shared with, and be open to, all students. This should allow HEPs to target both those students who have declared their disability as well as those who are self-declared only. Events should be as accessible as possible and include information on disability support available. Some applicants may not yet be aware of diagnosis, may not want to share or may have disabled family/supporters who want to accompany them. Some targeted outreach and support can also be offered to specific groups – such as by condition, or by broader grouping, e.g., neurodivergent students. 

Timing

Pre-offer or offer-holder transition stages

Activities

  • HEPs could consider inviting prospective students to sit in on lessons with currently enrolled students and become part of the class for the day. This would allow students to engage in the HE experience, have a tour, meet current students and an opportunity to find out more about the learning  environment. [Type 1 evidence]
  • HEPs could also provide early access to HE courses, educational coaching and campus membership to disabled students during their final two or three years of secondary education. While this may be more complex to plan, implement and oversee as it requires working across two education systems (secondary and higher education), type 3 evidence (Schillaci et al, 2021) has shown it to lead to improved post-transition outcomes for disabled students, including self-determination and academic performance. [Type 3 evidence]

Change mechanisms

Early engagement with HEPs → students integrate the lived experience of their disability with the HE journey → improved knowledge and / or increased confidence and trusting relationships with staff and support services

Familiarisation with and early awareness of student life → students are better prepared for HE → improved experience of HE 

Early access to HE experience → increased disabled student self-determination (and, therefore, sense of empowerment) → improved post-transition outcomes 
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Assumptions

1.1 We assume that students have time available and invest it to actively engage with HEPs and to take up the support on offer to them during their transition journey. This is based on Type 1 evidence from HEPs delivering transition support for disabled students.

1.3 We assume that the interventions/programmes generate awareness and confidence among those that have not shared information about their disability to declare or seek targeted support. This is based on Type 1 evidence from HEPs delivering transition support for disabled students.

1.4 We assume that disabled students welcome the opportunity to learn about disability support from HEPs and related interventions / programmes and engage with them. This is based on Type 2 evidence from Markle, Wessel and Desmond (2017) as well as Type 1 evidence from HEPs delivering transition support for disabled students.

1.5 We assume that disabled students experience their engagement with staff and other stakeholders as being supportive and trustworthy. This is based on Type 1 evidence from HEPs delivering transition support for disabled students.

2.2 We assume that education providers are proactive with supporting students with a disability and reflect their commitment through activities such as staff training, student access to disability services / resources. This is based on Type 2 evidence from Baker et al. (2021).

2.3 We assume that education providers identify appropriate interventions / adjustments aligned with specific disabled student needs. This is based on Type 2 evidence from Baker et al. (2021).

2.4 We assume that staff and other stakeholders (such as peers involved in interventions / programmes) form supportive and trustworthy relationships with disabled students in all engagements conducted. This is based on Type 2 evidence from Hillier et al. (2019).

2.5 We assume that faculty members understand the importance of their role in the academic success of students with disabilities and the reasons why transition into HE might be more difficult for students with disability. This is based on Type 2 evidence from Markle, Wessel, and Desmond (2017).

3.3 We assume that there are sufficient resources available for implementing a programme of transition support at HEPs. This is based on Type 1 evidence from HEPs delivering transition support for disabled students.

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