At the KABK we believe that every student who has been admitted to the programme of their choice must be able to participate properly. Also when the student has a disability.
The KABK wants the focus to be on what the student can do and wants to do, rather than on their limitations. For students with a disability, a tailor-made solution will always be made, depending on the student's personal situation and the possibilities offered by the academy.
This process requires common sense and creative thinking. It is therefore especially important for students with a disability to tell the student counsellor about the nature of their disability at the start of their programme.
What is a disability?
A disability is a broad term for various conditions that can delay or complicate your studies. This may include functional disabilities such as a chronic illness or physical condition, a learning or concentration disorder and/or psychological limitations. These can include an autism spectrum disorder, AD(H)D, dyslexia, rheumatism, an eating disorder, a chronic back disorder, asthma, and so on.
Make mention of your disability in advance
The student counsellor is responsible for supervising students with a disability or chronic illness. Therefore, report to her at the start of your programme, even if you are not experiencing any problems yet. The student counsellor will discuss with you which possible obstacles you might encounter and offer help with the (preventive) steps you can take. It is also possible to put together a personal study plan with the student counsellor and the programme coordinator at the beginning of the year.
Customization
In the personal plan, the KABK and the student each take their responsibility to enable participation in the programme. For example, the student is responsible for providing help with eating and drinking or using the toilet, or the timely organization of relevant external help such as therapy, for example. The KABK is responsible for material or physical measures (making the building accessible for wheelchairs, specific ICT facilities) and intangible, organizational measures (providing more time for a test, flexibility with regard to attendance, in some cases extra guidance from the school). The KABK is obliged to make the necessary adjustments provided that the costs in terms of money and/or time are proportionate.
Information and advice
At an early stage of your studies, the student counsellor and possibly the programme coordinator can discuss with you what effect your disability has or may have on your education. Together you can discuss how to go about it, and perhaps even request exceptions for (e.g.) the Binding Study Advice (BSA).
You can find information about the BSA in chapter 6 of the Education and Examination Regulations for the bachelor's programmes.
Contact
Student counsellor
The student counsellor at the KABK is Mirjam Pol.
More information and contact hours
Programme coordinators
You can find the contact information of the programme coordinators here or at the end of each page of the study programme of your choice