IIMs

From Cross the Hurdles

Institutions

IIM Bangalore

I.I.M.B. is perhaps the first institution of higher education in India to have a clear disability policy and to have an Office of Disability Services (O.D.S.) in place. The office works with students, faculty and administrative staff to ensure that all students with disabilities get as good an educational experience as other students.

The main activities of O.D.S. include:

  • Generating awareness and support for students with disabilities.
  • Facilitating assessment of each student once they are admitted to I.I.M.B., determining what additional support (called accommodations) is required and ensuring that these requirements are fulfilled.
  • Coordinating with administrative offices, faculty and staff for any special accommodations in the classroom and examinations.
  • Proactive steps to provide all academic material in formats suitable for students.
  • Identification and provision of scribes, readers and other volunteer support.
  • Working with the placement office for suitable placements of students with disabilities.
  • Ensuring physical accessibility.

Visual Disability:

  • Students receive all the course material converted into J.A.W.S. compatible text files.
  • Students get a copy of the Power Point file of their classes so that they can load it on a personal computer with J.A.W.S.
  • A description of all the diagrams, charts, figures is given to them in J.A.W.S. accessible format.
  • Tutors are appointed for the subjects where they need help.

Hearing Disability:

  • Students with hearing disability have a note-taker assigned in advance, who is present in every class.
  • Proper seating arrangement is allocated to these students so that they can follow the lecture as well as any class discussion.

Locomotor Disability:

  • Students with locomotor disabilities attend classes in rooms that are accessible without having to ask for it.

General:

  • Accommodations for in-class participation and presentations.
  • Scribes for assistance during exams.
  • Extra time for taking exams.
  • Exams provided in suitable format taking the student’s learning difficulties into account.