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Introduction – About Persons with Special Needs

Persons with special needs are individuals who suffer from health conditions or disabilities that limit their ability to carry out daily activities normally or fully interact with their environment. These disabilities may be physical, mental, or sensory, and may result from genetic factors, injuries, illnesses, or other causes. Among them are university students who face additional challenges in their academic journey within higher education institutions. However, they are capable of success and excellence if provided with the proper environment and adequate support.

2. Vision

To provide an inclusive and equitable educational environment that supports and empowers all students with special needs to fully achieve their academic and personal potential. This unit aims to provide appropriate support that enables them to interact and actively participate in university life and achieve their academic and professional goals.

3. Mission

The mission of the Special Needs Support Unit in universities is to provide an inclusive and equitable educational environment that ensures all students—regardless of their disability—have equal opportunities for academic and social success. Through specialized support, technical accommodations, and psychological guidance, the unit works to empower these students to reach their academic and professional potential and promote their active participation in university life.

4. Objectives

The Special Needs Support Unit in universities aims to achieve a set of goals that contribute to enhancing education for students with special needs and ensuring equal opportunities for their academic and social success. Key objectives include:

1. Ensuring Equal Access to Education
Objective: Provide a learning environment that supports all students regardless of disability, ensuring equal educational opportunities.
How to achieve it: Offer special facilities such as adapted classrooms, electronic platforms compatible with assistive technologies, and ensure access to all academic facilities.

2. Providing Academic and Personalized Learning Support
Objective: Provide resources that help students with special needs achieve academic excellence.
How to achieve it: Allocate extra time for exams, offer study materials in accessible formats (e.g., audio), and provide personalized academic support such as private tutoring or study groups.

3. Promoting Social Inclusion on Campus
Objective: Encourage students with special needs to participate in social, cultural, and sports activities within the university.
How to achieve it: Organize inclusive events, create communication platforms between students with and without special needs, and support activities that improve social interaction.

4. Raising Community Awareness and Disability Education
Objective: Increase awareness among faculty and students about the needs of persons with special needs and foster a culture of acceptance and respect.
How to achieve it: Conduct workshops and training sessions on how to interact with students with disabilities, and launch awareness campaigns on campus.

5. Providing Psychological and Social Support
Objective: Help students with special needs overcome psychological and social challenges within the university environment.
How to achieve it: Provide professional psychological and social counseling to support adjustment to university life and manage academic-related anxiety and stress.

5. Core Functions

The Special Needs Support Unit plays a central role in providing essential support to students with special needs and in creating an inclusive educational environment that facilitates adaptation and success. The main functions include:

1. Providing Academic Accommodations

• Accessible Curriculum: Ensure that educational materials are available in multiple formats (e.g., digital texts, audio files).
• Extended Exam Time: Allow sufficient time during exams and provide quiet environments or assistive devices when needed.
• Individual Academic Support: Offer private tutoring or advisory sessions to help students better understand their coursework.

2. Provision of Assistive Technologies

• Assistive Tools: Provide screen readers for visually impaired students, hearing devices for students with hearing impairments, and special equipment for physical disabilities.
• Accessible Digital Platforms: Ensure all university digital systems (e.g., e-learning platforms) are compatible with assistive technologies and accessible to students with disabilities.

3. Psychological and Social Support

• Counseling Services: Provide psychological and social counseling to help students adapt to university life and cope with emotional challenges.
• Social Integration Support: Organize workshops and group sessions that promote interaction and inclusion.
• Career Preparation: Offer professional empowerment and training sessions to prepare students with special needs for entering the job market.

4. Improving Campus Accessibility

• Facility Enhancements: Ensure that all campus buildings are equipped with appropriate facilities such as elevators, ramps, and accessible restrooms.
• Accessible Libraries and Academic Services: Provide adapted library resources, such as audiobooks and assistive research technologies, to facilitate academic access.

5. Awareness and Education

• Awareness for Students and Faculty: Organize training workshops and seminars to educate the university community about the rights and needs of students with disabilities.
• Promoting a Culture of Acceptance: Launch awareness campaigns to eliminate bias and discrimination and foster a respectful, inclusive campus environment.

6. Organizational Structure

The organizational structure of the Special Needs Support Unit in universities is designed to provide academic, social, and psychological support in an organized and effective manner. It is based on the distribution of tasks across multiple teams that work together to create an inclusive environment that meets the needs of students with special needs.

7. Activities and Events

The Special Needs Support Unit in universities seeks to organize a variety of activities and events that aim to empower students with special needs and help them achieve their academic and social potential. These activities include:

1. Educational Activities:

• Workshops on using assistive technologies.
• Academic advisory sessions tailored for students with special needs.
• Individual or group academic review sessions.

2. Social Activities:

• Organizing inclusive social events such as sports, cultural, and artistic activities.
• Organizing field trips to introduce students to available campus services and extracurricular activities.

3. Awareness Activities:

• Awareness campaigns on campus to raise understanding of disability issues.
• Seminars and workshops on how to effectively interact with students with special needs.

4. Psychological Activities:

• Group support sessions to help students with adaptation and social integration.
• Workshops on coping with psychological stress and anxiety.

8. Special Needs Unit Policy

The policy of the Special Needs Support Unit aims to create an inclusive learning environment that supports the rights of students with special needs and ensures equal opportunities for academic and social success. It promotes equality and positive interaction among all university stakeholders, including faculty, students, and administrators.

1. General Policy
The unit is committed to providing an inclusive educational environment that supports the rights and needs of students with special needs in alignment with both local and international legislation, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

2. Equality and Non-Discrimination Policy

• Non-Discrimination: All forms of discrimination against students with special needs are strictly prohibited in all academic and social aspects within the university, including admissions, registration, examinations, employment, student activities, and academic services.
• Equal Opportunities: All academic services and activities must be accessible to all students, including those with special needs, ensuring they enjoy the same learning and social opportunities.
• Social Integration: The unit seeks to integrate students with special needs into general university activities to enhance their interaction and reduce isolation.

3. Academic Support Policy

• Provide diverse academic accommodations based on each student's individual needs.
• Allow extended time during examinations.
• Provide course materials in accessible formats such as audio versions.
• Offer individual or group academic support for subjects where additional assistance is needed.

9. University Services Provided to Students with Special Needs

Modern universities are increasingly committed to offering inclusive educational environments for students with special needs, addressing their academic, social, and psychological requirements. These services vary according to the type of disability and the student's individual needs and significantly enhance the university experience. Key services include:

• 1. Academic Support Services
• 2. Technological Support Services
• 3. Psychological and Social Support Services
• 4. Campus Accessibility Services
• 5. Employment and Career Development Services

10. Statistics on Students with Special Needs in Our University Colleges

According to the latest data, the number of students with special needs currently enrolled and attending classes across our university colleges is 64 students, accounting for 0.2% of the university’s total student population.

11. Guide for People of Determination – Policies and Procedures at the University of Anbar

This guide outlines the regulatory policies and procedures that govern services for students with special needs (“People of Determination”) at the University of Anbar.