Studying with disabilities
If you have a permanent disability, you can get educational support during your studies. Find out more about how this support works and what you need to do to apply.
Examples of support
Here are some examples of the support you can get. Click on the links to read more about each support:
- Reading and writing support
- Note-taking support
- Adapted examination
- Peer or mentor support
- Sign language interpreter - report this at the time of application to BTH, as the availability of interpreters varies
Coordinator for educational support
BTH has a coordinator who helps you get the support you need. The support is designed in consultation with you, your teacher and, if necessary, a study counselor.
To get support in time, it is good to contact the coordinator as soon as you have been offered a place on your programme or course..
Lena Wikström, coordinator
E-mail: funka@bth.se
Phone: +46 455 - 38 52 11
Room: H221C, second floor in building H
Apply for educational support
To receive support, you need to apply via the national system NAIS. Your application will only be processed once you have uploaded a certificate confirming your disability.
How to apply
Follow these steps to apply for educational support:
- Register on your courses.
- Log in to NAIS with your student account.
- Select your institution: Blekinge Institute of Technology.
- Fill in the application.
- Upload your certificate of permanent disability.
- Follow the instructions in the system.
- Wait for contact - the coordinator will contact you as soon as possible. At the beginning of the semester you may need to wait a while to get contacted.
Certificates needed
For your application to be processed, you will need a certificate confirming your disability. The certificate must be issued by a qualified medical professional.
Please note, that Mrs Wikström cannot help you with scholarships.
Your certificate may be issued by
- a doctor
- a psychologist
- an audiologist
- a valid dyslexia examiner
What should the certificate include?
The certificate must contain the following information
- how long you have had the disability or had contact with health care
- the date of the assessment or medical contact
- how long the disability is expected to last
- a description of your disability and how it affects you
If the person writing the certificate is not sure what to include, they can contact us.
After submitting your application
Once we have received your application and certificate, the coordinator will assess your eligibility.
Next steps
If your application is approved, you will be contacted for an assessment interview. After the interview, you will receive a written decision with recommended support measures.
The FUNKA room
There is a room for students with disabilities who need a quiet working environment or rest. It should be a place for recovery and to gather energy. We call it the FUNKA room.
The room is located in building C, C205 in room C208. You can book the room via Time Edit.
If you have any questions, you can email funka@bth.se.
Reading and writing support
On the Library's page, you can read about possible aids and support measures.
Claro Read Plus
These are support tools and spelling programs, both for Mac and PC. Claro Read Plus with Claro Stava and Claroideas is a software for speech synthesis, and other tools, which you can access via BTH. There is also an app, ClaroScanPen, where you can take a picture of a text on your mobile and have it read out.
To get access to the software, send an e-mail to ithelpdesk@bth.se and you will receive instructions and a login key. Don't forget to include your student acronym. Read more here.
Support for Claro Read Plus and demonstration videos can be found on the Swedish Speech Technology website. Click on the links to get there.
Learn academic writing
To improve your writing skills, you can turn to the Academic Skills Centre. They will guide you through the writing process, give you strategies to improve your writing, provide feedback on texts and answer your questions. However, they cannot correct your language errors for you or assess the content.
Note-taking support
If the student is unable to take notes during lectures and lessons due to a disability, a fellow student can act as a note taker. The student is present in class, but is not able to take notes by him/herself or in a satisfactory manner.
The classmate is paid by the school for taking notes and copying them or sometimes transcribing them. Sometimes the note-taking support can be replaced by the student recording the lesson on their mobile phone, but this must first be approved by the responsible teacher or lecturer.
What does the support mean?
The student with a disability copies the notes of a classmate to be able to process them later. The student with disabilities will have the notes transcribed and sent by email or post.
How do I apply for note-taking support?
Contact the coordinator if you want note-taking support. It is almost always a fellow student who provides note-taking support. In the first instance, it is the student themselves who asks their fellow students if anyone wants to be a note-taker, but the coordinator and the teacher can also help. You will both have a joint meeting with the coordinator before the note-taking support can start.
Contact the coordinator at funka@bth.se.
Adapted examination
The examiner/course coordinator decides whether you can have an adapted examination. The coordinator makes recommendations on adaptations. The recommendations are based on an assessment interview with the student and evidence that the student has a permanent disability.
Examples of adapted examinations
- Extended writing time
- Examination in small groups or individually
- Oral examination/oral supplementation
- Examination using a computer/adapted computer
- Shared examination
If you have registered for an examination and have been prevented from attending, you must contact the examination coordinator as soon as possible by e-mail: tentamen@bth.se
In different examinations, all students are assessed based on the same knowledge requirements. The course objectives must be achieved in order to pass.
Support from a fellow student or mentor
Mentoring helps you learn techniques and strategies to help you cope with your studies. The support is provided by a mentor at Student Support. You can only get support for the courses you study at Blekinge Institute of Technology.
What you can get help with
- How to plan and structure your studies.
- Interpreting and understanding instructions, assignments, and exam questions from your lecturers.
- Interpreting and understanding instructions, assignments, and exam questions from your lecturers.
- Study techniques, such as reading strategies or note-taking.
Make sure that the time you spend with the mentor is used to work on the study-related areas covered by the mentoring support. The more prepared you come to the meetings, the more effective the support can be.
What the mentor will not help with
- Questions related to the course topic when writing reports or assignments
- Proofreading
- Attending meetings with or having contact with staff on your course
If you need any type of support that is not included in the mentoring support, your mentor will inform you about it. If you need support that is not included in the mentoring support, please contact your coordinator.
Out of office
Lena Wikström is out of office during week 28-32 and week 33 (mon-wed).