The UOC establishes itself as one of the most accessible online universities

Factors such as flexibility, distance learning, the accessibility of materials, the programmes offering, and the accessibility of the final assessment exams have made the UOC a top choice for students with special educational needs.

According to data from the Guia de Atención a la Discapacidad en la Universidad 2014 (Guide to University Support Services for People with Disabilities 2014) published by Fundació Universa, over the 2012-2013 academic year, 793 people with disabilities were enrolled in official programmes at the UOC. This number included students enrolled in both Catalan- and Spanish-language programmes with a certified degree of disability of 33% or more. Of this group, 77 had an organic impairment; 26 were hearing-impaired; 39 had a physical disability; 33 were visually impaired; 49 had a mental disability; and 29 had multiple disabilities. The remaining 540 students did not specify their disability.


Multi-format learning materials

Learning materials are offered to students in multiple formats to meet a variety of needs. "When students enrol in a subject for the first time, they can download the materials in the format that best suits their needs, such as a PDF document or an audio file", explained Llorenç Sabaté, head of the UOC's Office of Learning Technologies. Fifteen years ago, Sabaté was one of the first visually impaired students to enrol at the UOC.

According to Sabaté, the UOC's commitment to accessibility is focused on three main areas: further adapting the University's web environment (the Virtual Campus); making learning materials more accessible; and ensuring that the buildings where onsite exams are held likewise do not pose any barriers.


Committed teaching staff

The UOC's efforts to ensure accessibility involve all employees, including both teaching and management staff, as well as the people responsible for preparing the learning materials. In order to continue in the same inclusive line it has followed since it was founded, the UOC works with specific plans to enhance accessibility. To this end, it is currently following the Disability Action Plan 2013-2014.


Leader in Catalonia and Spain

According to the aforementioned Guia de Atención a la Discapacidad, based on the data for the 2012-2013 academic year, the UOC was the Catalan university with the largest number of students with special educational needs. It was followed by the University of Barcelona (UB), in second place with 654 students, and UPC-Barcelona Tech, in third place with 150 students. The Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and the University of Girona (UdeG) were tied for fourth place, with 140 students each. They were trailed by: Rovira i Virgili University (URV), in fifth place with 105 students; Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), in sixth place with 85 students; Ramon Llull University (URL), in seventh place with 33 students; the International University of Catalonia (UIC), in eighth place with 13 students; the University of Vic (UVic), in ninth place with 10 students; and Abat Oliba CEU University (UAO CEU), in tenth place with 4 students.

When compared to other institutions in the Spanish university system, the UOC ranked fourth in terms of the number of students with disabilities enrolled, behind the National Distance Education University (UNED), with 9160 students, the University of Valencia (UV), with 1117 students, and the University of Murcia (UM), with 911 students.

With regard to universities offering distance and/or online programmes, the UOC ranked second in terms of the number of students with disabilities enrolled, trailing only the UNED. It was followed, at a considerable distance, by the Open University of Madrid (UDIMA), San Jorge University (USJ), the Catholic University of Ávila (UCAV), and the International University of La Rioja (UNIR).

In order to facilitate access for people with special educational needs, the UOC applies the same exemptions and discounts as the rest of the Catalan public universities to students with a degree of disability of 33% or more for its official programmes. It also has moreover signed an agreement with the Spanish National Organization for the Blind (ONCE) to enable UOC students with visual impairments to have their learning materials translated to Braille or provided as Daisy audio books.