Chosun University Receives 'Highest Excellence' in Ministry of Education's Evaluation of Educational Welfare Support for Students with Disabilities

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Gwan-woo] Chosun University announced on the 10th that it was selected as the top university in the ‘2020 Evaluation of Educational Welfare Support for Disabled University Students’ conducted by the Ministry of Education, following 2017.

The National Institute of Special Education, an affiliated organization of the Ministry of Education, evaluates the status of all higher education institutions in three areas: ▲selection of disabled students ▲teaching and learning ▲facilities and equipment to guarantee the learning rights of disabled university students, thereby expanding the choice of universities for disabled students and their parents and encouraging universities to improve welfare for disabled students.

Universities selected as ‘top’ receive a top institution certification plaque and a commendation from the Deputy Prime Minister of Education, and the evaluation results are used as basic data for various university supports.

The Disabled Student Support Center at Chosun University received the top certification again in the 2020 evaluation following 2017. In particular, it received a higher evaluation in the teaching and learning sector than before.

During the online classes conducted due to COVID-19, the center conducted weekly individual monitoring to ensure that all disabled students on campus were keeping up with their studies, and additionally allocated a budget to purchase licenses for ‘Soboro,’ an AI real-time captioning assistive technology program, to support hearing-impaired students’ learning.

Furthermore, the center assisted students who needed support for online learning to apply for digital learning aid device public projects. As a result, Yang Mo, a first-year student in the Department of Public Administration and Welfare at Chosun University, was selected and received the latest laptop and trackball mouse as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) assistive devices.

Disabled student helpers (volunteer-type work-study students) are also assigned. These students provide support such as note-taking, creation of alternative materials, assistance with assignments, mobility support, and meal assistance according to the type of class (face-to-face or non-face-to-face) and the type of disability.

During evaluations, they help ensure that disabled students can take exams under equal conditions without discrimination due to their disabilities, facilitating communication between professors and students to request and receive support such as note-taking assistance, extended exam time, and appropriate locations.

Even during non-face-to-face online classes, the center maintained communication with disabled students by updating the center’s website and adding banners to facilitate smooth individual counseling and provide employment and career information.

In addition, amid difficulties in face-to-face activities among disabled students due to COVID-19, the center held meetings each semester using ZOOM to promote friendship and provided psychological and emotional exchange activities to students through the relationship enhancement program between disabled students and helpers called ‘Maeumeul Yeo-reok’ (Opening the Heart樂).

Cho Gyu-seon, head of the Disabled Student Support Center at Chosun University, said, “The reason the center was able to receive the top evaluation for two consecutive times is because the university’s sincere efforts to support the learning rights and stable university life of disabled students have been recognized,” adding, “We will continue to do our best to support disabled students in various ways.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.