Boğaziçi University (BÜ) aims to create a university community that is fully accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities, and that offers maximum participation within the campus environment.

The World Health Organization defines a “person with a disability” as an individual who has a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits one or more major life activities (such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, or working). The “impairment” can be physical, psychological, or anatomical, involving loss or abnormality of bodily structure or function. This includes brain lesions, loss of limbs, or damage to organs. “Disability” refers to the physical or behavioral restrictions imposed on individuals with such impairments. For example, stairs and narrow doors present barriers for wheelchair users.

Through departments, units, centers, and other committees and commissions, we emphasize the diversity and differences among our students and stress the importance of creating a culturally sensitive and accessible campus. Our goal is to provide a supportive environment equipped with adequate resources for students with disabilities, removing barriers to their academic success and education, while helping them develop self-awareness and independence as individuals.

Within this mission framework, the Boğaziçi University Disability Commission is dedicated to creating opportunities to ensure equal access and support for disabled students, faculty, and staff. It also strives to increase awareness about disability issues within the university.

According to the Higher Education and Disability Law No. 5378 (2005), Section 2 titled “Classification, care, rehabilitation, employment, education, job and profession analysis”:

“No one shall be prevented from receiving education due to disability. Disabled children, youth, and adults are provided equal educational opportunities in inclusive environments alongside non-disabled individuals, taking into account their special circumstances and differences.

To facilitate the education of disabled university students, the Higher Education Council shall establish a Disabled Advisory and Coordination Center to work on the provision of equipment, preparation of special educational materials, and the creation of suitable educational, research, and accommodation environments for disabled individuals.”

In line with our mission and the rights specified in the Disability Law (2005), the Boğaziçi University Disability Commission believes in the following principles:

1. We respect the unique values and individuality of all students, faculty members, and staff;

2. We strive to create a safe and easily accessible academic environment for all disabled students;

3. Through a team approach, we endeavor to find methods and practices that facilitate the learning processes of our disabled students;

4. We encourage each student’s independence, self-sufficiency, and responsibility;

5. We take necessary steps to remove physical and behavioral barriers that limit the effective participation of disabled students, faculty, and staff in the Boğaziçi University community.

Creating a truly barrier-free and inclusive university that embraces disabled individuals requires the participation of everyone in the community. Our Commission aims to serve as a technical support body, disseminating information about disabilities, and to lead awareness-raising efforts for every member of the BÜ community.

Types of Disabilities Encountered:

• Visual Impairments

• Physical Disabilities

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

• Learning Disabilities

• Psychiatric/Psychological Disorders

• Speech and Language Disorders

• Hearing Impairments and Deafness

• Traumatic Brain Injuries

• Other Disability Groups

Visual Impairments:
Visual impairment results from loss of function in any part of the visual system. Causes include diabetic retinopathy (impaired blood supply to the retina), retinitis pigmentosa (degeneration of the retina), and cataracts (clouding of the lens). Terms used in educational contexts include “partial sight,” “low vision,” “legal blindness,” and “total blindness.” According to the NDCCD (2004), “total blindness” refers to individuals who learn using braille (a tactile writing system) or other non-visual tools. “Legal blindness” refers to those whose vision in the better eye is 20/200 or less or whose visual acuity is very limited. “Low vision” primarily relates to severe difficulty seeing at a distance and often requires adaptations in text size, lighting, or use of braille.

Physical Disabilities:
Physical disability severity varies and affects mobility differently. According to NDCCD (2004), physical disabilities may arise from conditions occurring during pregnancy, birth, or be congenital, as well as progressive neuromuscular diseases such as multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy. Disabilities include spinal cord injuries (paralysis below the waist), cerebral palsy (brain damage before or shortly after birth affecting mobility, balance, muscle coordination, spasms, and speech), stroke, paralysis, and polio.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD):
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, impulsivity (acting without thinking), and/or hyperactivity inappropriate for age and developmental level (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). It begins in childhood and affects behavior and learning. Symptoms listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR, APA, 2000) include:

• Inattention: difficulty focusing on details, making careless mistakes, not listening when spoken to, failure to follow instructions, poor organization, easily distracted, forgetfulness in daily activities.

• Impulsivity: answering before questions are completed, difficulty waiting turns, interrupting others.

• Hyperactivity: fidgeting, inability to stay seated, excessive talking, always being “on the go.”

Learning Disabilities:
Learning disabilities are neurodevelopmental conditions that affect the acquisition and use of skills such as speaking, listening, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematics despite average or above-average intelligence (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, 2004). Students with learning disabilities may show a significant gap between intellectual potential and academic achievement due to differences in processing information. They may struggle with oral and written language, reading comprehension, mathematical skills, phonemic awareness, reasoning, memory recall, following directions, concentration, planning, organizing, and interpreting social cues.

Psychiatric/Psychological Disorders:
These involve chronic emotional and behavioral issues such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia, affecting individuals regardless of age, gender, socioeconomic status, or intelligence (Davison, Neale & Kring, 2003).

Speech and Language Disorders:
These may result from hearing loss, cerebral palsy, brain injuries, learning disabilities, or physical conditions such as cleft lip or palate. They range from articulation difficulties to language use impairments, including fluency disorders like stuttering.

Hearing Impairments and Deafness:
Students with hearing loss require accommodations based on the degree of hearing loss, age of onset, communication method (speech, sign language, lip-reading), and use of hearing aids or assistive listening devices (http://www.nidcd.nih.gov).

Traumatic Brain Injuries:
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS, 2006), these injuries result from sudden trauma to the brain, such as from a violent impact or penetration by a foreign object. Effects vary depending on the brain area affected and may include sensory deficits, balance and coordination problems, limited attention, headaches, fatigue, dizziness, behavioral changes, speech difficulties, memory loss, and seizures.

Other Disability Groups:
These include conditions affecting one or more body systems such as respiratory, nervous, digestive, or immune systems. Examples are asthma, cancer, epilepsy (seizures caused by abnormal brain electrical activity), diabetes, HIV+/AIDS, and chemical dependencies (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, 2004).

Providing appropriate accommodations for Boğaziçi students with disabilities depends on ongoing communication and collaboration among faculty, research assistants, the Student Dean’s Office, the Boğaziçi University Disability Commission, the Rectorate, and of course, the students themselves.

Services Required for Individuals with Disabilities:

• Equal access to programs and services
• Provision of suitable learning methods through BÜ Disability Commission, Units, and Rectorate
• Health services via the campus infirmary
• Priority in university dormitory accommodation
• Assistance with class schedule changes through the Registrar’s Office
• Priority access to scholarships through the Scholarship Office
• Provision of student assistants through the Scholarship Office
• Special diet meals provided by Dining Services
• Vocational development and personal counseling services through BÜREM and BÜPAM
• Accessibility improvements coordinated by the Facilities Department

Services for Visually Impaired Students:

• Assistance with reading, note-taking, and other supports
• Library and laboratory support via Library and GETEM (Center for the Visually Impaired)
• Provision of alternative format materials (e.g., e-texts, braille, tape recordings) through GETEM
• Internet-based resource access via GETEM and Library
• Campus orientation and “Independent Mobility” training
• Braille reading rooms at Abdullah Kuran Library
• Use of campus transportation maps
• Audible traffic signals at two key intersections on the North Campus

Services for Physically Disabled Students:

• Note-taking and laboratory assistance
• Structural and construction modifications
• Access ramps and elevators for campus buildings
• Ease of movement within campus
• Accessible restrooms
• Rescheduling classes and activities in inaccessible buildings
• Accessible building maps
• Ramps along sidewalks throughout campus
• Accessible parking areas

Services for Hearing Impaired Students:

• Provision of notetakers
• Teleconference systems
• Modifications in dormitory accommodations
• Visual (visible) fire alarms

Services for Students with ADHD and Learning Disabilities:

• Note-taking in classes and tape recording lectures

Services for Students with Psychiatric and Psychological Disorders:

• Psychiatric support at the infirmary
• Psychological support services through BÜPAM and/or BÜREM

References:

Books:
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). Washington, DC: Author.
Davison, G. C., Neale, J. M., & Kring, A. M. (2003). Abnormal Psychology (9th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Online Resources:

• International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. World Health Organization (2001). Geneva.

• National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (2004). Washington, DC.

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). (2006). Washington, DC.

• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). (2021). https://www.nidcd.nih.gov

University Internet Resources

• Boston University – Disability Services http://www.bu.edu/disability/

• Harvard University – Accessible Education Office
  Faculty Resources: http://aeo.fas.harvard.edu/faculty.html
  Essential Information: http://aeo.fas.harvard.edu/essential.html
  Instructional Resources: http://aeo.fas.harvard.edu/instructional.html

• Montgomery College – Disability Support Service http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/dispsvc/

• Texas Tech University – Access Tech http://www.depts.ttu.edu/studentaffairs/accesstech/

• University of Oregon – Disability Services http://ds.uoregon.edu/fac_guide/fg_opt_spef.htm

• University of Pittsburgh – Disability Resources and Services http://www.drs.pitt.edu/

These resources have been curated and adapted according to the needs of Boğaziçi University.

We would like to thank The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) for their valuable contributions.