The Open University is the largest provider of higher education for people with disabilities. We strive to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone, so that every student has the opportunity to achieve their ambitions and follow their dreams.

Over 30,000 disabled students are currently studying with us and with your continued support, we can keep breaking down the barriers to education and providing essential support for those who need it.

Providing the tools to help students fulfil their potential

Many students will complete their qualifications while managing a disability, from physical and mental health conditions, learning difficulties and ‘invisible’ disabilities, such as hearing loss.

The focus is not on what kind of disability a student has, but on what they want to achieve.

For example, if a student cannot use their hands, perhaps due to arthritis or paralysis, but wants to write essays, assistive software means they can dictate assignments using just their voice.

Many students receive funding through government schemes, such as a Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) but many students receive support funded and organised directly by the University.

The range of practical support available to students, made possible by donors to the OU, includes:

• Accessible study materials, text magnifiers and equipment to play audiobooks
• Digital voice recorders and software to help students take notes
• Large talking scientific calculators for visually impaired students
• Sign language interpreters, live captioning and support at tutorials
• Mentors to help students overcome challenges
• Specialist equipment to enable students to study at home, in tutorials or at day schools
  
  

Karis' story - 'the OU is the gift that keeps giving'

After missing a few years of formal education, Karis Williamson, who has congenital muscular dystrophy, began studying with the OU in Scotland aged 16 and says the experience has been life changing. Now aged 22, Karis is a proud OU graduate, completing her OU Bachelor of Arts Open Honours Degree in 2020.

Throughout her studies, Karis received support from the OU’s Student Support Teams and the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) which allowed her to access course materials, an eye-gaze computer and specialist software needed to succeed. The flexibility of Open University student also meant that Karis could study at home and at her own pace.

“The OU really is the gift that keeps on giving,” says Karis. “To say that it was worth it would be a huge understatement; I absolutely loved it and I'm grateful to everyone for all their help.

“I would definitely recommend the OU as it's been life-changing for me. It's given me self-respect and re-educated me about what I'm capable of."

How your support can make a difference

Any donation you can give will help us to support more students like Karis who need additional support to achieve their goals. Please make your gift today to keep education open and accessible to all with a desire to learn and change their lives.