UNS – Demonstrating its commitment to an inclusive campus, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) at Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta organized a seminar on supporting students with disabilities. The seminar, held on Tuesday (16/7/2024) in the Auditorium of Building C MIPA, featured Dr. Ahsan Junaidi Romadlon, M.Pd. as the keynote speaker. Nearly a hundred participants, including lecturers, educational staff, and students from various faculties at UNS, attended the event.

Dr. Ahsan, Head of the Master’s Program in Special Education at the Faculty of Education, Universitas Negeri Malang, delivered a presentation on Strategies for Supporting Students with Disabilities. According to Dr. Ahsan, there are various types of disabilities among university students, including visual, hearing, and physical impairments. Each student with a disability has unique characteristics, requiring different approaches to support.

In general, support for students with disabilities can be categorized into academic and non-academic areas. Academic support includes assistance during new student admission, academic administration, coursework, and thesis preparation. Non-academic support involves helping students find accommodation and fostering social connections and community involvement.

Dr. Ahsan emphasized that the goal of supporting students with disabilities is to reduce the barriers they face and enhance their participation in all campus activities.

“Supporting students with disabilities aims to reduce the obstacles they encounter and increase their involvement in all campus activities,” Dr. Ahsan explained.

Interacting with students with disabilities also requires adherence to specific etiquette. For instance, when interacting with visually impaired individuals, it is important to introduce oneself and offer assistance before making physical contact, such as touching or guiding, if that helps.

Similarly, when communicating with individuals with cerebral palsy, one should speak clearly and be willing to ask for repetition if something is not understood, without interrupting or rushing the conversation.

It is worth noting that UNS has long committed to being a disability-friendly campus. Notably, in 2021, UNS received an Inclusive Award as one of the inclusive campuses. This educational accolade was presented by the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia to the UNS Rector.

In his opening remarks, Drs. Harjana, M.Si., M.Sc., Ph.D., Dean of FMIPA UNS, stated that the seminar aimed to support the inclusive campus policy and create a comfortable learning environment for students with disabilities. Additionally, it aimed to enhance the understanding of disability issues among the academic community and ensure the provision of necessary facilities and infrastructure.

“This seminar aims to support the inclusive campus policy, create a comfortable learning environment for students with disabilities, and enhance the understanding of disability issues among the academic community,” concluded Harjana.

Humas UNS

Editor: Dwi Hastuti