Welcoming and supporting people with disabilities

Definition:

According to the law of February 11, 2005, "A disability, within the meaning of the present law, is any limitation of activity or restriction of participation in life in society suffered in his environment by a person because of a substantial, lasting or permanent impairment of one or more physical, sensory, mental, cognitive or psychic functions, a multiple disability or a disabling health disorder."

A question of context:

Disability is defined in relation to a work environment. A given impairment may or may not create a situation of disability, depending on the constraints specific to the activity of the person concerned.

To study in the best possible conditions, a disability can be compensated for. Numerous solutions are available to meet your specific needs, enabling you to reconcile the constraints of your disability with the success of your studies. These solutions can be human, organizational or technical. In this brochure, you'll find the steps you need to take to benefit from them.

ENSTA Paris can help you make the necessary adjustments to your teaching and working conditions, as well as informing you about the steps you need to take to obtain assistance with everyday life from the MDPH (Maison Départementale des Personnes Handicapées) in your home département.

Contrary to popular belief, most disabilities are invisible. Here are the main categories of disability:

Motor disorders

This covers all disorders that can lead to partial or total motor impairment. Certain motor deficiencies of cerebral origin can also cause difficulties in expressing oneself, without altering intellectual capacities.

Examples: neurodegenerative diseases, paraplegia, etc.

Visceral disorders/disabling diseases

All respiratory, digestive and infectious diseases can lead to impairments or constraints of varying degrees of severity. They may be temporary, permanent or progressive.

Examples: cancer, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, diabetes, etc.

Visual impairment

Visual impairment is the reduction, alteration or even elimination of the ability to see images and colors. Typical symptoms include reduced vision in dim light or at night, restriction or deterioration of the visual field, difficulties in perceiving colors and contrasts, and sensitivity to bright light.

Hearing disorders

Deafness is the reduction or elimination of the ability to hear sounds. It is a symptom defined by a decline in hearing, regardless of intensity, etiology or date of onset. Deafness can be uni or bilateral.

Specific language and cognitive disorders

These can affect the acquisition, organization, retention, comprehension or processing of verbal or written information, as well as verbal or written production.

Cognitive disability is the consequence of dysfunction in cognitive functions (reading, speaking, memorizing, understanding): attention, memory, language, perceptual identification and gesture disorders. Cognitive disability does not imply intellectual impairment, but difficulties in mobilizing one's abilities.

Examples: dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, visual-spatial disorders, attention disorders, dysphasia, etc.

Intellectual and mental disorders

This is a difficulty in understanding and a limitation in the speed of mental functions in terms of comprehension, knowledge and cognition. The resulting incapacities can vary in degree, and interfere with the acquisition and memorization of knowledge, attention, communication, social and professional autonomy, emotional stability and behavior. Mental disability is the social consequence of an intellectual deficiency.

Examples: autism, trisomy 21, etc...

Psychiatric disorders

This is the consequence of mental illness, psychiatric disorders or disturbance of psychological equilibrium. It does not directly affect intellectual capacities, but rather their application.

Examples: depression, phobias, bipolarity, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, etc.

Built in 2012 to High Environmental Quality standards, the ENSTA Paris school building and student residence are accessible to people with disabilities.

Since learning and professional exchanges also involve digital tools, the school strives to make as many online resources as possible accessible.

The School's management has appointed a Disability Advisor, but also a Disability Correspondent in the Training and Research Department to monitor the files of students with disabilities.

Their missions:

• Welcome, information and advice;
• Implementation of accommodations;
• Help with the preparation of the RQTH file by the referent;
• Preparation of adaptation contracts for students by the correspondent.

In addition, training courses are organized and offered to staff and teaching staff to help them take these specific needs into account, and awareness-raising initiatives are organized to change the way people look at disability, overcome prejudice and promote inclusion within our school.