Restrictions are particularly evident where there are no accessible buildings or infrastructure. The Vienna University of Technology is largely barrier-free. Should there be any structural barriers, please report any necessary modifications.

Sometimes students with mobility impairments cannot attend your course because the room in which your course is held is not barrier-free. This problem can be solved, for example, by moving your lecture to an accessible lecture hall. If this is not possible, options should be found to ensure that these students can still participate in their course. If necessary, offer alternatives to the lecture.

Offer your lecture materials to students with mobility impairments and be available for meetings in a barrier-free location. Assistance may also be necessary with taking lecture notes, taking exercises, or taking exams if students with disabilities have difficulty writing due to motor impairments.

Please keep in mind that students with mobility disabilities often require more time to prepare for exams and complete written assignments. This is due to certain study activities being more time-consuming and intensive, for example, due to limitations in writing, reading, or navigating a route. 

Possible support options include:

• Try to find a barrier-free room for your course.
• Publish topics and literature used as early as possible (due to longer procurement and preparation times).
• Distribute copies of the slides and materials you are using to eliminate the need for note-taking.
• Support the search for suitable assistants and tutors who can also support students with disabilities in practical exercises.
• Initiate and facilitate teamwork and cooperation with the tutors in your course.
• Allow the use of adapted equipment or encourage the purchase of such equipment (e.g., an adapted work or laboratory table).
• Consider a different assessment method (e.g., oral instead of written, or vice versa).
• Allow extra time, the use of aids, and the assistance of tutors as writing support.

For visually impaired and blind people, it is crucial in practice which aids can or must be used. Some people work with tactile Braille, others use magnifying aids (magnifying glasses, binoculars), large print, or recording devices. Different working techniques can also be used simultaneously.

The main problem is the large amount of printed and visual information used at universities, especially course texts, to which visually impaired students must have access. Formulas, books, scripts, and the like are not available to blind or visually impaired people without being converted into a readable form. This conversion must be organized. Some Austrian universities have computer workstations for visually impaired and blind users. At these workstations, literature can also be converted into Braille or made accessible via voice output.

Please support this activity by making available work aids, scripts you have written, etc. on data storage media. 

Possible support options include:

• Clearly structuring whiteboard images
• Verbalizing written and visual media
• Creating enlargements of various documents (exercises, etc.)
• Copying used slides onto paper
• Communicating where seats are available in the seminar room or where to find them
• Accepting the noise level caused by the working techniques (e.g., when using a dictaphone, portable computer, electronic notebook for the blind, or by asking neighbors for clarification)
• Initiate and allow teamwork and cooperation with your own tutors, as well as the use of adapted equipment (Braille display or speech output for a computer at the institute, magnification software, etc.)
• A different examination method (enlarged examination materials, special equipment, possibly an oral instead of a written exam, extended time, etc.)

Hearing-impaired people include those who are hard of hearing, deaf, and deaf.

Deaf people (see section below: Deafness) are people who have been deaf since birth.

Deaf people are those who have lost their hearing later in life; depending on when they became deaf, their voice and/or articulation may be altered. Deaf people often rely on lip-reading.

Hearing-impaired people, on the other hand, are people who – generally speaking – hear worse or differently than the average population, but this does not mean that speaking loudly alone will help them.

Hearing impairments can only be compensated to a limited extent with hearing aids. Depending on the timing and severity of the impairment, those affected lip-read more or less. The main problem is communication.

Possible support options include:

• Speak to the students while speaking, ensuring your face is optimally lit. Any light source should be behind the hearing-impaired person's back.
• Do not explain blackboard images with your back to the students, etc.
• Speak clearly and not too quickly.
• Work with visual media (PowerPoint, blackboard, etc.).
• Allow hearing-impaired students to ask questions of their neighbors, use group work, or (if present) communicate with a sign language interpreter to clarify any misunderstandings.
• Be willing to discuss things after the lecture or during office hours.
• Use the classroom microphone or the wireless microphone system brought by the hearing-impaired student.
• Agree on an alternative examination method: a written exam instead of an oral exam, an oral exam with a sign language interpreter.

Deaf people have been deaf since birth. Deafness occurs when spoken language cannot be adequately perceived and, as a result, adequately reproduced, even with hearing aids or other assistive devices.

The structure of spoken language, the range of vocabulary, and thus the understanding of various terms are significantly limited by deafness. Spoken German is only a second language for deaf people; their native language is Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS). Deaf students form a small linguistic minority at universities who use sign language as their first language. ÖGS has been recognized as an independent language since September 1, 2005, and as such, it was incorporated into the Austrian Federal Constitution (Article 8, Paragraph 3 of the ÖBV).

Deaf students use sign language as their first language. German spoken and written language, which differs significantly in structure from visual sign language, can become a barrier to communication and comprehension, particularly evident in exam situations. For deaf people, only visual communication in a sign language can be completely effortless and barrier-free. Therefore, if you insist that deaf students take knowledge tests in German, you are unintentionally requiring a language test at the same time.

The following recommendations for an alternative examination method take into account the options available to you under the University Act: If you accommodate deaf students in examinations, you can rely on Section 59 Paragraph 1 Item 12 of the Universities Act 2002:

Recommendations for an alternative examination method for deaf students:

• Deaf students should be able to choose the language for exams themselves—written or spoken German, or Austrian Standardized German (ÖGS).
• Deaf students should be able to use professional ÖGS interpreters of their own choosing for courses, exams, writing assignments, and other student tasks.
• Deaf students should be able to work on written texts with the help of tutors of their own choosing.
• For written examinations, deaf students should be given 50% more time to write the German text. This applies to both written exams and seminar papers.
• Testing knowledge is not the appropriate situation for testing or conveying language skills. Written assignments, on the other hand, serve to develop academic style, and this is where you can challenge and encourage deaf students.

Use of ÖGS interpreters in exams

ÖGS interpreters translate the spoken German of the course 1:1 into Austrian Sign Language. This enables deaf students to follow the course content.

In exams, ÖGS interpreters translate the deaf student's signed answers 1:1 into spoken German. This enables deaf students to convey 100% of their knowledge without any language barrier.

Deaf students have an extremely limited budget for interpreters, which they must repeatedly request. They therefore will not use interpreters unless they truly need them.

Professional interpreters in Austria belong to the Austrian Association of Sign Language Interpreters (ÖGSDV, opens an external URL in a new window). They are subject to a code of honor that prohibits any interference, falsification, “speaking for the customer,” etc. (© „Gehörlose Studierende“ VÖGS, opens an external URL in a new window - Association of Austrian Deaf Students in abridged version)

Since October 2010, the Vienna University of Technology has had the GESTU service center for deaf students, which coordinates support measures for this group of students. You can find out more about this at www.teachingsupport.tuwien.ac.at/gestu, opens in new window 

International specialist literature on the subject is listed in the following free bibliography: www.idgs.uni-hamburg.de, opens an external URL in a new window

Communication and articulation difficulties also occur in students with speech impairments—for example, those with spasticity or stuttering. Speaking freely in front of a group can be intimidating (not only for those with speech impairments!) and requires self-confidence. 

Possible support options include:

• Give students time to formulate their contribution and/or response; speak as usual, resisting the temptation, for example, to complete the student's words or sentences.
• If appropriate, offer written assessments or exams instead of oral ones.

You will rarely notice these individuals; especially in programs with large student numbers, they are often completely overlooked. However, during longer internships in small groups or while supervising a thesis or dissertation, you may encounter the problem of a student's mental illness.

Possible signs may include, for example, a noticeable drop in performance, noticeable anxiety, or extreme restlessness on the part of the affected person. It may also happen that otherwise regularly present and reliable students fail to show up for scheduled appointments. Unfortunately, mental illness is still largely taboo today, making open discussion about it difficult for those affected and outsiders alike. Try it anyway. Openness is usually perceived as a great relief by both those affected and everyone else involved. 

Possible support options include:

• Encourage those affected to talk about their situation by asking questions like this or similar:
• Have you not been feeling well lately? Are you having problems?
• Listen, show understanding and empathy. But also set boundaries. The affected person must arrange medical and therapeutic help from appropriate sources. For example, if you are supervising a thesis, set aside your expectations for the period of acute illness. Agree with the student on small but binding tasks within the framework of such work.
• If the situation escalates, for example, during an internship, don't hesitate to seek advice from competent sources, such as the disability officer at the university, student psychological counseling, or autism support services.

This group of people (e.g., those suffering from diabetes or epilepsy, or those with allergies) usually goes unnoticed.
However, even here, disruptions can occur, as those affected must adapt their daily study routine to their lifestyle, e.g., choosing certain foods, eating during classes, avoiding environmental irritants, and scheduling breaks for rest. Furthermore, time may be required to treat the effects of the illness itself (insulin injections for diabetics, taking allergy medication, etc.). Therefore, problems can arise if work has to be completed over longer periods or during periods of more severe illness.

Possible support options include:

• Agree on extended time and similar arrangements (e.g., preparation time for exams, seminar papers, lab exercises, etc.) and breaks during working hours.
• If necessary, make special arrangements regarding class attendance.

Students with a disability lasting longer than six months have the right to an alternative examination method if they cannot take the examination in the prescribed form due to their disability and the requirements are not changed by the alternative examination method (University Act 2002 § 59 (1) 11):
Students are entitled to freedom of learning in accordance with the statutory provisions. This includes, in particular, the right to an alternative examination method if the student can demonstrate a long-term disability that makes it impossible for them to take the examination using the prescribed method, and the content and requirements of the examination are not compromised by an alternative method.

Examples of alternative examination methods

• Written instead of oral examination, e.g., for persons with speech and language impairments.
• Oral instead of written examination for visually impaired and blind students.
• Extended examination time for written examinations for students with limited fine motor skills, deaf students, and hard-of-hearing students.
• Allowing the use of tutors, e.g., for lab exercises for students with fine motor impairments.
• Tutors for students with hearing impairments to take notes in lectures.
• Allowing blind, visually impaired, and even motorically impaired students to use technical aids in class and during exams.
• Allowing alternative assessment methods, e.g., writing a paper instead of giving a presentation for students with speech impairments and social anxiety.
• Allowing calculation examples to be presented in a separate room in front of the instructor rather than in front of the entire group for students with social anxiety, as well as for students with severe motor impairments or speech impairments.
• For example, allowing written or oral presentations instead of attendance for exam-based courses for students with chronic illnesses or illnesses that occur in phases.
• Extension of submission deadlines for students with physical limitations or chronic illnesses.

Below are eleven points to keep in mind when creating your documents in your word processing program (Microsoft Word©, OpenOffice.org Writer©, etc.) to ensure a fully accessible text document:

• Use headings (styles) to structure text.
• Create a table of contents for longer documents.
• Provide text alternatives for graphics whose content is relevant to understanding the text. Describe diagrams and complex figures using captions or in the body text.
• Use lists and numbering for listings.
• Use links and bookmarks for easier navigation.
• Avoid unusual fonts.
• Ensure a logical text flow (e.g., columns).
• Use tables correctly.
• Ensure sufficient contrast between foreground and background colors.
• Provide metadata (author, description, etc.) for the document.
• Indicate the text language appropriately.

Checklist for more accessible presentation slides

• Create a slide title for each slide.
• Use slide layouts.
• Check the reading order of objects on each slide.
• Use lists and numbering for listings.
• Provide alternative text for graphics, diagrams, etc. Use the notes function for detailed descriptions.
• Use tables correctly.
• Group complex objects that consist of individual parts.
• Ensure sufficient contrast between the foreground and background colors.
• Review your slides in grayscale mode to ensure the content remains understandable even without color.
• Provide metadata (author, description, etc.) for the document.

Basis for the accessibility of web content

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0, opens an external URL in a new window) provide the foundation. Below you will find some basic information about these guidelines. 

WCAG 2.0. 

WCAG 2.0 is based on four principles, to which twelve guidelines are assigned. For each guideline, WCAG 2.0 defines success criteria (61 in total) that must be met. Each success criterion is assigned a priority (A, AA, or AAA) that indicates how important meeting that success criterion is for people with disabilities.

Perceivability

Provide text alternatives for non-text content.
Provide labels and alternatives for audio and video content.
Make content adaptable and available for assistive technologies.
Use sufficient contrast to make things easier to see and hear.

Functionality

Make every function operable with the keyboard.
Give users sufficient time to read and use content.

Understandability

Make text readable and understandable.
Content display and usability must be predictable.
Help users avoid or correct errors.

Compatibility

Maximize compatibility with current and future technologies.

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