It's not just students who benefit from the great expertise of the Center for Blind and Visually Impaired People (BliZ) at the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen ( THM ). Public and commercial institutions can also use offers.

The Hessian state government's representative for people with disabilities, Andreas Winkel, has now personally convinced himself of this. In principle, every subject at the university, from architecture to health management and engineering subjects to economics, can be studied with any disability. The managing director, Prof. Dr. explained this approach to barrier-free studying. Monika Maria Möhring.

The BliZ has now gained almost 26 years of experience and 13 experts work there. Blind and visually impaired, severely disabled and chronically ill young people are supported by BliZ well before and during their studies until they graduate. “I am particularly impressed that the majority of graduates, even those with severe disabilities, found permanent, regularly paid work a year after completing their studies,” said Andreas Winkel.

“Depending on the type of restriction, there are big differences in the type and intensity of care. While people who use wheelchairs, for example, benefit primarily from the THM 's barrier-free buildings, students with hearing or visual impairments have to rely on significant assistance from BliZ," said Möhring. This begins with the application for technical and personnel work aids well before the start of your studies. The advisors take care of all of this for students to save them bureaucracy and frustration. If necessary, resources will initially be provided from the BliZ fund if the applications are approved late.

Special facilities in the lecture hall, sign language interpreters and subtitled lectures enable people with hearing impairments to study. For the visually impaired, over 5,000 documents are “translated” into Braille every year, made readable by computer, and graphics are tactilely printed out. Every year, around 550 exams are carried out under handicapped-accessible conditions tailored to each examinee in the center.

Due to improved diagnostics and inclusion in schools, an increasing number of students with neurodiversity, such as autism and ADHD, have recently come to THM , sometimes combined with other severe disabilities. Some of them have already successfully completed their degrees. Unlike students with visual or hearing impairments, BliZ primarily provides non-technical study and exam aids. These range from advice and support from a permanent employee for the entire duration of your studies to collaboration with therapists and low-stimulus working and examination conditions.

The BliZ also offers professional assessments of websites and IT applications for accessibility. This offer is open to both public and commercial institutions. The Hessian Disability Representative Winkel, who is in contact with many institutions and actors, would like to continue this offer. Further meetings with him and the BliZ employees have already been arranged.