Letter: Disabling tactics

How depressing to see Universities UK scaremongering about disabled people (For the record, THES, January 5).

It was tactics such as this from the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals (now UUK) and others that led to education's exclusion from the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act. As a result, we still have an education system that routinely and legally discriminates against disabled people.

Universities will have to make adjustments for disabled people only where these are considered "reasonable". The cost and the institution's resources will help determine what is reasonable.

What would certainly cost millions would be continuing not to educate disabled people, leaving potential unfulfilled and many dependent on benefits and unable to contribute positively to society.

Sophie Corlett
Policy director, higher education
Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities