Until last year, students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) at the prestigious Universidad Católica de Chile were unable to take the Aptis English language test to certify their level of English. PIANE, the university's Program for the Inclusion of Students with SEN, was seeking a solution.
In a joint effort between the Aptis global team and the British Council Chile exams team, solutions were developed to enable students with visual, hearing or motor impairments to take the Aptis test, including:
- extra time to take the test
- a scribe or helper to assist
- access to a Braille version of the test
- a sign language interpreter for those with hearing impairments.
The initiative was a great success, establishing the British Council as the leading provider of English tests for SEN students at the most renowned university in Chile, the Católica. Now that these students have certified their levels of English, they have the opportunity to study in the UK in the future, should the opportunity arise.
"It was a significant step forward, in that students with disabilities can learn and be examined equally"- Ana María Hojas, PIANE, Universidad Católica