Support the Audiology Students from AIT.
- by: Marina Forbes
- recipient: Ireland's Department of Education, Higher Education Authority, Health Service Executive and Athlone Institute of Technology.
Sponsored by: Students taking the BSc. in Audiology, 2012-16 at AIT.
Our four-year BSc. course in Audiology at Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) was cancelled after one year (2012-13) due to accreditation and placement issues. The college has given limited assistance meantime, leaving us out of pocket and in limbo regarding our future options. We ask the named entities to provide financial assistance to the cohort of students who were let down by AIT when their course was dropped.
Ireland has a chronic shortage of audiologists, making this course-cancellation a major setback for the HSE’s audiology services roadmap (2011). Newborn hearing tests and senior-services are acutely needed in Ireland, with 100 babies born deaf every year, and up to one million people experiencing age-related hearing issues (many are in denial). Childrens’ hearing-services are delivered by audiological scientists in Ireland, and with 3,739 children wearing hearing-aids (preschool to post-primary age; HSE figures, June 2010) – the services gap will only widen.
Don't let Ireland's audiology services roadmap be derailed in this way. Please sign this petition to encourage the entities named to compensate us for our 'lost' year studying Audiology at Athlone IT, and to finance our continued studies in Ireland or in the UK.
Visit Irish Deaf Kids for insights to everyday audiology, at home and overseas.
Newstalk has a podcast about our situation. Listen to it here: Why Can't Ireland Train Its Own Audiologists?
We're also on Facebook: Support the Audiology Students from AIT where you can chat with us.
Dear Ireland's Department of Education, Higher Eduation Authority, Health Service Executive and Athlone Institute of Technology,
We ask you to provide financial assistance to the cohort of students who were let down by the cancellation of AIT's Audiology course.
Sponsored by: Students taking the BSc. in Audiology, 2012-16 at AIT.
Our four-year BSc. course in Audiology at Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) was cancelled after only one year (2012-13) due to issues with accreditation and placements. The college has given limited assistance since cancelling the course, leaving us out of pocket and in limbo regarding our future options. We ask the named entities to provide financial assistance to the cohort of students who were let down by AIT when their course was abandoned.
Who we are: We are a group of 21 dedicated, hard working and enthusiastic students from all over Ireland, with a love for Audiology and working with people.
Milestones: July 30th, 2013: AIT again cancelled the course when the HEA advised the course to be dropped due to not being accredited, July 19th, 2013: AIT advised that the course was restored, and our 2nd year of Audiology would proceed, June 6th, 2013: AIT cancelled the course due to: 1. Untrue rumours that a MSc was required for us to become staff-grade audiologists (not a BSc) and 2. Problems with accreditation, May 7th-20th, 2013: First-year exams were completed, August 20th, 2012: Students accepted their places on the Audiology course.
Why this situation happened: This situation happened due to a lack of communication between the Health Service Executive, Higher Education Authority and Athlone Institute of Technology regarding placements and accreditation for the course.
Where this happened: Athlone Institute of Technology, Ireland.
"This [Audiology] programme was designed to address the training and the educational needs of the profession as a whole in both jurisdictions. Notification of AIT’s decision to offer this BSc (Hons) in Audiology was contained in the institute’s Operation Programme and Budgets submitted to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in 2011 and 2012... Furthermore, the views of audiologists working throughout the island were sought in terms of the need for the degree and its contents. Three-quarters (76%) of the respondents to the industry questionnaire felt that AIT was a suitable location for an audiology degree." [ Statement re BSc (Hons) in Audiology, Athlone Institute of Technology, August 1st 2013 ]
How this situation can be remedied: Please sign this petition to encourage the named entities to arrange compensation for our 'lost' year spent studying Audiology at Athlone IT, and to enable us to continue to study either in Ireland or in the UK.
Supporting information with some facts:
1. “Workforce uplift” is in the HSE’s roadmap, but service delivery is needed. [Read: HSE National Audiology Review p. 18-19 April 2011] - cited by www.irishdeafkids.ie, on August 2nd, 2013
2. "90 per cent of deaf children are born into hearing families." (Issues in Deaf Education, Gregory, et. al 2011)
3. "Hearing loss, a common problem affecting older adults, significantly affects individuals’ well-being, as well as their close relationships, and should be an important focus in primary care settings." (Journal of Gerontological Nursing, Vol. 34, No. 2, 2008).
4. "Uncorrected hearing loss gives rise to a poorer quality of life, related to isolation, reduced social activity, a feeling of being excluded, and increased symptoms of depression." (International Journal of Audiology, 2003; 42:2 S17–2 S20)
Quick call to action: Help us secure a better outcome from Ireland's Department of Education, the Higher Education Authority, the Health Service Executive and from Athlone Insititute of Technology!
Resource for additional information: Visit Irish Deaf Kids for insights to everyday audiology, at home and overseas.
Newstalk has a podcast about our situation. Listen to it here: Why Can't Ireland Train Its Own Audiologists?
We're also on Facebook: Support the Audiology Students from AIT where you can chat with us and get to know our story.
Yours sincerely,
The Audiology Students from AIT.
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