Peer Support as a Method in the Adaptation of the Instructional Process

1. Peer Support for Students with Disabilities in the Republic of Croatia

An important form of support for students with disabilities in instruction is provided by the university course "Peer Support for Students with Disabilities," introduced as an elective at the universities of Zagreb, Rijeka, and Pula within the Tempus project EduQuality. The University of Zagreb was the first to implement it in the academic year 2011/2012.

Students with disabilities can receive support from a peer assistant as needed in the academic environment, depending on the type of difficulty or impairment (Kiš-Glavaš, 2016):

• Support when arriving at the faculty and moving around classrooms, offices, the library, student administration, the cafeteria, etc.
• Support in resolving certain administrative procedures.
• Support in taking notes during lectures.
• Support with verbal descriptions of visually presented content.
• Support in various social situations, such as mediating communication.
• Personal support as needed, such as assistance with using the restroom.

Peer assistants play an important role in promoting inclusion, encouraging participation, and enabling students with disabilities to become more self-reliant and independent during their studies. The aims of providing peer assistant support include overcoming various barriers during studies, ensuring access to study programmes, and encouraging students to be as independent as possible, thereby influencing the acquisition of new knowledge and skills. Cooperation between the peer assistant and the student with a disability also facilitates and enables the development of friendships and social skills (Peer Support for Students with Disabilities, 2023).