Basics
When developing supportive measures, we are guided by the recommendations for Swiss grammar schools on the allocation of compensation for disadvantages.
Contact point for adolescents
The Science Olympiad office can assume the triage function between the participants and the Olympiads. We accept the needs and requests of adolescents with a physical or mental impairment, disability or chronic illness and clarify with the respective Olympiads to what extent fair participation is possible.
Concrete support
We do not provide sample solutions, but look for individual solutions in dialogue with the adolescents and the relevant Olympiads. The adolescents know themselves and their possibilities best. Helpful support could look like this, for example:
Dyslexia
Adolescents with dyslexia have difficulties in perceiving, processing and reproducing oral and written language.
Helpful support:
- Visualise lessons: Presentations in large and clear font with lots of pictures and graphics
- Use sans serif fonts such as OpenDyslexic
- Play explanatory videos with sound
- Allow extra time for examinations
- Make sure there are enough variety and breaks to prevent fatigue
- Choose a suitable seat
Visual impairment
Affected adolescents are restricted in their ability to learn and absorb knowledge because they are strongly influenced by visual perception.
Helpful support:
- Allow extra time for examinations
- Auxiliary instruments such as specific lamps, magnifying glasses, readers, audio
- Enlarge texts and illustrations, display content in different colours
- Choose a suitable seat
- Keep paths in the room clear
- Create favourable lighting and illumination conditions (no back-lighting)
- Play explanatory videos with sound
- Wipe the blackboard clean before use
- Use a laptop
- Determine an assistant
- Make sure there are enough variety and breaks to prevent fatigue
Hearing impairment
Hearing impairments or disabilities are all forms of functional impairment of the hearing system, i.e. the outer ear, the middle ear or the inner ear. The impairments can have a strong or less strong impact on communication.
Helpful support:
- Create a quiet environment (close windows & doors, no background noise)
- Speak clearly and loudly
- Make sure there are enough variety and breaks to prevent fatigue
- Visualise and write down lessons, information and instructions
- Form small groups
- Choose a suitable seat
Physical disability
The general term "physical disability" refers to various types of disability in which the nervous or muscular system is damaged. The effects vary greatly depending on the symptoms.
Helpful support:
- Organise transport
- Clarify building/room infrastructure in advance
- Determine an assistant
- Customise workplace
- Allow use of the laptop
- Make sure there are enough variety and breaks to prevent fatigue
AD(H)D
Attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are characterised by the difficulty of remaining attentive and focused for long periods of time and completing tasks.
Helpful support:
- Choose a suitable seat
- Customise workplace
- Own work or examination room
- Create a calm atmosphere
- Make sure there are enough variety and breaks to prevent fatigue
- Clear instructions and rules
- Clear structuring of lesson content and materials
- Visualisation of the learning content
- Also communicate appointments in writing
- Offer opportunities for movement
- Allow extra time for examinations
Autism spectrum disorder
For adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder, communication and social interaction can be associated with difficulties, which is why there is an increased need for structure and planning.
Helpful support:
- Communicate and adhere to the programme and schedule in advance
- Clear instructions and rules
- Choose a suitable seat
- Customise workplace
- Own study or examination room, own bedroom
- Offer opportunities for retreat
- S<mall groups
- Individual break regulation
Mental illnesses
Adolescents who suffer from anxiety disorders, anorexia or depression, for example, are restricted in their experience and behaviour.
Helpful support
- Offer opportunities for retreat
- Allow extra time for examinations
- Individual break regulation
- Choose a suitable seat
- Determine an assistant
- Own study or examination room, own bedroom
Chronic diseases
Chronic diseases are long-lasting diseases that cannot be completely cured (e.g. allergies, asthma, epilepsy, rheumatic diseases, tumours).
Helpful support
- Choose a suitable seat
- Determine an assistant
- Own study or examination room, own bedroom
- Offer opportunities for retreat
- Allow extra time for examinations
- Examination situation may be interrupted to go to the toilet or for therapeutic measures
What is compensation for disadvantages?
When awarding compensation for disadvantages, we follow the recommendations for Swiss grammar schools. However, as an extracurricular educational programme, we do not have the same time, personnel and financial resources as grammar schools. As far as possible, we work with the individual Olympiads to find appropriate and fair solutions for the participants.
The aim of equalisation of disadvantages is to compensate for unfair inequalities and thus guarantee fair competition. Such unfair inequalities can arise due to physical impairments, disabilities or chronic illnesses. However, differences that are based on the performance, level of knowledge and skills of adolescents do not require compensation for disadvantages. It is not about changing the output, such as the examination results, but rather the examination modalities. Furthermore, compensation for disadvantages should not constitute an inappropriate privilege and thus lead to discrimination against the remaining participants.
According to the recommendations for grammar schools, compensation shall be…
- appropriate. They relate to the respective participants and their specific situations and do not lead to privileged treatment.
- proportionate. The other participants should not be affected or restricted.
- justifiable. They should be supported by all participants and communicated to the other participants in an appropriate form.
- communicable. The measures should be formulated clearly and precisely.
- transparent. Those affected and their environment should realise that the measures are being implemented (see Studer, 2019, p. 65-66)
Compensation for disadvantages at the Olympiads
We decide on a case-by-case basis and from Olympiad to Olympiad whether and which compensation for disadvantages is possible. In order to meet specific needs, there are no ready-made model solutions. However, this requires proactive communication with adolescents who would like to take part in an Olympiad and would like specific support or compensation for disadvantages.
We can agree compensation for disadvantages or supportive measures verbally by telephone or in writing by e-mail with the participants and the relevant Olympiads. If the respective Olympiad or participant wishes, we can also explicitly record what has been agreed.
Communication and data protection
We communicate the agreed compensation for disadvantages and support measures to the other participants and volunteers involved: This guarantees fair and transparent competition and the acceptance of all parties involved. However, since physical impairments, disabilities or chronic illnesses are personal details of the participants, it must be clarified with them what may be communicated and in what form. The data protection of the persons concerned must be respected in any case.
Equal opportunities in education
In the spirit of equal opportunities in education, the Science Olympiad's educational programme is open to adolescents with physical or mental impairments, disabilities or chronic illnesses. Our aim is to make learning and examination situations as barrier-free as possible and to enable all adolescents to participate fairly. Participants should benefit optimally from our support and be able to demonstrate their skills.
This is in line with the Disability Discrimination Act:
Disability is not a fixed characteristic of the person, but the result of the interaction between obstacles in the environment and existing functional limitations. It is the task and duty of the state and public institutions to prevent, reduce or eliminate disadvantages due to impairment. Discrimination occurs when people with a disability are treated differently to people without a disability or are even treated worse than them, or if there is no difference in treatment that is necessary for actual equality.
(cf. BehiG, Art. 2)
Literature and links
Studer, M. (2019). Compensation for disadvantages at grammar school. A handbook for use in practice. Wetzikon: Verlag am Tobelacker.
Basics and specialised agencies: Swissuniability - Network Study and Disability Switzerland, Federal Bureau for the Equality of Persons with Disabilities EBGB
Compensation for disadvantages: Counselling offered by the University of Bern on the awarding of compensation for disadvantages
Transport aids: Tixi (Betax) transport service, Red Cross transport service
Written interpreter: Pro audito