National Learning Network Student Support Services

Áine Nally

My name is Áine and I am the Student Support Officer (SSO) at Ballyfermot College of Further Education. If you are starting a course here at the college and have a disability, specific learning difficulty or other support need, please contact me when you have been offered a place, or as soon as possible after starting your course.

How can you contact us?

You can contact Áine by email: aine.nally@nln.ie, or by mobile phone/text on 087 4067762.

You can also make an appointment to meet Áine in her Main Building office. Aine is in the college on Thursdays.

Who does the Student Support Service (SSS) support?

A wide variety of students who live with a variety of disabilities are supported through our service every year at the college. Examples include:

Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Deaf/Hard of Hearing (HOH)
Developmental Coordination Disorder, Dyspraxia
Mental Health Difficulty
Ongoing Illness, health condition e.g., Cystic Fibrosis, Diabetes
Physical Disability
Specific Learning Difficulty, Dyslexia
Speech and Language Difficulty
Visual Impairment

How do you register with the SSS?

Prior to registering for this service, you need to read the information in relation to the Student Support Service for clarity around what the service is and what supports are available. The two documents to read are:

You then need to complete the Needs Assessment Form which gives you an opportunity to provide information describing the impact of your disability in the learning environment. You can outline the supports you received at school, for example learning supports and exam accommodations. This Needs Assessment Form will also ask you to consider the supports that you will require to complete your course in the college. When you have completed the form, please email it to me, aine.nally@nln.ie, with medial evidence confirming your disability/difficulty. Please note, a letter from your GP is not sufficient, Documentation is required from a specialist/consultant.

Needs Assessment Form

In summary there are three steps to apply for this additional funding and support:

The student completes the Needs Assessment Form and returns it to the Student Support Officer, Aine Nally at aine.nally@nln.ie
The student makes an appointment (via email or telephone at 087 406 7762) with the Student Support Officer to discuss their completed assessment form and application.
The Student Support Officer will apply to the Fund for Students with Disabilities on the student’s behalf.

For more information about Categories covered by the Fund for Students with Disabilities, Evidence required as part of your application, Useful Contacts & Exam accommodations please view the Information for Students with Disabilities, Health Conditions and or Specific Learning Difficulties document.

What does the Student Support Officer (SSO) do and supports can you get?

As SSO, I am a link and advocate for students with disabilities and additional support needs. I have a key understanding of disability challenges in Further Education, and I appreciate the individuality of students with disabilities and the diversity of needs which students may have in the learning environment. One of my key roles is to apply, on behalf of students, to the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD). Within the limits of available resources, and subject to funding approval, the following are the types of supports available to students who fulfil criteria for FSD:

Irish Sign Language Interpreter
Academic Personal Assistant
Funding towards taxi costs
Assistive Technology and Software
Academic Support

Exam Accommodations

If you have been granted reasonable accommodations for your Junior/Leaving Cert, and you can provide me with documentary evidence of this, you can avail of the same accommodations for end of year exams at the college. Examples of reasonable accommodations include a reader, scribe, extra time, spelling and grammar waiver, rest breaks etc.

EXAM ACCOMMODATIONS MUST BE APPLIED FOR BY FRIDAY 24TH OF OCTOBER 2025

REMEMBER The SSO Service acknowledges that college students are adults and encourages you to take charge of your learning and educational progression. We encourage you to access the supports you have requested and to inform us if your requirements change during the academic year.