08DISCOVER FEATUREMuhamad Haziq Shafiq Aisha was led on stage by his father to receive his certificate from His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu‘izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, Pro Chancellor of UBD. Photo: Azhar IsmatMuhamad Haziq Shafiq Aisha attributes his success to support from his family. Photo: Courtesy of RTBOvercoming Obstacles as a Special Needs GraduateMuhamad Haziq Shafiq Aisha recently completed four years of study in Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (Malay Language & Linguistics). Humble and soft spoken, he was quick to acknowledge the assistance from his friends, lecturers and family in his pursuit of higher education.While his coursemates were helpful, they treated him no differently. They were all undergraduates with the same goal in mind. He shared that from admission right up to the final examinations, lecturers also treated him like any other university student. This was especially the case when it came to deadlines for submitting assignments. “I feel proud of UBD for not seeing me as someone with special needs,” he said. “Then, I could compete with my peers on somewhat the same level.”With a deep interest in Malay Language and Linguistics, Haziq intends to further his studies and pursue Masters in a similar field. He hopes to be a lecturer one day.UBD welcomes a diverse population of students, including those with a variety of special needs. The Centre for Students with Diverse Learning Needs (CDLearn) in UBD was established to meet the needs of students with diverse learning needs by providing best practice procedures from admission to employment. This includes accessibility and assistance for students with physical and mental health problems, learning difficulties, visual and hearing impairments and other conditions. Resources and facilities at the centre include the production of Braille and other embossed materials for students with visual impairments, the tape recording of learning and teaching material, enlargement of learning and teaching materials, e-mail services for students with diverse learning needs, support for students with special needs during lectures and examinations, provision of computers and computer services, provision of modified writing desks, chairs and tables, counseling for students with diverse needs, their parents and lecturers, as well as other assistive technologies.During the Convocation Ceremony, Haziq’s father led him up on stage as His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Hassanal Bolkiah Mu‘izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, Pro Chancellor of UBD bestowed upon him his certificate. Haziq may not have been able to see for himself the grandeur of the event but the audience could see how his hands held the certificate firmly.UBD is committed to continuing to create an inclusive and accessible environment for all students which is in line with the Ministry of Education’s inclusive education policy by creating a conducive learning environment that meets the educational needs of individual students.University life can be hard for anybody but the added challenge of being visually impaired did not hinder one of this year’s graduates.
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