Procedure for Accompaniment (Assistance) of Persons with Disabilities
and Other Persons with Reduced Mobility
During the Organization of the Educational Process
and Ensuring a Safe and Barrier-Free Educational Environment
at National Aerospace University "Kharkiv Aviation Institute"
Approved by Order of the Rector
of National Aerospace University
"Kharkiv Aviation Institute"
No. 398 dated September 29, 2026
QMS KhAI-QMS-P/001:2026
Effective date: September 29, 2026
Revision No. 1
1. General Provisions
1.1. This Procedure defines the organizational foundations, procedures, and measures for accompaniment (assistance) of persons with disabilities and other persons with reduced mobility (hereinafter - PRM), ensuring their equal and unhindered access to the educational process, infrastructure facilities, information, digital resources, and services of National Aerospace University "Kharkiv Aviation Institute" (hereinafter - the University), as well as creating conditions for safe participation in the educational process, including under the legal regime of martial law.
1.2. The Procedure has been developed in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Laws of Ukraine "On Education", "On Higher Education", "On the Basics of Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities in Ukraine", "On Personal Data Protection", the Code of Civil Protection of Ukraine, the National Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Space in Ukraine for the Period up to 2030 approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 366-r dated April 14, 2021 (as amended by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 294-r dated March 25, 2025), DBN V.2.2-40:2018 "Inclusivity of Buildings and Structures. Main Provisions", DSTU EN 301 549:2022 "Information Technology. Accessibility Requirements for ICT Products and Services", the Statute of the University, and other legislative acts and local regulatory acts of the University.
1.3. The scope of this Procedure applies to higher education students, employees, applicants, visitors of the University, and other persons who belong to PRM and require assistance while staying on the territory of the University or participating in the educational process.
1.4. The provision of assistance is based on the principles of respect for personal dignity and autonomy, non-discrimination, equality of opportunity, accessibility, safety, reasonable accommodation, universal design, confidentiality, and consideration of individual needs. Assistance is provided, as a rule, after clarifying with the person the method and scope of assistance they require.
1.5. In this Procedure, the terms are used in the following meaning:
- persons with reduced mobility - persons who experience difficulties during independent movement, receiving services, obtaining necessary information, or orienting in space, in particular persons with disabilities, persons with temporary health impairments, pregnant women, elderly persons, persons with baby strollers, and other persons whose mobility is temporarily or permanently limited;
- reasonable accommodation - necessary modifications and adaptations in a particular case that ensure the realization of the right to education by a person with special educational needs on an equal basis with others and do not impose a disproportionate or undue burden;
- responsible person - a University employee designated by the head of the relevant structural unit to organize accompaniment and interaction with other services of the University;
- safe (protected) educational space - a room whose use for the educational process is permitted in accordance with the requirements of civil protection legislation and local acts of the University.
Other terms are used in the meanings defined by the legislation of Ukraine.
1.6. The need for accompaniment or reasonable accommodation cannot serve as a basis for restricting a person's right to participate in the educational process, except for restrictions directly established by legislation or conditioned by objective safety requirements.
2. Organization of Accompaniment and Access to University Facilities
2.1. The University, within its existing powers and resources, takes measures to ensure the accessibility of entrances, movement routes, educational premises, dormitories, sanitary and hygienic premises, protective structures, and other facilities used by participants in the educational process, in accordance with the requirements of legislation and building norms.
2.2. For advance organization of accompaniment, the person or their representative may inform the University about the date and time of arrival, destination, and the required type of assistance through the communication channels designated by the University. Prior notification is a right, not a mandatory condition for receiving assistance.
2.3. In case of an inquiry without prior notification, the security guard or another employee who first received the request shall ensure contact with the responsible person of the relevant structural unit. The absence of prior notification shall not be a ground for refusing assistance.
2.4. The responsible person clarifies directly with the person the required type of assistance; determines a safe and accessible route; accompanies the person to the educational, administrative, residential, or protected premises as needed; informs about accessible sanitary and hygienic facilities, evacuation routes, and other accessibility elements; and facilitates communication with the structural units of the University.
2.5. University employees are prohibited from moving a wheelchair, assistive rehabilitation devices, or personal belongings without the person's consent, touching a guide dog, or using a method of physical assistance that the person has not agreed to, except in cases of an immediate threat to life or health.
2.6. Information regarding the need for accompaniment and reasonable accommodation is processed solely to the extent necessary to organize the relevant assistance. Information about health status and other personal data with restricted access shall not be disclosed to persons not involved in organizing assistance, except in cases provided for by law.
3. Safety and Accompaniment During Air Raid Alerts and Emergency Situations
3.1. Accessibility of civil protection shelters and other premises designated for sheltering participants in the educational process is ensured in accordance with legislation, civil protection requirements, building codes, and local response plans of the University.
3.2. Routes to shelters are determined taking into account the needs of PRM and, where provided for and technically feasible, are equipped with clear visual, contrasting, and tactile navigation.
3.3. After the "Air Raid Alert" signal is sounded or in the event of an emergency, accompaniment of a person with a disability or another person from among PRM is carried out in accordance with the action algorithms, evacuation plans, and civil protection plans approved by the University. A teacher, responsible person, duty employee, or other designated staff member facilitates the safe movement of the person to the shelter, taking into account their individual needs.
3.4. The method of evacuating a person with musculoskeletal impairments is determined taking into account their condition, the recommendations of the person themselves, the technical capabilities of the building, and safety requirements. Manual carrying of a person is permitted only in the presence of an immediate threat and provided that no other safe method of evacuation is possible.
3.5. In shelters, where provided by their technical specifications, accessible spaces are designated for persons using wheelchairs or other assistive mobility devices. Access to sanitary and hygienic facilities, communication tools, and information is ensured according to the technical capabilities of the facility and legal requirements.
3.6. The presence or absence of Internet access in the shelter does not affect the priority of executing civil protection measures. Continuation of the educational process while in the shelter is permitted only subject to compliance with safety requirements and in accordance with University decisions.
4. Accessibility of the Educational Process, Information, and Digital Resources
4.1. The University provides higher education students with special educational needs with the necessary conditions for obtaining high-quality higher education, including through reasonable accommodation, accessible information formats, and assistive technologies in accordance with individual needs.
4.2. The official website, educational digital platforms, and electronic materials of the University are gradually brought into compliance with applicable digital accessibility requirements, specifically DSTU EN 301 549:2022. When creating or updating digital content, structural units take into account requirements regarding text alternatives, heading structure, contrast, scaling, keyboard navigation, and compatibility with screen reader software.
4.3. Upon a reasoned request from a student, educational materials are provided in an accessible format that meets their individual needs without changing the essence of the educational component or the intended learning outcomes. Subtitles, transcripts, or other equivalent means of access may be used for video materials; for persons with visual impairments, structured electronic documents, text alternatives to graphic information, and other compatible formats may be used.
4.4. Forms of study organization, assessment activities, and attestation for a student with special educational needs may be adapted as reasonable accommodation in accordance with legislation, the educational program, and local regulatory acts of the University, provided that academic integrity, student identification, identical requirements for program learning outcomes, and compliance with the established form of attestation are ensured.
4.5. The decision on a specific reasonable accommodation is made taking into account the student's request, the nature of their needs, educational program requirements, safety, and technical feasibility. If necessary, relevant structural units and specialists of the University are involved in determining appropriate accommodation.
4.6. Refusal of requested reasonable accommodation must be reasoned. In such a case, the person is offered, if available, another method of ensuring access that allows them to realize their right to education without lowering the established requirements for learning outcomes.
5. Responsibility, Staff Training, and Interaction
5.1. Heads of structural units, within the limits of their powers, ensure the implementation of this Procedure, designate responsible persons, and organize interaction with security, occupational safety, civil defense, administrative, and other services of the University.
5.2. The University organizes periodic training and/or instruction for employees involved in accompaniment regarding correct communication, non-discriminatory interaction, safe assistance provision, evacuation procedures, and pre-medical first aid within their competence.
5.3. Students and representatives of student self-government bodies may be involved in volunteer assistance only with their voluntary consent, after appropriate instruction, and without imposing duties on them that, under legislation or local acts, must be performed by University employees.
5.4. Employees involved in accompaniment bear responsibility for non-performance or improper performance of the duties assigned to them in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine and local regulatory acts of the University.
6. Appeals, Feedback, and Monitoring
6.1. Information regarding the procedure for receiving assistance, the process for filing appeals, and the contact details of responsible units is posted on the official website of the University in an accessible format.
6.2. A person who believes that their right to accessibility, accompaniment, or reasonable accommodation has not been ensured may appeal to the head of the relevant structural unit and/or another unit authorized by the University in accordance with the established procedure for considering appeals. Submitting an appeal (Annex) shall not entail negative consequences for the applicant.
6.3. The University monitors the accessibility of the educational environment and the practical implementation of this Procedure, taking into account appeals and proposals from higher education students, employees, and other interested parties. The monitoring results are used to plan measures for removing barriers and improving procedures.
6.4. During monitoring and the publication of its results, disclosure of personal data or information that allows the identification of a specific individual is prohibited without proper legal grounds.
7. Final Provisions
7.1. This Procedure comes into force on the date of its implementation by order of the Rector of the University.
7.2. Amendments to this Procedure are introduced and approved in accordance with the procedure established for local regulatory acts of the University.
7.3. The Procedure is subject to publication on the official website of the University in an accessible electronic format.
7.4. The Procedure shall be reviewed in the event of changes in legislation, regulatory requirements regarding barrier-free accessibility and civil protection, based on the results of monitoring its implementation, as well as if necessary, but at least once every two years.
7.5. Matters not regulated by this Procedure shall be governed by the legislation of Ukraine, the Statute, and other local regulatory acts of the University.