By Geoff Adams-Spink BBC News Online disability affairs reporter

Anthony Ford-Shubrook took legal action to secure a college place

A seventeen-year-old boy made legal history recently by successfully forcing his local sixth form college to give him a place.

Anthony Ford-Shubrook wanted to study A-levels in geography and double information technology at St Dominic's college in Harrow, north-west London.

But the college said that, because the IT room was on the first floor and there was no lift, he would be unable to have a place.

His parents suggested using a climbing wheelchair but St Dominic's said this would pose a health and safety problem for other students.

The Ford-Shubrooks - supported by the Disability Rights Commission - applied for a mandatory injunction to force the college to admit him.

Alterations

From 1 September 2003 the second phase of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA), covering the provision of support services like sign language interpreters and equipment, became law.

And from September 2005 educational establishments will have to make physical alterations to buildings to improve access.

But while Anthony Ford-Shubrook may now be getting down to his studies, others are not so fortunate.

The disability charity Scope says discrimination against disabled students is commonplace.

"Many schools and colleges are still unaware or unconcerned about their obligations, and as a result far too many disabled students are being refused their rights to an education purely through ignorance and fear," said Tony Manwaring, Scope's chief executive.

Deaf student hopefuls sample campus life in Sheffield

The Disability Rights Commission reckons that those with a disability are "half as likely to go to university, half as likely to get qualifications and half as likely to get a job".

"The biggest problem is academic standards," according to the commission's Neil Crowther.

"We're dealing with a traditionally conservative sector with a history of autonomy.

"For instance universities can still refuse to make adjustments to exams - and examination bodies aren't yet covered by the law," he said.

And he says that qualifying bodies like the General Medical Council and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons can be equally reluctant to look at new ways of examining students.

"Some disabled students would simply be unable to birth a calf, but they could direct someone else to do it," he said.

He believes that accommodating disabled students should be the catalyst for some innovative thinking in ways of testing knowledge and skills.

Planning

Others, like Jenny Knox, policy director of Skill - the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities - worry that some institutions still have their heads in the sand.

"They've usually heard about the new legislation but don't know how it affects them," she said.

"It's an 'anticipatory duty' - provision has to be made on the premise that a disabled person might need to access a particular course."

But there are examples of considerable planning and resources going into disabled student provision.

The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) has linked up with Barclays plc to provide almost �200,000 for colleges and universities who are making provision for deaf and hard of hearing students.

'Victims of success'

One of the leaders in the field, the University of Central Lancashire (Uclan), is expecting to welcome 40 deaf and hard of hearing students this autumn, bringing the total number to more than 70, and its total population of disabled students to more than a thousand.

The University of Central Lancashire has recruited many interpreters

Lynne Barnes, from Uclan's deaf studies department, told BBC News Online she was worried they were becoming a victim of their own success.

"I think we've booked just about every British Sign Language interpreter in the North-West to support our students. Any more and we'd be in trouble," she said.

Uclan's expertise in the field will be used to spread best practice to other institutions via the RNID/Barclays partnership.

And the Higher Education Funding Council for England has contracted a group of specialists - the National Disability Team - to provide advice on appropriate adjustments.

The team - which covers England and Northern Ireland - is funding 55 projects and has set up a helpline and an FAQ section on its website.

A similar body has been set up for Scotland.

Jenny Knox of Skill thinks the next hurdle will be 2005 when hundreds of old buildings will have to be made accessible.

"Bringing that many buildings up to scratch is never going to happen unless people start planning now."