COLLEGE students from across the west of Scotland who have additional needs now have a new resource centre in Greenock.

The Finnart Street campus of West College Scotland (WCS) has been chosen to host a sensory services resource centre that will also be used by students who have hearing and visual impairments.

Specialist staff and resources are there to help and advise students and staff about sensory conditions and their impact on learning.

The new facility was opened by college assistant principal, Angela Pignatelli.

She said: “The students are fully immersed in the college mainstream business, but this provides them with an extra layer of support in order to help them with their studies.

“They are being led by a team of advisers, co-ordinators and George Smith, the enabling services manager, to guide them through that process.

“We have new ‘assistive’ technologies, and, through a re-structure, we have some additional support staff.”

Ms Pignatelli said Greenock was chosen for the new hub because the campus already has a number of students using British Sign Language (BSL).

She added: “The adult resource centre already had a first-class reputation, so students from the three campuses are now coming here because they’ve heard of it.”

Student Amy Murray, 22, of Greenock is studying for an HND in graphic design and hopes to go on to the University of the West of Scotland in Ayr in August.

Speaking through a BSL interpreter, she said she appreciated the extra support being made available.

Amy said: “I enjoy going to college because you’re free to express yourself.”

Mr Smith, inset, says the Greenock campus is historically a centre of excellence for students with visual or hearing impairment.

Sharon Brophy, sensory services support co-ordinator, added: “The new hub is not just about education, but about bringing people together.

“People with visual or hearing impairments can sometimes feel isolated, so this gives them more freedom.”

The Greenock campus has five students who are completely deaf, and a number who have visual difficulties.

Mr Smith added: “They are all in mainstream education, but will benefit from this additional support.”