The Department of Disability Studies (DDS) aims to become a centre of excellence for teaching, professional skills development and research on disability issues in Sri Lanka. It is the only government institute in Sri Lanka that offers an undergraduate study programme in audiology and speech and language therapy.

At the DDS, all teaching and research programmes are underpinned by a disability studies paradigm. The DDS builds capacity through an undergraduate curriculum that combines academics and clinical experience. The high quality and accessible programme targets a variety of disciplines, extending beyond but including the traditional health and human services professions.

The overall aim of the study programme is to train competent audiologists and speech and language therapists who have the necessary knowledge, attitudes and skills to provide a range of rehabilitation services for children and adults with communication disorders and their families.

The duration of the degree programme is 4 years full time with 2 semesters in each year. The curriculum consists of a modular structure, which includes both theoretical classroom based learning and practical experience in a variety of settings including hospitals, schools and rehabilitation centers. Each module has a summative assessment or a combination of formative and summative assessments, and the students are required to pass all assessments in order to qualify.

Successful completion of the programme requires a student to accrue 120 credits, leading to a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Speech and Hearing Sciences.