Morning all,
Interesting question, particularly in these PC times. I suspect however that the issue is nothing to do with whether the student has a disability and is purely to do with whether they can fly safely after a licence is granted.
This in turn should depend on PRACTICAL assessments of their abilities with particular emphasis on what happens in the air. To be a PIC the ability to plan, calculate and take in written information en route is a pre requisite, otherwise an unexpected event could become something of a show stopper.
On the ground, I guess the situation is a little less clear - we all use aids to help us plan (whizz wheels, glasses, computers, other pilot's knowledge) so the measure is whether the necessary information is demonstrably absorbed and understood with normally available help - for exams, the method of asking the question is often unrealistic (seldom are problems in real life presented in written multi choice format) and therefore it is reasonable to alter the method or medium of questioning to make the problem more readily understandable however being able to rely on memory, intelligence and reasoning to provide the correct solution will always be a pre requisite.
Ultimately, there will always be people that are unable to reach the required standard to fly for a variety of reasons and some of these reasons will relate to student capability as measured by the real life requirements of the task.
If capability can be enhanced or the required level reduced through safe technological aid and development then why not?
Regards all, enq.