Services Available
- Reasonable adjustment
- Alternative assessment
- Disability support worker
- Sign language interpreters (SLI)
The AccessAbility support team is able to offer you a range of services that have been established for your benefit.
Reasonable adjustment
Reasonable adjustments lessen the impact that a disability has on a student while they are studying and maximises the opportunity for success for an individual with a disability.
They do not provide an individual with a disability with an unfair advantage over people who do not have a particular disability.
Reasonable adjustment is targeted specifically to meet each student's individual needs. It can include:
- a student with a learning disability being provided with handouts by the teacher to augment the spoken lecture
- providing sign language interpreting during classes for a student with a disability
- ensuring that there is adequate room in the class for a student's adaptive equipment
- allowing students to take regular breaks in class as part of back pain management strategy.
Alternative assessment
In the assessment process, consideration needs to be given to the ways in which students are able to demonstrate competency.
Institute personnel must consider the student's disability and adjust the organisational, learning and physical environment to allow assessment to occur.
Examples can include:
- allowing additional time for a student with a mental illness who experiences exam anxiety
- providing an exam reader for a student with a vision impairment
- allowing a student with a physical impairment to use a computer if his or her keyboard skills are faster than writing
- providing an oral exam for a student with a specific learning disability.
Disability Support Worker
Disability support workers can assist students with the following:
- prepare a support plan that sets out how learning support will be implemented
- prepare study plans
- prepare assignment plans
- review progress
- make time management plans
- interpret assessment requirements
- communicate with teachers and administration staff.
Disability support workers do not provide content-related tutoring as this is an educational area responsibility.
Sign language interpreters (SLI)
Australian sign language and signed English interpreters provide interpreting support to students. This support includes:
- in class
- during tutorials
- note taking.
Last updated 17 May, 2010