Student Accessibility Procedure

1. Purpose

1.1 The Student Accessibility Procedure (the procedure) supports the implementation of the Accessibility and Inclusion Policy (the policy) by:

1. outlining how UTS provides reasonable adjustments for students living with a disability
2. providing guidance for students applying for reasonable adjustments, and
3. providing guidance for staff approving and managing reasonable adjustments.

2. Scope

2.1 This procedure applies to the provision of reasonable adjustments for students in line with the policy.

3. Principles

3.1 The principles outlined in the policy apply for this procedure. The following principles are in addition to those outlined in the policy.

3.2 UTS is committed to an inclusive educational environment. To meet that commitment, UTS will work with students with a health condition or disability to provide reasonable adjustments, allowing students the opportunity to participate in learning opportunities and demonstrate their knowledge for course and assessment requirements.

3.3 Diversity and access requirements (and relevant adjustments) are considered a part of and, where necessary, incorporated into the following UTS teaching and learning processes:

1. development of special admissions schemes (refer Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy)
2. development of award courses and admissions requirements, including inherent requirements, which must be reviewed as part of a course review process (refer the Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy, the Course Approval Policy and Inherent requirements)
3. management of internships and student participation in internships (refer Internships Management Policy)
4. coursework assessments and examination provisions for students, including reasonable adjustments, special consideration and a disruption to an assessment (refer the Coursework Assessments Policy, the Coursework Assessments Procedure and section 8, Student Rules)
5. development of students’ English language proficiency through university programs and initiatives (for example, HELPS) (refer English Language Policy)
6. provision and supervision of graduate research courses (refer Graduate Research and Supervision Policy), and  
7. development of short forms of learning and enterprise learning (refer Short Forms of Learning Policy). 

3.4 In addition to the above processes, UTS will work to mitigate any flow-on effects of disability or accessibility requirements through appropriate accommodations related to teaching and learning and research activities.

4. Procedure statements

Accessibility services  

4.1 The Accessibility Service:

1. provides guidance and support for students with access requirements (refer Services and assistance)
2. provides advice for UTS staff supporting students with access requirements in accordance with the Disability Standards for Education 2005 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cwlth) (refer Services for students (Staff Connect))
3. works with faculty academic liaison officers (ALOs) to meet individual student access requirements.

4.2 Support services for current UTS students include, but are not limited to:

1. notetaking, live captioning, Auslan interpreters, accessibility assistants and assistive technology access
2. identifying learning and assessment arrangements, including internship support
3. support and strategies to assist with managing impacts on study.

How to register with the Accessibility Service

4.3 No student is obliged to disclose a disability. However, students are encouraged to make an appointment with an accessibility consultant (the consultant) in the Accessibility Service to determine eligibility for support (refer Register with the Accessibility Service). Appointments are available on-campus, online or by phone.

4.4 Students wishing to register with the Accessibility Service must provide medical documentation from a relevant registered health professional.

4.5 The consultant will meet with the student to discuss their situation and how their disability impacts, may impact or is impacted by the teaching and learning experience in the context of their course and the physical campus.

4.6 In the initial meeting, the consultant and student will confirm registration and consider specific requirements and potential strategies to support the student’s access to learning. These strategies and supports will be finalised by the development of an access plan (refer Access plan and exam provisions).

4.7 In some cases, further guidance and information may be requested from the student’s health professional to ensure recommendations are appropriate.

4.8 Students may be registered with the Accessibility Service on a permanent basis (for the duration of their course) or on a temporary basis (for the duration of their disability or injury). Adjustments may be permanent or temporary in response to the specific needs of the student.

Access plan and exam provisions

4.9 The access plan includes support services that will be provided by either the Accessibility Service and/or the faculty and will include requests for reasonable adjustments to support the student throughout their course or for the relevant period as required.

4.10 The Accessibility Service will prepare the access plan in consultation with the student and will provide the faculty ALO an outline of identified supports, including requests for exam provisions, inclusive practices and likely reasonable adjustments. This process assists in identifying any implications of a proposed reasonable adjustment, ensuring alignment with the inherent requirements of the course.

4.11 Information on these supports, and how they may be used, will normally be included as part of the access plan development, however students and staff may contact the Accessibility Service for guidance and information.

4.12 The ALO is responsible for approving exam provisions in line with section 8, Student Rules and, in doing so, ensuring that the academic integrity of assessments is maintained. Further details, including categories of exam provisions, are listed at Exam provisions.   

4.13 Faculties are responsible for implementing the approved exam provisions outlined in the access plan for faculty-based exams. The Lifetime Learner Experience Unit (LLEU) is responsible for implementing approved exam provisions for centrally conducted exams in line with Rule 9.3 (refer Lifetime Learner Experience Unit Hub: Exam Provisions (SharePoint)).

4.14 Where required, and with the student's consent, the consultant will draft an information to academics communication. This communication is provided to the subject coordinator (and other academic or faculty staff where agreed and required) outlining:

1. the impacts of the student’s disability or health condition in the learning environment
2. support services facilitated by the Accessibility Service
3. requests to implement access requirements (for example, inclusive practices and exam provisions for faculty-based exams)
4. requests the student may need to make during the session (for example, extensions and alternative assessments).

4.15 Requests will be sent to the subject coordinator via the Accessibility Service. The subject coordinator may approve the requests or work with the consultant to find an alternative approach if the request(s) cannot be accommodated. Requests may also be referred to the ALO for consultation and review. Advice is available from the consultant at any time during this process.

Managing conflicts

4.16 With the aim of resolving issues early and providing appropriate support, students should raise any issues or concerns with their access plan, proposed supports or exam provisions with their consultant in the first instance. Where issues are not resolved or cannot be addressed, students can make an appeal to their responsible academic officer (RAO).

4.17 RAOs are responsible for resolving:

1. student issues regarding the provision of learning and assessment arrangements, and
2. significant differences of opinion between the consultant, academic staff and the ALO about reasonable adjustments.

4.18 Students may submit a complaint in line with the Student Complaints Policy if they feel their issue or concern has not been resolved.

Privacy and health information

4.19 To comply with the Privacy Policy, communications between the Accessibility Service and faculty staff about a student’s access requirements (as part of their access plan) need written consent from the student via the information to academics communication (refer Access plan and exam provisions). This comes with the understanding that if students do not make requests or provide consent when registering with the Accessibility Service the faculty is unable to provide reasonable adjustments.

Change of circumstance

4.20 Students are not required to complete special consideration applications for requests that are directly related to their registered disability. Students have already provided medical documentation outlining the impacts of their disability and should not be required to continually provide repeated information or verification about the impacts of their disability (noting that the Accessibility Service may request further or more specific documentation in relation to additional requests or access plan changes).

4.21 Students must re-register with the Accessibility Service if they change or transfer courses and/or notify the Accessibility Service if their health requirements change. This is to ensure that their access plans continue to meet specific course requirements and individual accessibility needs.

Guidance and support for staff

4.22 As a first point of contact, academic staff may refer students to the Accessibility Service.

4.23 The Accessibility Service and the Inclusive Practices team, Learning Design and Technology Unit, have developed resources, workshops and guidance for staff and faculties to facilitate student success through the development of accessible teaching practices and content (refer Education Express: Resources and Information for staff supporting student access and inclusion).

4.24 Faculties are responsible for adapting their content and teaching practices as appropriate in response to the advice from the Inclusive Practices team, Learning Design and Technology Unit.

4.25 Faculties may seek guidance from the consultant and ALOs at any time to meet accommodations in a student’s access plan.

4.26 The Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) is a useful resource, providing information, advice and resources to disability practitioners, academics, teachers and students on inclusive practices in the higher education sector.

Roles and responsibilities

5.1 Procedure owner: The Director, Student Services is responsible for procedure enforcement and compliance, ensuring that its principles and statements are observed.

5.2 Procedure contact: The Accessibility Service is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of this procedure and acts as a primary point of contact for advice on fulfilling its provisions.

5.3 Implementation and governance roles:

Academic liaison officers and responsible academic officers support this procedure at a faculty level.

The Lifetime Learner Experience Unit supports student administration processes and the implementation of exam provisions for centrally conducted exams.

The Inclusive Practices team, Learning Design and Technology Unit is responsible for providing advice and resources.

The Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion is responsible for providing specialist advice regarding disability and compliance, including liaising with relevant agencies and units.

6. Definitions

The definitions in the Accessibility and Inclusion Policy apply for this procedure. These are in addition to the definitions outlined in Schedule 1, Student Rules. Definitions in the singular also include the plural meaning of the word.

Academic liaison officer (ALO) is defined in Schedule 1, Student Rules. For clarity, ALOs are academic staff in each faculty who assist students with:

1. disabilities and/or ongoing health conditions, and
2. carer responsibilities or students who are pregnant (refer Staff and Students with Carer Responsibilities Policy and Information for student parents/carers).

Access plan means the formal plan that is developed between the student, the Accessibility Service and the faculty to provide equity where possible for students with a disability to help them succeed in their university education.