Information for Staff

The Disability Service can help staff to provide the best possible environment for students.  We can assist you to understand the guiding policies behind our Disability Action Plan and offer advice on individual student situations.

The University Disability Action Plan

The University's Disability Action Plan reflects the philosophy that provisions for students with a disability or medical condition should be 'normalised' as much as possible. In other words, all efforts should be made by each Faculty, School and Department to utilize inclusive practices and adjustments to reflect the same conditions as students who do not have a disability or medical condition. Students with a disability or medical condition should not be advantaged, disadvantaged or marginalised.

Audio Streaming and providing lecture notes on Access Adelaide as standard practice are two examples of inclusive practice that avoid the need to create 'special cases' for students with disabilities or medical conditions. Another way in which Faculties, Schools and Departments can minimise exclusivity is by facilitating alternative examination arrangements 'in house' for examinations not scheduled by the Examinations Office.

Physical access on campus needs to reflect and support this philosophy.

The Disability Service is keen to work with University staff to enhance inclusive practices for students with disabilities and medical conditions and avoid any negative impact on their studies. The Disability Advisor (DA) is available as a consultant to this end. 

Guiding policies of The University of Adelaide

• Reasonable Adjustments to Teaching and Assessment for Students with a Disability policy
• Alternative Examinations Arrangements Policy
• Disability Action Plan
• Infectious & Communicable Diseases - OHS
• Students Grievance Resolution Policy

Other resources for staff

• Discipline of Higher Education, School of Education
• the 'Teaching and Learning' section of Students with Disabilities: Code of Practice for Australian Tertiary Institutions
• the AVCC Guidelines
• the section of the Disability Discrimination Act that deals with education
• the 'Frequently Asked Questions' page relating to Disability Rights and Education on the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's website
• Universal Design in Teaching
• CATS (Creative Accessible Teaching & Support)
• DEMOS Project accessible websites
• University of Adelaide website accessibility 

Further clarification can be obtained from the Disability Service.