The Accessibility Service provides the following support services to assist with accessible participation for learning and assist UTS to comply with legislative requirements (Disability Discrimination Act and the Disability Standards for Education).
Supporting research and PhD students
While the support services can be useful and accessed by research and PhD students, there are some further considerations for supporting this group of students:
- Research and PhD students may have unique access requirements depending on their area of study related to the impacts of their disability / health condition.
- Accessibility Service encourages research and PhD students to be referred to Accessibility as prospective students or at the beginning of their study.
- Joint meetings with research supervisor/s, Accessibility Consultant and the student are welcome to assist in planning and sharing knowledge to identify any access requirements and support required and how this can be implemented.
- It may be important for the student to make an application to the NDIS (opens external site) which can be a lengthy process and best if it’s identified as early as possible.
Notetaking
Notetaking services are provided to students whose disability / health condition impacts on their notetaking. For example, concentration or speed due to processing or mobility impacts as well as assist with ensuring information is captured for those with hearing or vision loss. Notetaking can also assist students with attendance difficulties.
Notetakers are casual employees of the university, selected and trained by the Accessibility Service, including disability awareness and confidentiality. Notetakers do not share information about the student they are taking notes for, including who the student is, to assist in maintaining confidentiality.
Notetaking is available for scheduled class activities, most commonly lectures but ranging through to seminars, practical classes and field trips. Notetakers are usually students in the same or a similar discipline as the student and further ahead in the course. Less commonly, Notetakers are enrolled in the same subject as the student.
Notetakers will introduce themselves to the academic at the beginning of the first class they attend and provide a written outline about their role and Accessibility Service contact details to discuss any concerns.
Academics can support the notetaker by:
- considering the notetaker when breaking students into smaller groups, keeping in mind the student may not want the Notetaker sitting next to them or may require the notetaker to sit next to them – they will have had a conversation about these details beforehand, in most cases, so best to let the notetaker determine which group. In some cases, the notetaker will not be required for smaller groupwork activities
- the notetaker may request feedback on their notes from the academic
- if the notetaker is not enrolled in the subject, they should not join any discussion or participate in the class.
If detailed information such as slides are available for students to access prior to class, it’s a more inclusive learning environment and in many cases means that a notetaking service is not required.
Notetaking is not a substitution for meeting attendance requirements, even if the student is receiving notetaking to assist with missed classes. If there is an attendance requirement, the student needs to follow the processes for the subject if they miss class and may need to request an alternative for attendance requirements via their Accessibility Consultant.
If there are particular activities or logistics in your class that need further consideration for providing notetaking or if you have any concerns, please contact the accessibility administrator to discuss: Accessibility@uts.edu.au
Auslan interpreters and live captioning services
Auslan interpreters or live captioning services are provided for students who are profoundly deaf, and where notetaking is not adequate.
Two interpreters are required to deliver Auslan interpreting and they need to be located alongside the academic / presenter, with a clear line of sight to the student. It’s helpful for the Auslan interpreter to have access to information prior to the class to ensure they are familiar with the information and useful for the academic’s delivery be well paced and not too fast.
Live captioning provides a word for word transcript of the speaker in real time. It may be delivered remotely or a stenographer / external supplier may attend the class. The student may need to sit next to the Stenographer or simply read from their ipad/laptop screen, to receive the information.
These services are integral for the student to access class material and also expensive to supply. It’s imperative that any class time or location changes are kept up to date on the UTS timetable site, to ensure the supplier has the correct details for service provision.
Audio recording
Audio recordings of lectures are provided for students who may have difficulties with attendance or processing / concentration, to assist them in reviewing and filling in gaps of their own notes.
Recordings are delivered by AVS as requested by Accessibility Service. Permission from academics is requested, prior to any recordings being implemented. Students are required to sign an agreement that includes only using the recordings for their own study purposes and cannot share the recordings.
Audio recording is not a substitution for meeting attendance requirements, even if the student is receiving recordings to assist with missed classes. If there is an attendance requirement, the student needs to follow the processes for the subject if they miss class and may need to request an alternative for attendance requirements via their Accessibility Consultant.
Alternative formats
It’s expected that subject coordinators will source, create and use accessible versions of materials to assist with providing accessible learning environments and the alternative format service remains an assistive option for when this is not possible.
In some cases course materials may need to be converted into an alternative format to provide access for students with a disability / health condition which impacts on their access to printed documents. For example, reading speed or processing, vision and mobility. To enable students to access their course materials, they may need to be available in text PDF, Word or Audio/MP3
Accessibility Service request the course materials for subject to be identified / supplied from the subject coordinator and the Library Alternative Formats service arrange for the material to be converted into the accessible format. It’s important to remember to include all the subject material such as class handout and additional articles posted on Canvas.
Conversion of material can be a lengthy process, taking up to 4-6 weeks. Legislation requires all students to have timely access to their course material, making it important for the information to be provided promptly after it is requested.
Accessibility assistants
Accessibility assistants are casual employees of the university, selected and trained by the Accessibility Service, including disability awareness and confidentiality.
Accessibility assistants are provided to assist with students’ access and participation where other strategies or technology does not adequately meet this need. Typically, assistants may assist with manoeuvring equipment in practical classes based on instructions by a student with mobility impacts; confirming or stating colours for students with colour blindness; explaining diagrams for students with vision loss; assisting with transition and wayfinding as well as providing in class assistance with prompting / clarification of instructions / actions for students with autism.
There may be safety requirements such as induction or training the accessibility assistant completes prior to attending class such as practical / lab classes. They may also require to be adequately educated or trained in the area they are assisting. Please advise Accessibility Service if there are any safety or other requirements that need to be considered for accessibility assistants attending your subject.
Accessibility assistants do not assist with personal care. External support workers may come onto campus to provide personal care and are usually provided by an external arrangement and via the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) (opens external site).
The NDIS program may approve external support workers to assist students in class with personal care. Some guidelines are currently being drafted by Equity and Diversity Unit to assist in guiding how this support can be implemented at UTS while ensuring that all requirements and impacts are being met / considered.
Types of requests
If a request is not approved, it’s important to provide a rationale / justification for the decision and an alternative accommodation wherever possible. This not only assists the university to meet legislative obligations but also assists with students understanding of reasonable accommodations for their course.
Academic staff are welcome to discuss requests, including alternative options for accommodating the student with their Accessibility Consultant who can also consult with the student. It may also be useful to discuss with the ALO and consultation on what is reasonable can be sought from the Equity and Diversity Unit.
*census dates
Extensions
Extensions are the most common form of accommodating students with disabilities. Students are encouraged to use the faculty process for extensions up to one week, directly to their subject coordinator and often works best when they have organised for an Information to Academics communication to give the academic some further background related to their need for extension requests.
Due to the severity, complexity or unpredictability of the disability / health conditions students are managing, lengthy or additional extensions it may be requested / required. Such requests area considered on an individual basis and in relation to the subject.
Some considerations for lengthy or additional extensions may include: progress that is being made towards completion; whether feedback on work completed to date can be provided to assist in further progression; the amount of time the student has been unable to work on the assessment; if assessments are being returned to other students can an alternative question / assessment be offered; the overall amount of assessment work that is due in relation to the amount of time left in the teaching session; withheld marks to assist in the administration of assessments submitted after the end of the teaching period.
Alternative assessments
Alternative assessments provide a different way of demonstrating the knowledge or assessment requirements for a particular task and are requested in relation to the impacts of the students’ disability / health condition where they may be unable to adequately demonstrate their knowledge using the technique / method requested.
Prior to requesting an alternative assessment Accessibility Consultants explore ways the student can be accommodated such as exam provisions; strategies for the Student to use to manage the impacts of their disability/health condition in relation to the assessment. Alternative assessments are requested where other accommodations or technology do not adequately meet the students’ needs for participation and are supported by health professionals documents.
Some common examples include alternative assessments for group work, presentations, attendance requirements and exams.
Some considerations for alternative assessments may include: the amount of group work / presentations required across the students subjects for the session – it may be possible for the student to manage with a small number of group work / presentation assessments but not possible to manage with all of them; previous demonstration of group work / presentation skills; whether the purpose of attendance can be demonstrated in another way such as submission of written work to demonstrated knowledge / keeping up with subject content; the students’ performance in non-exam assessments and difference in demonstrating knowledge using methods other than exam environments.
Attendance requirements
If students are unable to meet subject attendance requirements, they may request an alternative to meet the purpose of the attendance requirement. Students may make this request at the beginning of session, if it’s known the request is needed or it may be made throughout the session once the student becomes aware they will be unable to meet an attendance requirement. Students may also flag the possibility of a need for an attendance alternative via an Information to Academics Communication from their Accessibility Consultant.
Accessibility Consultants work with students to provide strategies on managing the impacts of their disability / health upon attendance, including timetable change requests and require supporting documentation from a health professional.
Some alternatives may include written work; an agreed adjustment on the attendance requirement, considering the student circumstances; re-weighting onto another assessment or consideration of the student participation when attending class.
Placements
Accessibility Consultants can provide recommendations for accommodating students on placement or internship. Processes are in place for Faculty of Health and FASS (Education) with courses requiring placements each teaching session.
Such procedures include consultation with the student to identify accommodations and strategies for managing impacts of their disability/health condition, including meeting with the ALO for more complex accommodations; recommendations from Accessibility; approval by the ALO, including consultation with the directors of placement, for complex requests.
Accessibility Service does not communicate with external placement organisations but can prepare information for the faculty to provide to placement organisations about individual students’ information, arrangements and requests. Student consent is required for these communications
If staff hold concerns about students going on placement they can discuss with the faculty ALO and refer the student to Accessibility Service.
ADCET – Fieldwork and Placement provides further information about reasonable accommodations on placement (opens external site)
Support and management plans
Additional and less frequent assistance may include:
- Communication plans for students with autism or experiencing communication / social impacts; Health and Safety Management Plans for the university and student to manage safety risks related to EHS; Travel Management Plans for students participating in International Studies – In Country Study.
Inclusive practices
Information to academics
Where there is a need for academics to assist / be aware of a student’s access requirements or involved in implementing these and with the students provide consent, their Accessibility Consultant will provide an Information to academics communication, via email to subject coordinators (including other subject academic staff where identified / needed). The information to academics communication outlines:
- the impacts of the students disability / health condition in the learning environment
- any support services in place by Accessibility Service
- an outline of the types of requests the student may need to make during the session
- requests to implement access requirements such as inclusive practices; exam provisions for faculty based exams; extensions; alternative assessments.
The Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) (opens external site) is a useful resource, providing information in order to facilitate successful outcomes and improve the educational experience for students with disability, ADCET provides information, advice and resources to disability practitioners, academics, teachers and students on inclusive practices within the higher education sector.