Disability Specific Adjustments
Acquired Brain Injury | ADHD | Autism Spectrum Condition | Blind and Vision Impaired | Deaf and Hearing Impaired | Health Conditions | Intellectual Disability | Specific Learning Disability | Mental Health Condition | Multiple Chemical Sensitivity | Physical Disability
The primary responsibility of any post secondary education provider is to provide the best possible academic experience for all students. Students may reach their goals and realise their potential in different ways – and this is true particularly for students with disability. Central to the role of disability practitioner is assisting students and staff understand the implications of disability on study and assessment, and identification of appropriate adjustments.
Determining the reasonableness of appropriate accommodations or adjustments for disability requires careful consideration and care. Given the highly individual nature of disability and the vast range of competencies required in different courses there is no single formula or set of rules to assist in this activity. However, a range of alternative assessment strategies for students with different types of disability have been used very successfully in post secondary education sector in Australia and overseas.
This section provides an overview of some disability and health conditions and outlines the usual impact of the disability on the individual, and suggests some adjustments that can be implemented. It is not a comprehensive list of disability or learning adjustments, but it will be a useful starting point for your work with students and staff. However, remember each person's experience of disability is multidimensional and complex and the guiding principles that underlie these suggestions are that learning adjustments should always:
- be negotiated by the student and staff;
- consider the individual student’s needs;
- maintain the integrity of academic standards; and
- be applied flexibly