Disability FAQs for Students
1. Who can register with the Disability Services Centre
(DSC)? Is it only people who are blind or use wheelchairs?
2. Do I have to tell my lecturers about my disability?
3. What Services does the DSC provide?
4. Should I wait till something goes wrong to register?
5. What kind of medical documentation do I need to register
with the DSC?
6. Who fills in my special consideration forms if I get
the flu/have personal problems/cannot complete work due to my disability.
7. Where do I get help with editing my work etc?
8. What is reasonable adjustment?
9. If I register with the DSC, will it affect my chances
of employment?
10. Will other students know about my disability?
11. Is Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) or Occupational
Overuse Syndrome (OOS) a disability?
12. Does the DSC deal with Mental Health conditions?
13. Will any of this go on my Academic Transcript/record?
14. Are International Students able to register with
the DSC?
15. Does having English as second language (ESL) count
as a disability?
1. Who can register with the Disability Services Centre (DSC)? Is it only
people who are blind or use wheelchairs?
The DSC deals with a wide range of illnesses and conditions that may
affect study. They cover sensory impairments like vision and hearing,
mobility impairments, chronic medical conditions (such as Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome, Kidney Disease, Diabetes, etc.), difficulties with writing
or using a keyboard and mouse, mental health issues (such as depression
or anxiety) and learning disabilities. They deal with permanent as well
as temporary or variable conditions (such as broken legs or illnesses
like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Kidney disease.)
You will be required to provide appropriate medical documentation to
verify the illness or impairment before DSC registration can be finalised.
2. Do I have to tell my lecturers about my disability?
You have the choice about who, when and how much information about
your disability or illness you disclose to academic staff and other
people at the ANU. You will need to disclose to some parts of the university
for some adjustments (such as changes to exam conditions, note-taking
or access to some technology) to be put in place, but the DSC can act
as a filter to limit the extent and detail of disclosure to other areas
of the university, and you can choose the level and types of disclosure.
The university respects students’ rights to privacy and confidentiality
and has developed a policy
on disclosure of information by students with a disability or illness
or there is a very comprehensive resource at: http://pubsites.uws.edu.au/rdlo/disclosure/
3. What Services does the DSC provide?
The DSC will provide a range of services, depending on the nature of
the effects of the disability, the requirements of the particular courses
being studied, and your individual needs. Your Disability Advisor will
make an initial assessment of your needs, based on the medical documentation
supplied, and, in consultation with you, prepare a plan of action to
address those needs.
Some possible services include:
Advocacy
Access
Note-taking
Alternative Exam arrangements
Tutoring
Assistive Technology access, training & support
Equipment loans
Rest Area
Referral to other services or agencies (Counselling, Health, Study Skills
Centre, etc.)
Other support as needed
4. Should I wait till something goes wrong to register?
If you are aware of any health or disability issues that may present
problems for you, it is better to register as soon as possible, so that
the DSC has all the information and paperwork done so that we can assist
in dealing with any problems if they do arise. It is always much easier
dealing with these sorts of requirements earlier, rather than when the
crisis occurs. If you haven’t registered and a crisis does occur,
it is important to register as soon as possible to get things moving.
Often the earlier the university is aware of a problem, the more easily
and effectively problems can be solved and the more options are available.
Many students create unnecessary problems for themselves by delaying
telling the university about the problems until it is too late to do
much about the situation.
5. What kind of medical documentation do I need to register with the
DSC?
Documentation from a range of Health professionals is acceptable –
General Practitioners, Specialists, Psychologists, hospitals, etc are
all appropriate. Where possible, medical documentation should include
details of symptoms and possible effects on study in order to provide
a clearer basis for decision making about appropriate adjustments for
the effects of the disability or illness. A medical certificate with
vague references such as “medical condition” would not be
appropriate.
In some instances, alternative health practitioners, such as Chiropractors,
Naturopaths, etc. maybe considered as appropriate if they are the regular
practitioner used by the student, and a detailed report is provided,
but generally should be supported by other documentation.
If in doubt about the documentation you have, please contact the DSC
to discuss options.
6. Who fills in my special consideration forms if I get the flu/have
personal problems/cannot complete work due to my disability.
Who fills in the Special Consideration Form will largely depend on
the cause of the problem, who you consult and the circumstances you
face. For short term illness like the flu, you should probably contact
the Health Service or your GP for diagnosis and filling out the Special
Consideration form. Personal issues may be more likely to be the Counselling
Centre and disability issues the Disability Services Centre. However there
can be crossovers or cross-referrals so the important thing is to contact
the service you think is the right one as soon as you can. You have
3 working days after the exam to lodge Special Consideration applications
and if you have approached the wrong service, you will be referred on
to the right one.
7. Where do I get help with editing my work etc?
Usually, the most appropriate service for assistance with editing,
writing skills, essays, research, etc. would be the Academic Skills
and Learning Centre. They offer a range of courses, resources and individual
consultations which can assist in developing the necessary academic
skills to succeed at university study.
However, in some cases, such as a Learning Disability (often called
Dyslexia), there may be other strategies, such as the use of specialised
software or academic adjustments which can be of assistance. The DSC
can advise on the appropriate strategies, and organise access to relevant
resources where required. Once again, it is important to consult with
the relevant service as soon as possible to put the right strategies
in place.
8. What is reasonable adjustment?
“Reasonable Adjustment” is a legal term that refers to
the practice of making variations to the usual policies, procedures
or requirements to adjust for the effects of a person’s disability.
The purpose of such adjustments is to allow the person with a disability
to compete on their merits, rather than being unnecessarily disadvantaged
by the disability. They are not designed to give students with a disability
any advantage over other students, but rather to avoid disadvantage.
For example, a blind person would not be able to read a printed examination
paper, so a reasonable adjustment would be to provide the paper in such
a way that the person could read it, such as in electronic form, where
they could use a Screen Reader program to listen to the paper’s
content. Since this process is more time consuming than simply reading
a printed exam, they would also be given some more time to complete
the exam.
What a reasonable adjustment is will depend on the effects of the disability,
the requirements of the particular course being studied and the particular
resources available to the student and the university. It is the role
of the DSC to determine what the appropriate adjustments are for each
student with a disability registered with the unit.
9. If I register with the DSC, will it affect my chances of employment?
Registration with the DSC is confidential. There may be some level
of disclosure necessary within the university in order to provide adjustments,
but this would only be on a “need to know” basis and with
the written permission of each student. Staff may need to know that
a student is registered with the DSC, but in most cases, they do not
need to know details of a person’s disability.
Registration with the DSC does not go on a student’s academic
record, and so potential employers need not know of a student’s
registration unless the student chooses to disclose that information
to them.
One positive effect of registering with the DSC is likely to be improved
academic performance for students with disabilities having necessary
adjustments and strategies put in place, and so students are more likely
to perform to their true potential. Better results improve employment
opportunities, so students with disabilities choosing to register with
the DSC may actually improve their chances of employment.
10. Will other students know about my disability?
Over 85% of the hundreds of students registered with the DSC have “invisible”
disabilities, where the existence of the disability will not be apparent
to most people. Obvious effects of disabilities, such as using a wheelchair
or Guide Dog, will restrict the capacity of students to limit disclosure,
but most people will have the choice of whether other people know about
the disability.
Sometimes students may choose to disclose their disabilities to staff
or fellow students, and this may assist in ensuring that the effects
of the disabilities are taken into account. However, the choice as to
the timing, type and level of disclosure largely rests with each individual.
The DSC and the university as a whole respect the privacy of students
with disabilities and have a formal Policy
on Disclosure of Information by Students with a Disability or Illness
There is also a very comprehensive web resource on Disclosure at: http://pubsites.uws.edu.au/rdlo/disclosure/
which may assist people in deciding when, under what circumstances,
how much and which people they should disclose information about their
disability.
11. Is Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) or Occupational Overuse Syndrome
(OOS) a disability?
Yes. In fact, it can be a significant restriction on a person’s
capacity to study, research, write or use a computer, all of which are
fundamental to successful university study these days. The DSC has a
significant number of students registered with RSI or OOS, and we have
a range of strategies available, (such as training in the use of Voice
Recognition software and access to computers running the technology)
which can assist in dealing with the effects of the injury.
However, the best way of dealing with RSI is to avoid developing it
in the first place. To that end, the DSC has some brochures available
which can provide advice to help prevent developing the condition.
12. Does the DSC deal with Mental Health conditions?
Yes. Mental Health conditions are included in the definition of disability
in the legislation, the ANU Disability Policy and DSC procedures and
policy. We have students with a range of mental health conditions such
as Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia, Bi-Polar Disorder, Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder, etc, who are studying successfully at the ANU.
DSC Staff will not be diagnosing, counselling or attempting to treat
your illness in any way, but will be dealing with the practical impact
of the illness on your studies at the ANU.
13. Will any of this go on my Academic Transcript/record?
No. The DSC keeps files and a database on registered students, but
they are all confidential, with strictly restricted access. There is
no transfer of information to your academic record.
14. Are International Students able to register with the DSC?
Yes. International students have the same rights to adjustments for
the effects of their disabilities on study as any other students. They
can register with the DSC under the same conditions and procedures.
That includes the need to provide appropriate medical documentation
before registration can be finalised.
15. Does having English as second language (ESL) count as a disability?
No. Even though students may be disadvantaged by having English as
a second language, it does not constitute a disability under the terms
of the legislation or ANU policy.
There may be some adjustments made for the disadvantage experienced
by ESL students (consult with your academic area to find out) but not
as a disability.
Disability FAQs for Students
