Equal Opportunity On Line Training Module 4: Disability Law & Access

Reasonable Adjustments

Inclusive practices reduce the need for reasonable adjustments for individuals and normalise flexibility.

'Reasonable adjustments' or 'reasonable accommodations' are those changes made to the educational or work environment to enable people with disabilities to participate on equal terms with other students or workers. For many people with a disability the major barrier to participating equally is not their disability but some feature of the environment or practices which can readily be adjusted or altered.

There is no absolute definition of a 'reasonable adjustment' and each case should to be considered in its merits. However, there are many adjustments made for students with a disability which are now considered standard practice. These include:

• Physical changes to buildings (ramps, lifts)
• Relocate teaching or work venue
• Provision of lecture notes and overheads
• Audio taping of lectures and course reading materials
• Written material in large font
• Extensions on assignments
• Auslan interpreters
• Note takers
• Translation of texts and reference material into Braille, e-text or audio format
• Referral to academic skills units for assistance in researching and preparing assignments, presentations, assessments
• Provision of adaptive furniture/equipment
• Alternative exam arrangements such as: Oral exams, use of scribes, tape recorded presentations, extra time, rest breaks, separate rooms, alternative assessment options
• Highlight priority readings
• Alternatives to, or modifications of field trips and practicums.

One of the University's main obligations as a tertiary institution is to ensure that it provides accessible education and other general 'on campus' services. There is an obligation to provide these services to students in a timely manner. Any significant detriment to students could lead to a complaint of discrimination.

"Progress is always due to unreasonable people because reasonable people want to use the system as it is, not change it."
- George Bernard Shaw

The following factors must be considered when determining adjustments.

Adjustments should be:

• reasonable for the purpose
• focused on enhanced independence
• the least disruptive and intrusive

Other considerations include:

• the impact of the adjustments on anyone else affected
• the cost of providing or continuing the adjustments

Often adjustments made for people with disabilities improve the situation for many other people who access the service. For example ramps for wheelchairs assist those using prams, caterers, staff moving equipment on trolleys or those with less obvious disabilities such as knee injuries.

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