Disability Services
Disability Services at Great Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE provide training support for students experiencing a disability to:
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Gain skills to enter the workforce.
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Gain higher levels of qualification.
Disability Services will:
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Arrange for reasonable adjustment to students' learning and assessment needs.
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Liaise with and support institute staff and other key people to improve the student's learning experience.
Contact a Disability Services Officer at the Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE.
Who is supported by Disability Services
Disability Services supports students who have:
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A physical impairment e.g. paraplegia, quadriplegia, amputation, spinal injury.
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An intellectual impairment e.g. Down syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome.
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Developmental disorders e.g. autism spectrum disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
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A neurological condition e.g. learning disability such as dyslexia or dysgraphia, acquired brain injury, Multiple Sclerosis.
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A psychiatric condition e.g. anxiety disorders, schizophrenia , bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder.
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A sensory impairment e.g. Deaf or hearing impairment, blind or vision impairment.
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A medical condition e.g. asthma, diabetes, heart condition.
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A combination of impairments.
Disability Services provide information and support to institute staff regarding:
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Disability type and how the disability affects the learner.
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Inclusive learning and assessment strategies.
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Accessible learning materials.
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Assistive / adaptive technology.
Staff should refer to their institute staff site and the DETA Employee Portal for information or contact the Disability Services Officer directly.
Prior to enrolment
Disability Services can assist prospective students (in consultation with other key people where appropriate) to make informed decisions about training choices by considering:
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Whether the course is at a level that matches their learning needs and requirements.
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Whether they have the required underpinning skills and knowledge to meet course requirements (e.g. level of language, literacy and numeracy) and / or industry standards.
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Whether they can meet the licensing and / or industry requirements of their career choice.
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Personal arrangements such as finances, travel, unexpected sicknesses and other support services.
Students engaged in the Senior Phase of Learning should be guided by their Individual Learning Plan (ILP) or Senior Education and Training (SET) plan when choosing a course of study. A copy of the ILP or SET Plan will need to be provided to Disability Services. See documentation for further information.
Requesting assistance
Students requesting assistance must make an appointment with Disability Services to discuss their individual support needs. This should be done early - before enrolment wherever possible to ensure informed course decisions and to give sufficient time for support to be arranged. Students can take an associate who can help to explain their needs e.g. case worker, carer or family member.
Students should take supporting documentation to the appointment. See documentation for further information.
With the student's permission, further information or assistance may be requested and / or details referred to other institute staff or to an external agency e.g. Job Network, Disability Services Queensland.
Contact Disability Services at the Barrrier Reef Institute.
Documentation
Supporting documentation is essential to tailoring support to student needs. Students should provide documentation which states the nature of the disability and how it will impact on their training, such as:
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Their disability history e.g. medical practitioner reports.
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Individual Learning Plan (ILP).
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Senior Education and Training (SET) Plan (developed in Year 10).
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Secondary school reports e.g. Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) or the Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement (QCIA).
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What assistance has been received previously.
Course information and timetables
Once enrolled, students need to provide course information and a copy of their timetable to Disability Services. This includes:
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Competency names and codes.
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Start and finish date for each competency.
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Details of the style of each learning session e.g. theory, tutorial, practical, self paced, online.
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Day of the week and session times.
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Room number for each session.
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Trainer / tutor names.
Confidentiality and disclosure
To receive support, students need to disclose and discuss the details of their disability with Disability Services. These discussions will be confidential.
In order to arrange effective support it is usually essential to inform teachers / trainers and other relevant staff of student needs. Students will be asked to sign a 'Consent to release information' form which documents the student's agreement for relevant information to be passed on.
For further Advice on the benefits and disadvantages of disclosing and how and when to disclose visit Choosing Your Path.
Enrolment
To enrol, students will need to complete an enrolment form. This can be done online, by phone or at the institute.
The enrolment form has two questions relating to disability:
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Question 11 part a - asks students if they have a disability. When students tick 'yes' in the box provided and indicate their area of disability, this information is used for statistical purposes and to improve the services that are provided.
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Question 11 part b - asks students of they would like to receive advice on support services, equipment and facilities that may assist (if available). Ticking 'yes' in the box provided does not mean that your information will be immediately sent to Disability Services. If students have not already met with Disability Services it is advised that they make an appointment as quickly as possible so that support needs can be discussed.
Assistance when enrolling at the institute
Disability Services can assist students with the enrolment process by:
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Providing support to complete enrolment forms.
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Arranging an Auslan interpreter.
Adjustments to training
Disability Services can arrange supports that give students with a disability increased independence and the same opportunities in training as a student without a disability. These supports are called 'reasonable adjustments'.
All adjustments need to be 'reasonable'. That is, they need to consider the needs of everyone involved so that no one is disadvantaged. This includes the student requesting adjustment, other students, teachers / trainers and the impact on the training organisation.
The reasonable adjustment used will be discussed with the student and will consider the types of adjustment and resources available. Adjustments could include:
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Adaptive / assistive equipment or software.
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Additional time for exams and assessments.
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Flexible attendance and mode of delivery, including distance and online.
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Learning materials in alternative format such as Braille, electronic, large print or audio.
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Assistance from note takers, tutors and Auslan interpreters.
Adjustments usually require the sharing of a student's personal information. See confidentiality and disclosure for further information.
For more information on what reasonable adjustment means for students, see the fact sheet Reasonable adjustment - information for students with a disability (PDF 90KB) on the TAFE Queensland website.
Responsibilities of the student receiving support services
Students with a disability are not exempt from institute and training specifications.
All students must comply with:
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All health and safety regulations relevant to their course of study. (Refer to your teacher/trainer for further information).
Disability Services agreement
Students who receive assistance from Disability Services will be asked to sign a Disability Services Agreement.
This agreement details the support services that will be provided within a stated period of time. Signing the agreement means the student understands their responsibilities. The agreement includes the following declaration:
'I have read and understood the 'Disability Services Agreement' and I have a hard copy to refer to if needed.'
Copyright and alternate format materials
Students receiving learning materials in an alternate format will be asked to sign an additional agreement which states that:
'I have understood and acknowledged the copyright of the course materials provided. I also have agreed to not copy, alter or distribute any course materials provided to me in my course. I understand that to copy or alter the materials in any form and provide these to others is illegal and may cause legal action by the copyright owners.'
Ongoing support
Disability Services know that for a number of reasons a student's support needs may change. This could be due to:
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How a course is delivered e.g. if the format of an assessment or workplace experience are not accessible.
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Personal reasons e.g. unexpected illness.
Disability Services will regularly review the support being provided and try to anticipate issues relating to course delivery and format. To assist this process, students will be informed when they should contact Disability Services to provide ongoing course information.
Students also need to try to anticipate issues and discuss any changes to their needs with Disability Services or their teachers / trainers as early as possible.
Feedback on Disability Services
Disability Services welcomes suggestions on ways to improve the usefulness and access to Disability Services. They will seek feedback from students on a regular basis. Clients can also provide feedback whenever they like by:
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Contacting the institute by phone or email.
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Speaking to staff at the institute.
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Completing a formal feedback form.
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