Disability Support

It’s your choice if you would like to disclose your disability. Here are a few reasons why telling us early helps:

• The minute you start your course, you'll have the support you need
• Support at TAFE is different from school. With more time we can help you understand the supports available to you
• We can help you through the enrolment process
• If you need assistive technology, we have time to organise it for you

We want to see you do well so telling us early can help make sure you start your course with support already in place.

Here’s what will happen when you tell someone about your disability:

When speaking with someone from our Recruitment team:

• The information you disclose will ONLY come to the disability support team
• Your details will not be disclosed without your permission
• We can help you figure out if you would like to tell anyone else
• We can help you through the enrolment process

You tell someone during an interview (only if applicable)

• You and your teacher will decide together whether or not disability support will be needed

On your enrolment form

• Your information will be retrieved by the disability support team
• All staff at TAFE have access to your enrolment form

If you tell your teacher

• Your teacher will open a request with the disability support team
• Only people supporting you will have access to your information

It is always your choice if and when you disclose your disability.

One way is for us to set up a Learning Access Plan (LAP) to assist you to identify and communicate your learning needs.

A LAP can assist you to disclose your disability-related support needs to teachers so that reasonable adjustments can be negotiated. It also details any agreed services, which will be provided by Student Services.

Having a LAP is a choice.

Another way we will support you is to provide assistive technology, such as equipment, furniture, tools, hardware or software to assist you to perform functions that otherwise, may be difficult.

We can provide support workers to assist you outside of class with assessment support. This support can be offered on campus or online and aims to give you the best possible chance to succeed.

If you’re a carer, we have provisions to remove barriers. These are determined on a case by case basis.

Useful Links

• NDCO – National Disability Coordination Officer Program
• ADCET - Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training
• AHRC - Australian Human Rights Commission
• NDIS - National Disability Insurance Scheme
• My Aged Care
• Department of Veterans’ Affairs
• National Relay Service
• Auslan Connections
• Gippsland Disability Advocacy Inc.
  • Email administration@gdai.org.au

Legislation and Policy

• The Disability Discrimination Act (Commonwealth) is the Federal Act which makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person with a disability
• The Disability Standards for Education (2005) provides a framework by which educational institutions can demonstrate their commitment to the requirements of the DDA
• The Guidance Notes provide further information as to the provision of the Act and the Standards.