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Resource Guide for People who have a Disability or Long Term Medical Condition - Disability Liaison Unit (DLU)
Note: This publication is available in audio, large print and Braille on request to the:
Section 1 - IntroductionMonash UniversityMonash is Australia's most internationalised university. It has eight campuses including one in Malaysia and one in South Africa, and centres in London, UK and Prato, Italy. An energetic and dynamic university, Monash is committed to quality education and research. Find out more at the about Monash web page. Section 2 - Some background law, concepts and termsWhat the term 'disability' encompassesThe Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Commonwealth) (DDA) reflects a very broad definition of disability. Under the DDA, a disability may include:
A disability may be:
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) protects every Australian from disability-based discrimination. It can prevent you from being treated inequitably in the following sectors/areas:
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) makes it unlawful for an educational authority such as a university to discriminate on the ground of a person's disability by:
Discrimination and HarassmentThe Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedures were established in recognition of Monash University's commitment to equal opportunity in education and in its obligations under State and Commonwealth anti-discrimination legislation. Any student who believes that they have experienced discrimination or harassment on the basis of their disability or any of the other protected grounds as outlined in the procedures should contact one of the University's trained Advisers. All consultations with advisers are strictly confidential. Advisers are available on all Victorian campuses. Section 3 - Disability at MonashInclusive Practices Disability Committee (IPDC)The aim of the IPDC is to provide advice to the University of strategies and procedures for creating an inclusive environment for all students and staff and in particular those who have a disability. The IPDC reports to the Equal Opportunity Committee (a committee of Council). The IPDC has active advisory sub-committees on the Clayton, Caulfield, Peninsula, Berwick, Gippsland and Parkville campuses. For further information see the IPDC website. Faculty Equity Committees and OfficersAn informal network of Equity Officers operates in faculties and residential services to act as a point of contact for students. The officers provide information on student equity issues to faculty staff and committees, and give feedback to the Equity and Diversity Centre individually and through the Equity Officers Forum which meets each semester. Contact the Coordinator of the Student Equity Unit on 9905 5704. Disability Liaison UnitThe Disability Liaison Unit (DLU) provides assistance to students who have a hearing impairment, vision impairment, long-term medical condition, learning disability, neurological impairment, physical impairment, or medical condition. Services may include:
Services are provided to students enrolled in award courses to enable them to fulfil the inherent requirements of the course as independently as possible. For more information email dlu@adm.monash.edu.au Eligibility for DLU servicesIn order to be eligible for services students need to:
Disclosure and confidentialityThe DLU is a free and confidential service. Complete confidentiality is maintained and information will not be released without consent of the student. What is my Responsibility?It is the student's responsibility to disclose disability. Early notification of particular needs or requirements ensures timely provision of appropriate support services. Confidentiality is maintained. Medical or other supporting documentation is used to assess or verify the most appropriate service. This documentation is placed on file at the DLU and will not be released without permission. Section 4 - Application, Enrolment and OrientationStudent's are encouraged to contact the university the year prior to enrolment to discuss support needs, check campus accessibility, and the viability of the course. Each August, Monash holds an Open Day across all campuses. Prospective students can check the accessibility of a course by attending this event. Course adviceStudents who have a disability or chronic medical condition who require specific course information should contact Monash's Prospective Students' Office. Staff can provide general information on course and career options, applications and student life at Monash. The Prospective Students' Office handles general course inquiries from individual students as well as from schools. Inquiries should be directed to the Prospective Students' Office, Campus Centre, Monash University, Clayton campus. Advising the University of your needsSupport requirements such as material in Braille, AUSLAN interpreters etc take considerable time to organize. To ensure that these or other support services are in place prior to the start of Semester, students are urged to make contact with the DLU as soon as an offer of acceptance is received. EnrolmentEnrolment can be a busy and exhausting time. If you have any health concerns or need assistance with the process of enrolment because of a disability, contact the appropriate DLU or Student Admissions and Records section in advance so that somebody can be available to assist you. OrientationOrientation Week is held in the week prior to the start of first Semester each year. Library tours, faculty information sessions, campus tours, student club days and entertainment activities are scheduled in order to familiarize new students with the campus and its services. Orientation and MobilityIf you have a vision impairment and require an orientation and mobility instructor, please contact the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind on (03) 9522 5222 (Head Office). Host SchemeThe Monash Host Scheme provides new students with an opportunity to join a group of other new students for a personal introduction to university life by a later-year student host. Students who have a disability are welcomed and any specific or additional requirements can be organised upon request. See the Host Scheme table at enrolment or inquire at the Campus Centre Information Desk. AccommodationMonash offers a range of accommodation on most campuses. For further information, contact the Housing Advisory Service, Community Services, telephone (03) 9905 3156. Section 5 - Accessing MonashA variety of support services, equipment and facilities exist for people who have a disability at Monash. The following section will outline many specialist and general services that may be helpful to you. AccessIf you have difficulty accessing a building or facility on campus, contact Facilities and Services on (03) 9905 3031. Adaptive TechnologyMost libraries across all campuses have Adaptive Technology Rooms (ATR's) which are equipped with voice activated software, voice recognition software, screen enlarging software, adjustable workstation and scanner. At the discretion of a Disability Liaison Officer, you may be granted access to campus ATR's. Alternative Arrangements for Assessment (AAAs)Alternative Arrangements for Assessment (AAAs) allow students who have a disability or long-term medical condition to be examined on an equal footing with their fellow students. AAAs include variations in structure, format, duration and venue and may include rest breaks and alternative formats such as Braille or large print. A scribe (writer) is sometimes provided and upon demand, specialised furniture or equipment. These alternative arrangements are not the same as 'special consideration' (see below). Alternative formatsCourse materials and exams can be made available in e-text, Braille, audio. The conversion of texts to Braille for the vision impaired is a particularly long procedure (up to 12 weeks). To ensure that alternative formats are available from the outset of Semester, contact a Disability Liaison Officer once a letter of acceptance is received. Health Wellbeing and DevelopmentA variety of services are available from the multidisciplinary staff of Health, Wellbeing and Development on each of the campuses. The range of services varies from campus to campus, but most include counselling (workshop groups and specialist training workshops on student concerns such as exam anxiety), chaplaincy, student financial aid, health (doctors and/or nurses) and other paramedical services. Health, Wellbeing and Development also provides office space for the Disability Liaison Unit on the Caulfield, Berwick and Peninsula campuses on various days. Please contact the DLU for further information. Evacuation and emergency proceduresStudents and staff with a disability or long-term medical condition should familiarize themselves with emergency evacuation procedures for the buildings they frequent. Floor plans and emergency procedure notices should be posted on the walls of buildings with emergency exits clearly marked. Occupational Health, Safety and Environment (OHS&E) are available on request to show a person with a disability the emergency evacuation procedure. If this information is required in an alternative format i.e. Braille, large print or a raised line map, the DLU should be contacted. Those with hearing impairments should contact OHS&E or the DLU to discuss their requirements in the case of an emergency evacuation. ExaminationsSee Alternative Arrangements for Assessment above. Interpreters - signingThe DLU arranges sign interpreter support for students who are Deaf. Significant advance notice is needed to ensure services are in place when needed. Information Technology Services (ITS)There are many computer laboratories at Monash. Most of the ITS general access labs on all campuses are wheelchair accessible. Many other labs run by faculties also have wheelchair access. Further information regarding IT services for people who have a disability can be found in the Computer Resources Guide produced by ITS or on the ITS website. The Library provides assistive software for people with a disability. This software is made available only after you have registered with the DLU. Students who have a disability may apply for an external modem account with full Internet access. This enables students to have off-campus access to most of Monash's electronic services and information plus the Internet. Students using remote access outside the metropolitan area may find it cheaper to use a local Internet Service Provider rather than dial into Monash via STD. They must then discuss their situation with the Disability Liaison Officer, and if approved, the form must be authorised by the DLU and returned to the ITS Helpdesk. Language and learning servicesThe Language and Learning Services Unit assists students with written expression, assignment and thesis writing, reading, note-taking, oral presentation and examination strategies. Language and Learning Services units are located at the Clayton, Caulfield, Peninsula, Berwick and Gippsland campuses. Library servicesA range of Library services are available for students who have a disability which include:
To be eligible for these services you will need to contact the DLU for an assessment who will then make a referral to the Library. Monash Lectures On-lineSome of Monash's lectures are available on-line in audio. Note-taking servicesNote-takers can be provided for eligible students in lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions upon the provision of appropriate documentation. For further information, please contact the Disability Liaison Unit. ParkingDesignated parking spaces for people with disabilities are available at all campuses of the university. Local Government Council disabled permits (category 1) will allow access to these spaces. Other parking at Clayton, Peninsula and Caulfield campuses is by permit. Purchase of the appropriate permit may give you closer access to buildings in some instances. Parking is free at Gippsland and Berwick campuses. Parking is restricted on the Caulfield and Parkville campuses. For specific information on accessible parking, see the Facilities and Services website. Rest roomsThere are rest rooms located at Clayton, Caulfield and Berwick campuses. These are for the use of eligible students registered with the DLU. Please contact the DLU for further information. Scholarships and AwardsFor information on Scholarships and Bursaries contact the Coursework Scholarships Office at scholars@adm.monash.edu.au or call (03) 9905 5887. ScribesThe DLU can provide scribes to assist eligible students to write in examinations or class tests. See Alternative Assessment Arrangements above. Special considerationAny students experiencing academic or personal difficulties due to a disability or illness can apply through their faculty for special consideration. Please see your faculty to determine what is required. Special consideration is quite different from Alternative Arrangements for Assessment (AAAs - see above). Some students who have a disability may require both special consideration and AAAs. Student Support workersThese include note takers, interpreters and personal readers who are provided to eligible students by the DLU on the provision of appropriate documentation. Telephones/TTYTTY's (telephone typewriters) for people who are deaf or hearing-impaired are located at the Sir Louis Matheson Library at Clayton, the Library at Caulfield, the Library at Peninsula and the Community Services office at Gippsland. Section 6 - DLU'S Survival GuideSurvival tipsUniversity students face many pressures and demands. For a student with a disability or long-term medical condition, the pressures on energy and time are exponentially increased. For this reason, it is imperative to be as organised and prepared as possible. A group of students (some with disabilities) have compiled the following list of suggestions in order to help you survive the rigors of the university year with your sanity intact. Be assertiveAssertiveness is a learned ability that enables you to express your direct, honest and appropriate feelings without infringing on the rights of others. This skill is especially important in higher education because students need to read and analyse critically and ask questions assertively. Talk to your tutors and lecturers and the people in the faculty office to let them know about your particular needs. Discuss essay and presentation topics with your tutor/demonstrator to gain a clearer picture of the topic, as well as more references and motivation. You will find they are approachable and can provide not only information in the format you need but also encouragement, guidance and feedback. Negotiate the use of available support services to meet your individual requirements. If necessary, this may be done through the Disability Liaison Unit. Get involvedAt university there is not only time for study, there is also time for extracurricular activities and a chance to meet others. So take advantage of this. Talk to people in your tutorials, labs or classes. Arrange to meet someone there. Form a study group. Compare information and notes with class members. Ask them to join you for a coffee. Join one of the many student clubs or societies. Consider joining the Inclusive Practices Disability Committee or one of its campus subcommittees. Your input is the best way to ensure that the services and facilities for students who have a disability continue to be available to you and others. Plan your timePlan a balanced schedule of activities. Determine which activities are fixed in time - such as lectures, tutorials, reading and researching - and then 'flex' other activities such as sleeping, working, relaxing and recreation. Set realistic study goals and order your priorities. This is particularly important if you have several priorities outside of university or ongoing health concerns that require medical appointments and/or rest and recovery time. Plan a schedule that is specific to your time use. For example, write 'Study history' not just 'Study' in your diary. Plan enough study time for each subject (most subjects require a ratio of one lecture hour to two study hours at home or in the library). Depending on your circumstances, you may need more than this for some aspects of study, eg listening to and recording from audio-tapes. Plan your study time on a daily, weekly and semester basis. Regularly review all topics in all your subjects. Set aside time each week to do a cumulative review of each subject. Use your diary, make entries for each essay, record the due date. Don't leave homework or essays to the last minute. If you need help the night before an assignment is due, it is unlikely that someone will be available to answer your questions. If you know you will need an extension, ask at least three weeks in advance. Faculty or teaching staff are more likely to grant an extension when they see that you're planning ahead. Trade time - don't steal it! If unexpected events arise, decide immediately when study time will be made up. Revise and summarise soon after your lecture. You are more likely to remember those shorthand squiggles and the bits you may have missed. One hour of study soon after a lecture is better than revising for hours many days later. Limit study blocks to between 45 minutes and one hour for any one subject. Take a break, then switch to another subject. If your disability means you will read and write more slowly than other students, then you may need to start preparing earlier. Stay in touchPick up, read and keep handy the Monash handbook relevant to your course. Also keep handy the handbook containing university rules and regulations, dates, and other vital information. You could also pick up a course outline before the semester begins and do your prescribed reading in advance. Flip through the student newspaper every week to catch important notices about the university. Check the Daily News sheet at the Union Information Desk to find out about what's happening each day and what's coming up. Utilise the servicesEngage yourself in both the content and the process of education by fully utilising all the facilities and services made available to you by the university. Go on a library tour, get to know how to use latest CD-ROM and library cataloguing systems. There are a whole range of different study skills courses run by the Language and Learning Service on your campus, so go to a few if you feel you need a brush up on your skills. Attend your lectures, labs and tutorials. This may sound funny, but it's very easy to fall into a pattern of skipping classes. Sit at the front. You are less likely to be distracted when you are right under the lecturer's nose! Visual and auditory cues are also clearer. Tape lectures or inquire about note-taking from the DLU if you find it hard to keep up. If taping, make sure you ask permission first. If you need material in alternative formats, contact the appropriate DLO for your campus well in advance. You may be eligible to use a reader or ask to have essential texts taped. If necessary, request Alternative Arrangements for Assessment. If you need alternative arrangements for your exams, contact the DLU at least six weeks in advance. If the course load seems too heavy or things are getting you down, then drop into the DLU at your campus. Talk to Disability Liaison staff, Student Services, Community Services, your lecturers, anyone! Just don't leave a small problem to get bigger. Where to find more informationDisability Liaison Unit Telephone: (03) 9905-5704 |