The ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë of Queensland's estimated 800 students with disabilities will benefit from the ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë's new Disability Action Plan passed late last year by ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë Senate, the governing body of the ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë.
The ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë will establish a Vice-Chancellor's Disability Reference Committee to oversee Plan implementation and make recommendations on policy and strategies on appropriate services to students with disabilities. The Vice-Chancellor's Disability Reference Committee replaces a number of other high level committees established by the ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë over the past 20 years and will play a coordinating role across the many areas of the ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë. The establishment of the Committee, with direct access to the Vice-Chancellor, reflects the priority placed on equity issues in the provision of the ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë of Queensland's education programs.
"The ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë has a long-standing commitment to assist students with disabilities and takes its obligations seriously," Academic Registrar Neville Lamb said. "The Disability Action Plan represents an integrated and pro-active approach to providing appropriate services and academic accommodations to students. It was devised after extensive consultation across the ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë and an audit of the effectiveness of existing policies and practices."
The Plan covers areas including student recruitment, admission and enrolment; teaching and learning; student support and infrastructure; the built environment and physical access; student resource issues; unjustifiable hardship; grievance procedures, extramural services and activities; and communication and ongoing evaluation of the Disability Action Plan. Across these areas, the Plan identifies a range of initiatives that will assist the ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë in providing a quality education in a participatory and inclusive environment.
Student Support Services Director Dr Maureen Burke said the ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë was committed to providing appropriate services and resources for students with disabilities to ensure equity of access and opportunity for all students.
"While the ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë has employed people as disability advisers for many years, because of the large nature of the organisation it is important to ensure that activities across the ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë are coordinated," she said. "The new Plan includes an unambiguous and overarching policy statement on students with disabilities which has been approved by the Senate of the ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë and incorporated in the ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë's collection of official policies and procedures. The Plan will ensure that the needs of the increasing number of students who register for support with the ÄôСÓêÊÓÆµ3·Ö25Ãë due to disability are addressed."
The new plan has been developed with reference to the relevant State and Commonwealth legislation.