Disability Services
What is my responsibility as a student?
Charles Sturt University has the expectation that students with disabilities will make known their particular requirements in a timely manner so that appropriate adjustments can be made to facilitate their full participation in university life.
It is the student's responsibility to disclose their disability to the Disability Liaison Officer for their home campus, if they require support services. Early notification of particular requirements – such as material in Braille, e-text, audio, AUSLAN interpreters etc – helps to ensure timely provision of appropriate services, as some of these services take considerable time to organise. The student must provide appropriate documentation about the functional implications of their disability and how this may have an impact on their studies.
It is the responsibility of the student to establish the requirements of the course such as residential schools, professional placements etc and whether these requirements have any implications for the student’s ability to perform the inherent requirements of the course. This can be established in consultation with the Disability Liaison Officer and course coordinators.
To ensure that all necessary services are in place prior to the start of semester, students are urged to make contact with the Disability Liaison Officer as soon as an offer of a place at the University has been received.
What are my rights as a student?
As identified in the Code of Practice, Charles Sturt University will ensure for students with disabilities:
- their right to privacy and confidentiality, and treatment with equity and dignity;
- high standards of equity and social justice in providing equitable educational access;
- participation of students in decision making about policies, procedures and services designed to meet their collective and individual needs;
- parity of choice with other students of courses, subjects and modes of study; and
- policies and procedures that anticipate the requirements of students who have a disability.
Students are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the CSU Disability Action Plan for more details about particular strategies that the University is putting in place for the support of students and staff with a disability. This document is currently being reviewed and updated.
The importance of developing self-advocacy skills
Self-advocacy skills are important for everyone. Self-advocacy is simply acting on your own behalf without using a third party to negotiate outcomes. These skills are significant throughout studies and prove essential in the transition into the workforce. Sounds simple! In fact, self-advocating can be quite intimidating mostly due to a lack of confidence, uncertainty about how to progress a negotiation and sometimes a power imbalance between the parties affecting the tone of negotiations. The Disability Service is committed to supporting students develop self-advocacy skills and encourages students to see the University as an environment where these skills can be safely developed.
Students with disabilities require self-advocacy skills to independently access a range of services to seek the assistance and support required. Being effective in advocating for yourself can be aided by:
- Understanding your rights – having an appreciation of what is reasonable to request both from a disability perspective e.g. the DDA and from a student perspective
- Knowing what you need, not just what you want – these are two different things. The University will seek to provide reasonable adjustments to accommodate the impact of your disability but there are numerous factors that help determine what a reasonable adjustment is. Be prepared to consider other methods that may meet your needs even if it is not exactly what you wanted. Negotiations consist of parties moving towards an agreed outcome – goodwill and an ability to be flexible are important.
- Understanding who you should talk to and when it is best to bring your issue to the attention of others. Thinking through your request can assist in identifying who to speak with and when is the best time to do so. For example, if you are going to require some flexibility from your lecturer, it will be best to speak directly with this person. Making an appointment to discuss your needs prior to formal classes commencing gives the lecturer time to consider your request and to initiate actions thereby increasing the likelihood of a positive experience for you and the lecturer.
The DLO is happy to provide advice and support to assist you in identifying reasonable requests and implementing your self-advocacy skills.
(With thanks to the University of Melbourne for the use of this material.)