Disability support

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Disability support

At TasTAFE we are committed to providing a learning environment that is safe, enjoyable and inclusive for everyone.

If you have a disability and require assistance or assistive technology to support your training or participation in an Information Session, please contact us as early as possible so that we can work with you to get your support needs underway.

TasTAFE recognises the breadth of impairments and medical conditions covered by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, including:

physical – affecting a person's mobility or dexterity
intellectual – affecting a person's ability to learn
mental illness – affecting a person's thinking processes
sensory – affecting a person's hearing or vision
neurological –e.g. Autism Spectrum, Acquired Brain Injury
learning disability
medical condition – e.g. Epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis.

Support

Our Disability Liaison Officers will work with you to provide individual assistance and advice on a wide range of topics that may include:

assistance with your course application and enrolment
specialist equipment and assistive technology, (e.g. ergonomic chairs and computer accessories, Text to Speech programs, JAWS for the blind)
alternative formatting
liaison with teachers/coordinators
access to designated parking spaces
alternative methods of assessment and examination support
flexible attendance and mode of delivery, including distance/online
note takers
tutorial assistance
interpreters for deaf or hearing impaired students
referral to other agencies
library and reference material assistance.

This support is also available if you are undertaking training at TasTAFE as an apprentice or trainee with disability.

Online student support during the coronavirus period

Your safety and wellbeing is our top priority. To ensure you have the support you need while you are studying at home, we have moved all our student support appointments online.

Make an appointment with one of our Student Support staff members by calling 1300 655 307 or use our booking system to book an appointment online. Find out more about online appointments, including what you need to do to set up and get ready for an online appointment.

If you require immediate crisis support, please contact the 24/7 external support services available for Tasmanians.

We value your feedback!

If you have used our support service recently, it would be great if you could spare a couple of minutes to complete our feedback survey. We will use your suggestions to adapt and improve our services.

How can I prepare to study at TasTAFE?

Visit the National Disability Coordination Officer (NDCO) TAS website and read through their “Making Career Decisions” page to help you decide what courses will help you reach your training or career goals.

Contact us on 1300 655 307 to book an appointment with a TasTAFE Disability Liaison Officer to discuss what kind of educational support you may need. Please bring evidence of your condition with you. You can also complete our online Disability Assistance Notification form.
Attend one of our Information Sessions held in January, June and November each year. If you require support to attend and/or participate in an Information Session, please use our Disability Assistance Notification form to make a request as early as possible.
Organise your resources, investigate travel arrangements and contact NDIS to assist you with organising supports including personal care, transport assistance to and from campus, and any aids and equipment (e.g. wheelchair, personal communication device, hearing aid) you might require.

School leavers

If you are a recent school leaver, check with the NDIS to see if you are eligible for the School Leavers Employment Supports (SLES). SLES is designed to support your transition from school to employment.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible for Disability Liaison Services, you must:

be enrolled in any course at TasTAFE or intending to study at TasTAFE
have a diagnosed disability, medical or mental health condition that impacts on your study
provide evidence of your diagnosis at your first appointment.

Any of the following documents can be used to provide evidence of your diagnosed disability:

Health Professional Report
Individual Education Plan (from high school or college)
NDIS Report/ Plan, or
Disability Support Pension Concession Card
Mental Health Care Plan.

If you are unsure if you are eligible for disability support, please make an appointment with a Student Counsellor to discuss your support needs.

If you feel you have a disability, medical or mental health condition that is affecting your studies, but it has not yet been diagnosed, please seek assistance from a relevant health professional to provide an assessment.

Do I have to disclose my disability?

No. You do not have to disclose information unless you wish to arrange reasonable adjustments whilst studying or need to notify us about a health risk to yourself or others.

However, you are encouraged to answer the questions on the enrolment form related to disability and/or medical condition/s. Answering these questions will not affect your enrolment.

What about confidentiality?

All interactions with your Disability Liaison Officer are entirely confidential. We will not discuss your situation with any teachers or other third parties without your permission.

Where necessary, you may be asked to sign a ‘Consent to Disclosure of Personal Information’ form to assist with provision of services.

However, where you require reasonable adjustments from your course teachers, your Disability Liaison Officer will need to disclose the nature of your condition and its impact on your learning. If you do not wish this information to be shared, you may not be able to receive the full range of services.

How can a Disability Liaison Officer help me?

Disability Liaison Officers provide information and assistance to students with disability, including apprentices and trainees. The DLO will work with you to identify what support requirements are needed to address any impacts your disability or condition may have on accessing and participating in your chosen studies.

Other support can also be arranged through your teachers, including Medical Action Plans for students at risk of seizures, anaphylactic shock, diabetes and other life-threatening conditions.

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEP) are also put in place for students who require assistance leaving our buildings in the event of a threat of harm to people.

Learning Access Plan

A Learning Access Plan is one of the ways TasTAFE can assist you to identify and communicate your learning needs.

A Learning Access Plan 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 your Disability Liaison Officer.

Having a Learning Access Plan is a choice, and will be written by your Disability Liaison Officer in collaboration with you, the student.

Your DLO will send the final agreed copy to the Educational Manager responsible for delivery of the course in which you are enrolled. You may also choose to provide it to other staff, if you want to.

What if I'm an Apprentice or Trainee with Disability?

All TasTAFE students, including apprentices and trainees, can access TasTAFE’s Student Support Services.

The Disabled Australian Apprentice Wage Support (DAAWS) is a Commonwealth-funded program which provides eligible apprentices and trainees with access to assistance such as tutoring, note-taking or Auslan interpreting.

Ask your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network Provider (AASN) for information on your eligibility for DAAWS, or contact us on 1300 655 307 to talk with one of our Disability Liaison Officers.

If you are Deaf, hearing or speech-impaired, please call the National Relay Service (NRS) on 13 36 77 then dial 1300 655 307, or visit the National Relay Service website.

Find out more about Australian Apprenticeship apprenticeship support.