Studying with Disability at TUSA
At UTAS, students with disabilities have the right to access and participate in education, university life, and training on the same basis as other students. Here’s the page to help you navigate university life, with information on the communities you’ll want to join, the people you can come to with concerns and questions, and a Frequently Asked Questions section answering any other questions you may have.
Disability Societies and Communities at UTAS
Disability Collective Society of Students Identifying with Disability at UTAS (DisCo)
DisCo was established in 2022 with the purpose of advocating on behalf of students with diverse disabilities at UTAS and allowing students with lived disability experiences to connect with each other.
You can follow the DisCo socials here.
The 2024 DisCo President is Mark Warrington, who you can contact via his email at mark.warrington@utas.edu.au.
Learning Difficulty Legends Society (LD Legends)
LD Legends is a community of students with Learning Disabilities at UTAS. You can contact them at their Facebook Page.
Disability-specific contacts: who can support me?
Accessibility Advisors
Accessibility advisors are able to assist with providing information on what assistive technologies are available and can evaluate the impact of your disability or health condition on your study in order to provide a Learning Access Plan (LAP). More information can be found here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
My professor has unfairly marked me/won’t give me an extension despite my LAP. What can I do?
This information covers students’ rights, the obligations of education providers, and actions to take if you feel you have been unreasonably discriminated against. Learn more at bit.ly/adcet_students.
Are there disability friendly/specific University sports?
UTAS Sport is trying to be more disability-friendly, but sometimes they could use your help. Currently, TUSA is planning a Disability in Sport campaign with UTAS Director of Sport, Donald Knapp. Meanwhile:
Physical disABILITY Sports Tasmania provides people with physical disabilities the opportunity to participate in sport at all levels.
Special Olympics Australia gives people with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to play sports on their own terms.
New Horizons is an inclusive sport and recreation organization open to everyone.
What is UTAS currently doing to increase accessibility and disability-friendly infrastructure on the new Hobart and Newnham Campuses?
UTAS has a Disability Inclusion Action Plan [2022-2024], available here. In this plan, UTAS has taken action to include disability expertise in the design process for new University buildings or campuses, including the fittings, furnishings, and equipment. If you feel strongly about the infrastructure of a new building or have any suggestions, the people responsible for this action are:
- Infrastructure and Development Services, Chief Operating Officer: David.Clerk@utas.edu.au
- Northern Transformation Lead: campus.transformation@utas.edu.au
- Southern Transformation Lead: southern.future@utas.edu.au
What assistive technologies does UTAS have to offer, and how useful are they?
TUSA hosted a project on Assistive technologies in Semester 1, 2022. Please find the report here.
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