Disability Support Unit's Services
The DSU provides a range of support services to registered students including:
INFORMATION, ADVICE AND ADVOCACY
The DSU provides a variety of information and advice to students registered with the service. The DSU encourages and supports students to become empowered to advocate for themselves. However, the DSU will also liaise with academic/general staff in an effort to negotiate an equitable outcome in many aspects of academic life.
LIAISON WITH UNIVERSITY FACULTIES AND DEPARTMENTS
The DSU endeavours to assist University staff by working collaboratively with them to ensure that the way in which they deliver their services is inclusive of people with disabilities/health conditions. In arranging services for eligible students, the DSU provides information and advice to the University’s Faculties and Departments about disability issues, physical environment needs, reasonable adjustments and generally raising awareness about the rights and responsibilities of students with a disability/health condition
NOTE TAKING
The DSU employs Study Support Assistants for students with a disability/health condition where notetaking services have been assessed as appropriate.
Study Support Assistants can be peer and non-peer notetakers. Notetaking is designed to capture the most important concepts and ideas delivered in lectures. A Study Support Assistant will only be engaged if material is not available from other sources.
Students receiving notetaking assistance must:
- Identify the need for notetaking support to their Disability Advisor as early in the semester as possible. The DSU cannot provide notes retrospectively
- Attend each class for which they are receiving notes. Notetaking is not a substitute for attendance at lectures
- Collect notes each week from Support Services reception
If students are unable to comply with the conditions outlined above they may need to negotiate alternative arrangements with their Disability Advisor. Failure to do so may lead to notetaker support being withdrawn.
All students receiving notetaker support will be allocated a code that they will need in order to collect notes from Support Services reception. The code will consist of the first initial of a student’s surname followed by the last four (4) digits of their University student number.
Students are also reminded that note takers employed by the DSU are required to submit notes to Support Services reception within three working days of the lecture. However, if students have two lectures in one week for the same subject, notes for both lectures will be submitted within 3 days of the last lecture.
The process of ensuring provision of notetaking support can be quite complex. For this reason, students requesting notetaking support are encouraged to contact the DSU regarding their study support needs as soon as possible prior to the beginning of each semester or study period. Failure to do so may result in considerable delay in receiving the requested support and subsequent disadvantage in completing a program of study.
Students are further encouraged to provide feedback to the DSU around any aspect of the notetaker service. As part of ongoing service improvement the DSU can only follow up specific issues if made aware of them.
AUSLAN INTERPRETING
The DSU coordinates interpreting services for Deaf students who use Australian Sign Language (Auslan). The DSU only employs interpreters accredited at Paraprofessional or Interpreter level by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).
The process of ensuring provision of interpreting support can be quite complex. For this reason, students requesting interpreting support are encouraged to contact the DSU regarding their study support needs as soon as possible prior to the beginning of each semester or study period. Failure to do so may result in considerable delay in receiving the requested support and subsequent disadvantage in completing a program of study.
LOAN OF EQUIPMENT
The DSU may loan equipment to students registered with the DSU for short-term use. Available equipment includes:
- Notebooks - computers
- Digital voice recorder
- Oxford English spellcheckers
- Portable slope boards
- Phonic Ear FM kit
Students will be required to sign a loan agreement on the date of issue and will be liable for loss of equipment or any damage incurred whilst in their possession.
The DSU can coordinate provision of University related materials in formats such as electronic text and Braille to allow access to course readings and other materials by students who are unable to use standard print because of their disability. This service is provided to eligible students registered with the DSU and based on provision of appropriate supporting documentation around a specific print disability and information access requirements.
The process of ensuring provision of accessible material to students with print disabilities is complex. Students with an identified print disability requiring material in an alternative format, for example, Braille or large print, are therefore encouraged to contact the DSU as soon as possible prior to the beginning of any semester or study period regarding their study support needs. Failure to do so may result in considerable delay in receiving requested material and subsequent disadvantage in completing a program of study.
Students assessed by the DSU as eligible for this service are responsible for the cost of purchasing the hard copy print version of any textbooks and unit readers to be transcribed into the required format. This expenditure constitutes a normal educational expense that must be met by all students. The University is responsible for the cost of transcribing or copying material into the required format.
Prior to receiving study material in a suitable alternative format, students will be asked to sign an Alternative Agreement in compliance with Australian copyright law, requiring students to:
- Abide by Copyright regulations which apply to the production and use of alternative format material
- Use the material solely for their Macquarie University studies
- Refrain from copying alternative format materials or providing them in part or in whole to anyone else in any format
- Return (where necessary) the material to the University or relevant organisation from where it was borrowed upon completion of the unit of study for which it constitutes prescribed reading
The DSU accepts no responsibility for the replacement of lost or damaged materials by students.
RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING FORMAL EXAMINATION PROVISIONS
The DSU can recommend provisions for formal examinations for eligible DSU registered students with a disability/health condition. These provisions are organised in collaboration with the Academic Program Section (APS) and the relevant Faculty/Department and are put in place to assist students during the formal examination period at the end of each semester.
Disability Advisors assess all requests for formal examination provisions during an assessment/review of an individual’s study support needs. The assessment considers the impact of a disability/health condition on examination performance. All requests for examination provisions must be finalised by week seven of the semester. It is the students’ responsibility to advise of any formal examination needs by this time. The DSU is unable to guarantee support for late requests.
Formal examination provisions may include, but are not limited to:
• Extra time per hour for reading/writing
• Extra time per hour to facilitate rest and/or toilet breaks
• Alternative examination formats where possible, e.g. large print papers
• Study Support Assistants, e.g., reader or scribe
• Use of a computer (with limited functions)
• Ergonomic furniture
• Permission to administer prescribed medicinal treatments
• Permission to take food and/or drinks into the examination room
Following assessment of an individual’s study support needs, a Disability Advisor forwards any recommendations for formal examination provisions to the APS. The APS then corresponds with the respective Faculty/Department. The Faculty/Department is ultimately responsible for approving recommendations, however, in the event that a Faculty/Department does not approve specific recommendations, the DSU may advocate on a student’s behalf in an effort to negotiate an equitable outcome.
Draft and final examination timetables are available online however these will not reflect formal examination provisions for eligible students. The APS will notify eligible students in writing approximately 7-10 days prior to examinations of any formal examination provisions including the location of formal examinations. These details will be mailed to the address provided by the student on the University’s student information system. This letter must be read carefully and a Disability Advisor is to be notified immediately if the information is incorrect.
Students receiving formal examination provisions who are unable to attend a scheduled exam, must notify the APS on 9850 7353 or the DSU on 9850 6494, giving at least 24 hours notice, wherever possible. Failure to do so may affect provisions of formal examination arrangements in the future.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IN-CLASS / SUPPLEMENTARY ASSESSMENTS
The DSU can negotiate examination provisions for an in class test or supplementary examination, however, the respective Faculty/Department is ultimately responsible for approving and coordinating these examinations. To arrange provisions for in class tests or supplementary examinations, the DSU must be contacted at least two weeks prior to an in class test or supplementary examination. The DSU is unable to guarantee support for late requests.
The Special Equipment Area (SEA) is located on Level 2 in the University Library and provides students with a disability/health condition with an area in which to study with the assistance of adaptive equipment/technology and provides student support as required by legislation under the Disability Education Standards (2005). The SEA is only for use by those students who are currently registered with the DSU and have been assessed by the DSU as eligible for this service.
Students with a disability/health condition currently using the SEA have access to a Library IT staff person who supports the areas’ technology and provides training to students in the use of particular software.
Equipment available in the SEA includes:
- Computers and Adaptive Software
- Braille Embosser and Typewriters
- Telephone Typewriter
- Automatic Page Turner
- Ergonomic Furniture
- CCTV
Students assessed as eligible for this service are issued with an access card. Access cards are issued free of charge but incur a $20 replacement fee if lost. Students are required to return their SEA access card on completion of study.
A document regarding the terms of use of this facility will be provided to each student referred by the DSU to the SEA.
ACCESS TO LECTURES WITH iLECTURE
Many lectures at the University are now recorded using the iLecture system. iLectures are digital recordings of lectures which are transmitted over the Web. iLectures are accessed via a link from a student’s online course unit. As well as listening to the recording it is possible to view PowerPoint slides if the lecturer provides them. It is important to note that lecturers are responsible for coordinating iLecture bookings for their units. However, if lectures are not recorded, students with a disability/health are encouraged to contact their Disability Advisor to see if this can be arranged. More information about iLecture is available here.
Students experiencing difficulty accessing audio material due to sensory disability are encouraged to contact the DSU to discuss suitable adjustments.
The University Library offers assistance to DSU registered students if they are prevented from accessing library resources independently due to a disability/health condition. Services include:
- Retrieval of items from shelves
- Photocopying on coloured paper or in enlarged font
- Photocopying of book chapters and journal articles
- Assistance filling in forms or calling taxis
In order to receive library assistance, an DSU Disability Advisor must refer eligible students; please note that the Library is unable to accept requests from any student who is not currently registered with the DSU. In addition to the referral procedure, the student must complete the relevant Library request form:
Request for Collection form here.
Request for Photocopying form here.
Students can submit six forms per day. Students are advised to allow at least two days (three on weekends) turnaround time for collection. The form also allows students to request that Library materials be posted to their home address.
Information Desk Staff on Level 2 at the Library can also offer other general assistance to students with disabilities/health conditions; for example calling taxis, filling in forms. Assistance in obtaining items from the shelves and other general assistance is also available at the Reference Desk on Level 3.
Research assistance may be sought at the Information Desk on Level 2 or by using the online librarian here. Further information may be found here or by phoning + 61 2 9850 5887.