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New Disability Standards in Education |
Last week the Attorney General's Department released the Disability Standards for Education (2004) which elaborates on the obligations of education institutions under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA). |
Pursuant to s12 of the DDA the Standards are taken to apply to both government and private educational institutions within the Commonwealth. The Standards state they apply whether an institution is officially accredited or non-accredited and covers a range of teaching facilities. |
The key aim under the DDA is to provide all students with equal rights and opportunities in access to education. As stated in the Standards Guidance Notes:
"The Standards are based on the position that all students, including students with disabilities, should be treated with dignity and enjoy the benefits of education and training in an educationally supportive environment that values and encourages participation by all students, including students with disabilities… This includes the right to comparable access, services and facilities, and the right to participate in education and training unimpeded by discrimination, including on the basis of stereotyped beliefs about the abilities and choices of students with disabilities."
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| There is an obligation on education providers to make "reasonable adjustments" for persons with disabilities to achieve comparative eduction. This requires consulting with a student to understand their needs, assessing if a change is needed, consideration if the change is necessary, and formulation of a reasonable adjustment where required. |
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