Disability Support
We can help you access the adjustments you need to be successful in your studies.
Make an appointmentGOTAFE is committed to providing equal access for all our students and aims to ensure that students with a disability or medical condition have the assistance they need to access and be successful in their chosen course of study.
Supporting all abilities
We provide support for a range of ability levels, including but not limited to:
- Physical disability
- Mental health conditions
- Visual impairments
- Deafness or hearing loss
- Intellectual disability
- Learning disability
- Medical and neurological conditions.
Our Equitable Learning Service helps you to access the adjustments you need to be successful in your studies.
Equitable Learning Advisors will work collaboratively with you, your trainers, and other supportive staff to create an Equitable Learning Plan (ELP). This will outline the supports and reasonable adjustments you need, to be successful in your studies with GOTAFE. Your ELP will be reviewed regularly to ensure your individual needs are being met.
Make an appointment with an Equitable Learning Advisor
Why should I disclose that I have a disability?
It is your choice whether to disclose you have a disability or not. However, there are many benefits to disclosing that you have a disability or medical condition, before you enrol, including:
- Ensuring your supports are organised and in place before you begin your studies.
- Ensuring you receive support during the enrolment process if required.
- Ensuring reasonable adjustments, such as Assistive Technology or Ergonomic Equipment can be organised before beginning your classes.
Supports and adjustments
Some of the supports and adjustments we can assist you with include:
- Liaison with teachers/coordinators
- Negotiation of reasonable adjustments, e.g. access to power points before the study session
- Training in specialist adaptive technologies, that assist with specific issues e.g. text to speech
- Ergonomic chairs
- Alternative formatting
- Assessment accommodations.
- Orientation to campus facilities
- Classroom participation assistance
- Tutorial assistance
Other ways we can support
You may need to develop a Medical Action Plan. These are for students at risk of seizures, anaphylactic shock, diabetes, and other life-threatening medical conditions. We can also prepare Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for students with physical disabilities (whether temporary or permanent) who may have difficulty evacuating in the case of an emergency.
All discussions with ELA’s are confidential. However, we highly recommend collaboration with your trainers for optimal success. Please note that resources are limited, especially for distance and off-campus students, including in training and work environments.
TAFE Specialist Employment Partnership
The TAFE Specialist Employment Partnership allows current students living with a disability to access a specialist disability recruitment consultant to help achieve career goals.
Our free on-campus employment services can assist in sharpening your resume, improving interview skills and building your confidence to discuss your disability with future employers.
Get in touch with us today to get started