FAQ Sheet 16:
How do I find out what my disability-related needs will be at university?
Understanding your disability and how it affects your ability to study and participate in university life is an important first step in investigating and planning disability support at university. Below are some prompts to help you gain a better understanding of your disability-related study needs.
The following information has been extracted from the Tasmanian Regional Disability Liaison Officer's publication 'Leaps and Bounds' (2005) and webpage 'Gateways'.
Understanding your disability or medical condition-worksheet
Does your disability or medical condition have a name?
Is your disability or medical condition:
- not noticeable
- noticeable
- keeps coming back (recurs)
- temporary
- permanent
- likely to get worse
- terminal
- one that attacks every so often (episodic)
How does your disability or medical condition impact on your ability to study? (e.g. makes you tired, means you can't sit at a desk for a long time)
How does the medicine prescribed for your disability or medical condition affect your study? (e.g. it makes you tired)
The Disability Discrimination Act refers to 'reasonable adjustments' that may be made to assist students with disabilities or medical conditions. What reasonable adjustments might help you to meet the course/topic/subject requirements? (e.g. a particular piece of equipment, access ramps, sound loops)
Impact of disability on university life – things to consider
Will you disability impact on your ability to study with regard to:
- accessing campus?
- accessing print material?
- communicating?
- field trips?
- laboratory work?
- practicums?
- using the library?
- sitting exams?
- taking notes or writing essays?
- workload?
- using machinery or working with chemicals?
'Leaps and Bounds' also suggests additional things to consider according to the type of disability you have. See the resource for further details.