Australasian Network of Students With Disabilities (ANSWD)

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3. Policy Statement

Policy Statement

As of Monday 5 July 2010

1. ANSWD acknowledges that those with disabilities are disabled, not so much by their individual (or multiple) impairments, but by the barriers put in place. By removing these barriers, the broader community allows students with disabilities to actively participate and make a contribution in society. Students with disabilities like the broader community are consumers. By accommodating to the needs and wants of students with disabilities, both the provider of goods and services as well as the consumer will benefit.

a. ANSWD members may search for and promote materials that affect students with disabilities and/or that are relevant to ANSWDs policies and objectives; and

b. ANSWD may endorse Australasian disability and student initiatives that promote the policies and objectives of the ANSWD membership and the community.

2. With the limited opportunities of social engagement, ANSWD encourages both students with and without disabilities to interact with each other. We want the broader society to notice us as persons first and our disability second. ANSWD encourages the promotion of communication between students with disability and students without disabilities on an equal level. People within their communication should patiently and actively listen and to understand that communication is a 2-way street. Through active listening, diversity and equitable communication develops.

3. ANSWD is a network of tertiary students with disabilities from each state of Australia and throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, who acknowledge the importance of widespread representation of students with disabilities in the tertiary sector.

4. Students With Disabilities in the Media

4.1 ANSWD asks that all agencies, organisations, media and governments in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to uphold the principles of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) to educate the community by providing information and depicting students with disabilities, in a balanced manner that highlights difficulties in the lives of students with disabilities as well as the promotion of ways and means of positively bypassing these obstacles in utilising opportunities and achieving their goals in the tertiary education sector and in gaining paid employment.

4.2 Students with disabilities individually try their best to raise awareness.

4.3 Students with disabilities are individuals who have specific needs as a result of their disability/disabilities who may not have the resources to meet their own needs. Governments in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand must ensure adequate resources are allocated to address the specific needs of people with disabilities.

4.4 The fundamental rights of all people with disabilities are sacrosanct, and must not be compromised in any way in fundraising, media reporting or community education projects. These rights include

• the right of community understanding and acceptance of their individual situation,
• the right to be recognised and valued as equal members of the community, the right to have their contributions to society recognised and valued, and
• the right of informed consent regarding involvement in any fundraising, marketing or community education project.

4.5 We encourage people and organisations to monitor the news reporting, awareness campaigns, fundraising practices and policies of agencies, organisations, governments and media and to speak out if there is an unbalanced depiction of students with disabilities in the above.

4.6 We encourage all agencies, organisations, media and governments in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to:

a. ensure that their media reporting, awareness campaigns and/or fundraising practices honour the principles set out in this statement and the CRPD,

b. ensure that all practices reflect the age and gender of persons with disabilities that they serve and/or represent,

c. ensure people with disabilities are involved in every aspect of these activities as equal partners,

d. enable and resource consumer reference groups that will monitor the development and implementation of fundraising,

e. community awareness, media campaigns by agencies and government according to this policy, ensure that "competition" between agencies to secure what they see as an appropriate "slice of the cake" is not detrimental to those whose needs are to be served, or to other agencies working in similar or related areas,

f. prepare and present all fundraising, promotional or educational material in such a way that it reinforces full human rights and promotes the basic truth that "people with disability are individuals with the same right to dignity, respect and opportunity as all other members of society",

g. implement an accessible, informed consent strategy that enables individuals, families or groups to make an informed decision about their involvement in each specific project, and

h. to accept the challenge to enhance community perceptions of people with disability.

5 Access in society and tertiary educational institutions

a. ANSWD is committed to ensuring the rights of students with disabilities to be included in tertiary educational sector, the workforce, and the broader community, as well as having equal and equitable access to tertiary education and to paid employment, and to eliminate discrimination at all levels.

b. Students should not be excluded in any manner from activities provided by tertiary educational institutions such as learning and assessment activities.

c. ANSWD understands accessibility as being the ability of all persons with disabilities to access, utilise or participate independently of others and as they desire, in the same or equivalent manner as the broader community, with safety and dignity.

d. The level of independence shall refer to the full spectrum from fully independent after minor adjustments to ongoing educational and social support and everything in between. The person with disabilities is the best judge of their own need for reasonable adjustment. If there is a difference of opinion then the reasons for denying the reasonable adjustment should be given in writing within a set time limit.

e. Day long caring services and continual learning environment support services should be provided to students who require such services in order to fully participate in the community of the tertiary educational institution.

f. It is likely that if students with disabilities are having problems with an aspect of the system at their tertiary educational institution, many other students are also experiencing difficulties. ANSWD believes that tertiary educational institutions must implement systematic Equity and Access Policy to address the issues and requirements of students with disabilities for the benefit of the whole population of that tertiary educational institution.

g. Such decisions to make facilities accessible should be made in a timely manner that does not delay the study schedule of students.

h. Where there is no Disability Liaison Officer or Disability Coordinator on a particular campus or tertiary educational institution, ANSWD calls upon student organisations who are funded by compulsory union fees or have surplus funds, to provide funding for a Disability Liaison Officer or Disability Coordinator.

6 Sports and Recreation in and among tertiary educational institutions

a. We call upon Australian University Sports and University Sports New Zealand to have a policy for people with disabilities participation
b. All facilities should be accessible;
c. we would prefer that they liaise with ANSWD when they are conducting an audit in terms of demand for particular sports.

7 ANSWD will campaign for campus specific physical meeting spaces for students with disabilities in the form of Library Disability Resource Rooms,Resting Rooms and Multi-access rooms be installed at all public and private Universities, Polytechnics, TAFE and private colleges in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. A Library Disability Resource Room is necessary for students with disabilities as it is a safe haven away from the general student population, expectations and distractions in order to conduct effect study through the use of adaptive technologies. A physical resting room and Multi-access space in addition to a small Library Disability Resource Room facilitate rest, recovery, the management of medical conditions and disabilities both physical and psychological and to enable access to other population groups who historically had access difficulties. Disability Resource Rooms, resting rooms and Multi-access rooms should be positioned in close proximity to Equity and Diversity or the tertiary educational institution's department administering disability services.

8 ANSWD will campaign for campus specific online meeting spaces for students with disabilities be installed at all public and private Universities, Polytechnics, TAFE and private colleges in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. An online meeting place is necessary so those who wished to discuss campus specific issues relating to disability could do so. ANSWD as a last resort shall ask a student with disabilities who attend that tertiary educational institution to establish an campus specific online meeting space.

9. ANSWD in association with AATUG encourages Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand governments, tertiary educational institutions, businesses and other organisations to improve their legislations, regulations, policies, procedures and financial arrangements in order to promote and foster the up take of adaptive technology as well as the free flow of alternative format materials in various forms and platforms.

10 ANSWD believes that the term "mental illness" should be changed to "Psychosocial Disabilities ". Ongoing training, counselling, psychological therapies, confidence boosting activities, and support for part time study and part time work should be provided to persons with Psychosocial Disabilities.

11 Accessible courses

a. ANSWD supports that accessibility be part of the approval criteria of any new subject or course that the tertiary educational institution wishes to provide or modify. This would involve a number of issues such as practical requirements, accessible online components, and accessible assessments. In designing or modifying courses and components within courses, tertiary educational institutions should be mindful of the Australian Disability Discrimination Act Educational standards, the Aotearoa New Zealand Disability strategy and the Aotearoa New Zealand Code of Practice for an Inclusive Tertiary Education Environment for Students with Impairments.

b. ANSWD encourages tertiary educational institutions, for well established courses to publish the course description, the format of the course delivery and a general overview of the types of assessments in their handbook.

c. We encourage students with disabilities to discuss with their disability adviser on the range of support as soon they know of which course(s) they will be studying in.

d. Ideally a database of acceptable adjustments applying to a general range of courses would assist in avoiding lengthy paperwork.

e. Course conveners in consultation with individuals should use such discretions to modify assessments and components so that students with disabilities participating in that course can fulfill the key objectives stated in the course outline.

f. that students with disabilities be provided with maximum feedback on work submitted for assessment in an accessible format (including the right to view their corrected examination scripts) and that the results of ongoing assessment be made available promptly and in an accessible format.

g. ANSWD believes that all tertiary educational institutions should provide appropriate staff development to academic and general staff on disability issues. Appropriate training includes relevant campus and off-campus referral.

12 ANSWD acknowledges the right of students with disabilities not to disclose, or identify as having a disability.

13 ANSWD acknowledges the difficulties that many students with disabilities face in gaining paid employment. In so doing, ANSWD asks that where practicum placements are an inherent requirement of the degree or training certificate Course, Academics and other teaching staff are assisted in making adjustments where required to ensure that they do not loose academic integrity.

14 Political Action

a. ANSWD is committed to playing an active role in keeping a watch over government decisions that adversely affect tertiary students with disabilities, and to challenge these decisions whenever necessary. This can be in the form of a national campaign or lobbying government at a more local level.

b. As an organisation representing students with disabilities, ANSWD believes in the implementation and use of non-violent means of promoting an inclusive tertiary educational experience.

c. ANSWD strongly encourages that student organisations student with disabilities representatives in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to cooperate with ANSWD in developing national campaigns for Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand as it would be more legitimate, coordinated, consistent and would have strong thrust if all advocate from the same campaign.

15 Actual Counting of Students With Disabilities

a. ANSWD calls upon the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Governments to release accurate figures in relations to the number of students with disabilities in the tertiary educational sector (private and public universities, Polytechnics, TAFE and private colleges) on a twice a year basis.

b. ANSWD is of the belief that the number of students with disabilities in the tertiary educational sector is growing, and that this group has growing needs that must be addressed.

c. This also includes encouraging tertiary educational institutions to actively recruit and support people with disabilities.

d. In the absence of governments actually counting students with disabilities, we encourage all tertiary educational institutions in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to publicly release the number of students with disabilities studying, registered with Disability services, use study skills assistance, student counselling, IT assistance, other educational facilities, failed to receive assistance on time and those who dropped out or failed to complete their course as a result, in their institution in their newsletter or on their website, on a twice a year basis so that non-government organisations like the Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training, Achieve: The National Post Secondary Education Disability Network Incorporated in Aotearoa New Zealand and ourselves could do the statistics independent of government. It would also assist in the push for greater financial support to meet the cost of being a student with a disability.

16. New form of disability funding

a.ANSWD supports a National Disability Insurance Scheme on condition that an emphasis be placed on tertiary education and employment, and that the scope of beneficiaries is increased to include a broader range of people requiring services including but not exclusive to students with disabilities and persons with psychosocial disabilities. By broadening the scope of beneficiaries of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, persons with disabilities would get the help and support to be able to prevent their condition becoming more severe while becoming a productive citizen in society.

b.ANSWD shall try to support both a National Disability Insurance Scheme as well as a Lifelong Disability Entitlement Scheme.

17 Students With Disabilities representation on student organisations

a. ANSWD acknowledges the inadequacy of representation of students with disabilities within the tertiary sector, on student bodies and also on decision-making committees, and is committed to working towards gaining representation of students with disabilities at all tertiary educational institutions, student bodies and on all campuses throughout our network area.

b. Where there is on campus a student organisation, is required to field a representative to a Disability, Equity, or Equal Opportunity committee located in either a larger committee, Tertiary educational institution's department or unit that administers disability services, or the main governing body of the tertiary educational institution; it becomes more necessary for that student organisation to have a students with disabilities representative to better represent students with disabilities on that campus. Where there is a student or students with disabilities on a Disability, Equity, or Equal Opportunity committee located in either a larger committee, Tertiary educational institution's department or unit that administers disability services, or the main governing body of the tertiary educational institution, but not a students with dissabilities representative in the student organisation; we call upon that particular student organisation(s) to allow those student or students with disabilities from the above committees to have a voice in the student organisation's governing body.

c. Student organisations should actively encouraging and supporting students with disabilities in becoming involved in student organisations, bodies and committees at the campus and the national level.

d. Student organisations through their office bearers should consult with students with disabilities and relevant tertiary educational institution staff to identify the areas where support is needed, and how this support should be rendered.

e. student organisations should provide support for alternative formats (e.g. large print or electronic word document) for all documents on request, and lobbying institutions to adopt such policy in all documentation.

f. Student organisations through their student with disabilities representative or other office bearer who have responsibilities for representing students with disabilities to have in their regulations "to liaise with organisations e.g. the Australasian Network of Students With Disabilities" in their responsibilities.

g.Where a student organisation in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand have women's, queer, international and/or indigenous student representation on their governing bodies, ANSWD shall actively seek the inclusion of a student with disabilities representing students with disabilities to that student organisation's governing body.

h. If a students with disabilities representative position within a student organisation becomes vacant, the Welfare Officer or President (in last resort) of the student organisation should act as acting students with disabilities representative in a casual capacity. When the above occurs the student organisation should simultaneously, constantly and actively search out for students with disabilities to co-opt or to nominate for the vacant position by working with the tertiary educational institution's unit/department that deals with disability services, ask ANSWD to advertise the vacant position, and promote the benefits of being a students with disabilities representative.

i. ANSWD believes that there should be representation for students with disabilities in national student organisations e.g. National Union of Students (Australia), Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations, New Zealand Union of Student Associations, and others that we are not aware of. Duplications is satisfactory as long as it is standard procedure for other constituent organisations e.g. Environment, Queer, Indigenous. If the selection process for a student with disabilities representative requires formal declaration of a disability, ANSWD will not participate in the selection process as it would breach an above policy dot point. ANSWD believes that the role of the student with disabilities representative in the National Student organisation should be to act as a go between ANSWD, the National Student Organisation they serve and student organisations that are affiliated with that National Student Organisation.

j. where an email list administered by a students with disabilities collective is found to be dormant by way of the last email was several years prior or the email list refers to an organisation that no longer exist, ANSWD shall

• find a way to take over that email list,
• improve that email list,
• encourage relevant persons to join that email list,
• before finding a person from the above to permanently administer the improved email list.

k. ANSWD encourages student organisation's student with disabilities representative in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand regardless whether they are students with disabilities or not to join the Student Officers email list run by ANSWD.

18 ANSWD supports the work of the National Disability Coordination Officer Program funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Where many of the Reference Groups do not have student representation, ANSWD seeks to build on the relationships already established to work on issues of common concern. ANSWD encourages NDCO regions that still have a consultative committee to include a student with disabilities as a member of that committee.

19 ANSWD encourages public and private Universities, Polytechnic Institutes of Technology, TAFE and private colleges and other vocational education providers throughout Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to send a student with a Print Disability to the annual Round Table on Information Access for people With Print Disabilities Conference.

20 ANSWD believes that students with disabilities who aspire to become a member of the actual United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities should be given an environment in which they could get a sense what it is really like but in a pretend state. We encourage that the rules of the actual United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities be made public and that United Nations clubs on tertiary educational institutions throughout Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to include a committee on the Rights of Persons with disabilities when staging a mock United Nations on their campus.

21 ANSWD encourages all tertiary educational institutions in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to establish in as many disciplines (Arts and Social Sciences, Business, Built Environment, Engineering, Law, Medicine, science, etc) as possible courses that intersects with disability and universal design, at an undergraduate and vocational certificate level.

22 ANSWD encourages all Tertiary educational institutions, student organisations and other organisations to advertise ANSWD. ANSWD , encourage all students with disabilities within the tertiary sector in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to access the ANSWD discussion list and to play an active role in furthering representation of students with disabilities at all tertiary institutions.

23. Barriers for ANSWD in affiliating with organisations include  ongoing membership fees as ANSWD has no financial system nor an income stream, and criterias that ANSWD falls outside of. Instead, ANSWD will work with organisations directly or indirectly on issues affecting students with disabilities and to further ANSWD as an organisation. In addition, ANSWD shall encourage its members to individually affiliate with that organisation.

24.  ANSWD in fulfilling its objectives believes in having an intention to affiliate with the following organisations:  

• Australian Disability Clearinghouse  on Education and Training
 
• Australian Tertiary Education Network on Disability
• Australian Coalition for the Ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• NDCO South Australian Reference Group