Services for Students

Your Study Access Plan (SAP) may include, where appropriate, reasonable adjustments for assignments and/or timed assessments (myLearn and in-class quizzes), which may include:

• extra time to complete and/or take rest breaks
• alternative assessments
• permissions to manage health conditions, such as checking blood glucose levels or consuming food and drinks
• in-class quiz assistance, such as a reader/scribe/computer

If you would like to use the assignment and/or timed assessment adjustments in your SAP, for each individual assignment or timed assessment/quiz you must request your adjustment before the assignment due date. You will need to contact your unit coordinator or appropriate contact within your school (as per your School’s policy/processes) to request these adjustments.

If you require the use of a reader/scribe or other additional assistance for a quiz, you will need to contact SAWO at least two (2) weeks before the assessment is held, so we can make the necessary arrangements.

Your Study Access Plan (SAP) may include, where appropriate, reasonable adjustments for invigilated online examinations. These will be implemented by the UNE Exams Office. You will receive specific exam instructions with your adjustments in an email from the Exams Office about four (4) weeks prior to the exam period.

Your exam adjustments will NOT be reflected in your MyUNE Exams timetable, only in the email you receive from the Exams Office.

Reasonable adjustments may include:

• extra time to complete and/or take rest breaks
• permission to hand-write part of an exam
• permission to use ergonomic equipment
• permission to eat/drink or administer medication
• examination assistance e.g. reader/scribe

When considering whether to enrol in units that have mandatory intensive schools, please think about the cost and time required to fulfil this requirement. Intensive schools run for full days over several days and cover the trimester’s content of that unit within a very short time. You will need to manage the impact this may have on your health, knowing that all students have to work hard during this time.

Where appropriate, adjustments may include:

• amendments to group work activities
• level access to sessions
• additional short rest breaks
• alternatively formatted handouts
• separate room to manage health systems
• Permission to bring guide dog or carer to sessions

There are accessible toilets on UNE's campus in Armidale.

Some lecture theatres have hearing loops.

Exemption from attendance at mandatory intensive schools is not possible in most cases. If you do not attend the mandatory intensive school, you will incur a Fail (NI) for that unit, unless you withdraw from the unit. Withdrawals after Census or after the last date for withdrawal without academic penalty will incur a HECS liability and/or the academic penalty.

UNE has accommodation on campus available to students; however places are limited so we encourage you to book early. You can request accommodation here .

Most textbooks can be loaned from Dixson Library in e-format. Students with a SAP are eligible for assistance with formatting of study materials. Please contact Dixson Library directly for assistance.

Should you require a textbook in a particular format and this is unavailable, please contact SAWO as soon as possible, so we can have the material converted for you. You will need to have provided supporting documentation to be eligible to have textbooks converted to a particular format.

All students have access to automatic closed captions and can download transcriptions for recorded lectures and tutorials through UNE’s learning portal MyLearn.

Should a student require closed captions and transcriptions that are professionally prepared with an approved accuracy rating, they need to contact SAWO and provide supporting documentation.

In-Class Materials

Should you require material, such as hard copy and PowerPoint presentations, in electronic format, you will need to request these from each unit coordinator in the beginning of the trimester. SAWO does not have access to this material.

For support with academic skills, such as assignment writing and referencing, you should consult the Academic Skills Office.

Assistive Technology

We work with students to utilise inclusive technology and other techniques to access their learning material independently. This is to support students in increasing their independence during and after university studies in the workplace. For example:

Students requiring their readings in a larger font or coloured paper can use available technology on their device to change the layout of their computer.

Students with reading difficulties (for a wide range of reasons) may benefit from text-to-speech technology, such as Dragon Naturally Speaking.

Similarly, students with difficulties writing may work with speech-to-text technology.

Microsoft has a comprehensive and user-friendly resource about tools and systems to assist students with diverse needs   .

The Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) also has an excellent resource on inclusive technology options for specific disabilities.