Disability Support | Media Design School

Accessible Learning

If you are attempting to manage the demands of study as well as an ongoing health condition or accessibility need, or you are the primary carer for a person with accessibility needs, you may be eligible for academic adjustments and other supports.

We can offer access to reasonable adjustments and can provide advice to future students regarding support services.

If you identify as having an accessibility need or condition that may impact on your ability to complete your study, talk to us about the resources and support available.

Contact Us

Get in touch at disability@mediadesignschool.com

Two people having a conversation in Media Design School's library.

Accessible support information

Eligibility

If you have a diagnosed accessibility need, learning difficulties, an ongoing mental or physical health condition or are the primary carer for a person with accessibility needs, you are eligible to apply for a Learning Statement of Access.

Relevant information

Students are encouraged to reach out to discuss their individual needs and hear about relevant support. Alternatively, students can submit a Learning Access Application with recommendations from their health care practitioner, which can be submitted in order to create a support plan. Please refer to the policy documents and resources on this page for more information about this process.

Other considerations

In order for us to support you optimally, we encourage you to contact us before the beginning of your first semester. Send us an email to discuss how we can best support you.

Application process

In order to request ongoing adjustments to your studies, we encourage you to contact our Disability Advisor who will conduct a needs assessment in order to offer relevant support.

Alternatively, you can also submit a Learning Access Application with recommendations from your care practitioner.

In order to create a support plan, submit this application to our Disability Advisor.

To find out more about the process of applying for and securing a Learning Statement of Access, visit the links below:

Share with us

Sharing with us an accessibility need or medical condition is a personal choice. In order for us to provide adequate support in a timely manner, we encourage you to consider telling us your accessibility needs as soon as you foresee your condition will impact your studies.

In some circumstances, we need time to process an application and organise support. We will always endeavour to make provisions and eliminate barriers to student success; however, we cannot guarantee that all requests will be immediately implemented.

What adjustments are available?

We strive to ensure that we can provide targeted and individual supports to each student based on their specific needs and concerns. Some of the adjustments we may be able to provide include:

Early enrolment
Learning materials in accessible format
Changes to student presentation and group work
Movement in class
Recording lectures
Assignment – extensions and modifications
Alternative room
Deadline extension for assignments
Special equipment
Furniture Aids

We will always endeavour to accommodate a student’s reasonable adjustments, but Media Design School acknowledges it does have limited resources and facilities.

Resources

Media Design School supports the principles of Kia Ōrite: Code of Practice for an inclusive tertiary environment, which enables students with impairments to achieve fully.

Kia Ōrite Toolkit | Achieve

Am I eligible to request disability support?

If you have accessibility needs, learning difficulties, or a mental or physical health condition that impacts your study, you are eligible to request both informal and formal support from Media Design School. Disability needs may be permanent, short-term or fluctuating in nature, and is defined by the Human Rights Act 1993.

What is a Learning Access Application?

A Learning Access Application is a document students can submit in order to be given a Learning Statement of Access. It provides information about the impact of your accessibility needs, mental health or medical condition on your studies, and identifies services and any alternative assessment adjustments that are being requested to support your studies. Once completed, your Learning Access Application should be submitted to the Accessibility Advisor. Alternatively, students can book a consultation with Accessibility Services for an individual needs assessment to determine relevant support.

What supporting documentation do I need to request accessibility supports?

Required documentation may differ depending on individual circumstances and needs. Students are encouraged to book an appointment with Accessibility Services to discuss their specific situation and for guidance on accessing support.

What is a reasonable adjustment?

Reasonable adjustments are modifications to a student's learning experience that balance the interests of both the student and relevant staff involved in the implementation, which do not affect the academic standards or inherent requirements of a subject or course.

What are inherent requirements?

The fundamental abilities, skills and knowledge that all students need in order to successfully complete a course or program, regardless of their accessibility needs, because they are essential to the relevant career.

How is confidentiality and privacy handled?

We understand the private nature of the information that you may share with us in relation to your medical condition or accessibility needs, and we will respect the privacy of that information. Your documentation and information only need to be shared with the Disability Advisor, who will work with other Media Design School staff on your behalf in order to implement any required adjustments. We will not share this information to any person outside of Media Design School without specific written consent unless we are required by law to provide the information.

Further information about Media Design School's approach to supporting students with accessibility needs can be found in the Disability Policy.

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEP)

If you study on campus and have a medical or mental health condition or a physical disability, you may require a personal emergency evacuation plan. Please ensure you communicate this to the Disability Advisor so they can assist in creating an evacuation plan that takes into consideration your needs.

You do not need to submit a Learning Access Application or have a Learning Statement of Access in order to have a PEEP. This is about keeping you safe in case of an evacuation.

Learning with reading and writing assistance

All students are able to access assistance with reading and writing through a range of available software and resources. This includes licenses for Office 365 online, and Read&Write technology. For more information, please visit Blackboard.

In 2024 MyLearn will replace Blackboard as MDS' new online learning platform. Introducing curated, searchable transcripts of video recordings, MyLearn will provide equitable experiences for all.

Disability Action Plan (DAP)

The Disability Action Plan is being developed to create an inclusive tertiary education environment for disabled learners at Media Design School.

It is our aim that this plan supports the change that is needed to eliminate intentional or unintentional disability discrimination. You can read more about the Disability Action Plan here.

Students with approved adjustments

Students with approved requests for support will be issued with a Learning Statement of Access, which clearly states the formalised and pre-approved adjustments which have been allowed for the student. Students are responsible for communicating the reasonable adjustments approved in their Statement by sharing their Learning Statement of Access with academic and teaching staff at the beginning of every semester, or as proactively as possible, to ensure relevant staff have a clear understanding of student needs in order to support and implement the approved adjustments.

If you require a copy of your Learning Statement of Access, please contact our Disability Advisor to be issued with this document.

Some adjustments related to specialised equipment and software will be organised during the application process, whilst academic adjustments will require timely communication with Academic and Campus staff, which the Disability Advisor will facilitate.

Deadline extension

Requests for late submission of assessments need to be communicated by the student to the lecturer no later than 3 days before the deadline.

Assessment format modification

Modifications to assessment format require advice from Program Directors. When a student requires assessment in alternative format, lecturers will need to be advised by the student at the beginning of each semester.

Plan Review

Your treating health practitioner will recommend the duration of the adjustments and you can request a review of the arrangements at any time. All other Learning Statements of Access will be reviewed at a minimum of every 2 years.

If you change your course, campus or study mode, your Learning Statement of Access will need to be reviewed.