From Awareness to Action – Disability Inclusion in Higher Education Speaker: Matt Brett, Director, Academic Governance and Standards, Deakin University and NCSEHE Adjunct Fellow

1. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
Matt Brett
Director, Academic Governance and Standards
From Awareness to Action -
Disability Inclusion in Higher Education
Global Accessibility Awareness Day

2. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
The number and proportion of students with disability in Australian
higher education has increased every year since data was first reported
The remarkable outcome of higher education equity policy
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3. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
An indisputable trend towards inclusion
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Source: Higher Education Statistics, Various Years

4. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
1. Do we understand factors leading to inclusion?
2. Will the trend towards inclusion continue?
3. How do we safeguard a more inclusive future?
Please send through any questions throughout
4. Exemplars of inclusion
Webinar Key Questions
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5. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
Relevant research and publications
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1. Factors driving inclusion 2. The future of inclusion 3. Safe guarding inclusion

6. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
1984 –Tertiary Education Commission – establishes priority groups
1988 – Higher Education White Paper – affirms equity groups
1990 – A Fair Chance For All – sets equity targets, mandated equity plans
1994 – Equity Performance Indicators – “temporary” disability indicator
2019 – Disability indicator remains unchanged to this day
Chronology of Australian higher education equity policy
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7. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
1977 – Equal Opportunity Act (Victoria)
1982 – Equal Opportunity Act (Victoria) rights extended to disability
1992 – Disability Discrimination Act (Commonwealth)
2002 – Public Transport Standards
2004 – Disability Standards for Education
2010 – Access to Premises Standards
XXXX – Internet / Technology Accessibility Standards
Chronology of Australian disability legal frameworks
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8. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
Commonwealth Grant Scheme 2015: $367m
Disability Support Program 2015: $7m
Base Funding > Additional Funding
Institutional Responsibility > State Responsibility
Public funding of disability in Australian higher education
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Brett, M. (2018). Equity Performance and Accountability . Report submitted to the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE), Curtin
University: Perth.

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Additional Support Per Student Halved in a Decade
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Source: Higher Education Statistics, Various Years , Higher Education
Determinations

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Disability has been:
- A priority group of Commonwealth higher education since 1984
- Protected by State legislation since 1984
- Protected by Commonwealth legislation since 1992
- The focal point of specific education standards since 2004
- Increasing in higher education every year since data collection
- An increasing share of institutional revenue
Do we need more disability awareness?
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11. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
Disability
All Students/
No Disability*
Source
Success Rate 81.7% ⇣ 87.3% Higher Ed Statistics 2017
Retention Rate 78.5% ⇣ 81.6% Higher Ed Statistics 2017
Overall Student Satisfaction 74.6% ⇣ 76.6%* Student Experience Survey 2018
Full Time Employment 62.8% ⇣ 73.5* Graduate Outcomes Survey 2018
Employer Satisfaction 82.1% ⇣ 85.0%* Employer Satisfaction Survey 2018
Disability Performance Assessment – Room for Improvement
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12. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
Mean Success Ratio
All Students 1.00
Hearing 0.960
Vision 0.953
Mobility 0.943
Medical 0.939
All Disability 0.938
Learning 0.933
Other 0.899
Is disability a useful concept? Do we need to be more granular?
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Kilpatrick, S., Johns, S., Barnes, R., McLennan, D., Fischer, S. & Magnussen, K. (2016). Exploring the Retention and Success of
Students with Disability. Report submitted to the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE), Curtin Unive
No sub-group at parity
with all students
Fastest growing
sub-groups below mean

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The ‘other’ disability issue – Mental Health / Illness?
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‘Health or stress’ is the top reason for students considering leaving in every
demographic cohort in Australian higher education.
Considered
Leaving
Departure Reason for Those
Considering Leaving
All Students 19% # 1. Health or stress 45%
Disability 26% # 1. Health or stress 68%
Source: 2018 SES National Report
Rastegari, S. and Hemsley, E. (2018) , Insights from Student Experience Survey Results:
The Link Between Students Considering Withdrawal From Their Course and Actual Attrition. AAIR Forum, Melbourne.

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Quick Poll:
The primary driver of inclusion has been:
1. Government policy
2. Institutional commitment
3. Societal change
Questions & Comments
Do we understand factors leading to inclusion?
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15. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
How may it all work out? We do not know….Which way will this turn
of history move the university: up or down? And what will be the
roles of conscious choice and action?”
Clark Kerr (1963) The Uses of the University
Will the trend to inclusion continue?
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16. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
My father was a working class deaf man
“A disability pensioner for the later years of
working age, employed in semi-skilled labour
in factories that no longer exist which
produced technology long obsolete.”
Will the trend to inclusion continue? Personal reflections
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Conscious action through national consultation
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https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/student-equity-2030-best-chance-for-all/

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Quick Poll:
The future for disability in higher education will be:
1. More inclusive
2. Two steps forwards, two steps backwards
3. Less inclusive
Questions & Comments
Will the trend towards inclusion continue?
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19. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
Disability as:
• Policy objective ✓
• Legal requirement ✓
• Entrenched presence ✓
• Revenue stream ✓
• Performance measures ✓
Safeguarding Inclusion
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What else is
important?

20. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
“I think the real question is: what happens to people who fail their
target — nothing!”
University Director of Equity
Accountability for Inclusion
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Zacharias, N. (2017). The Australian student Equity Program and institutional change: Paradigm shift or business as usual? Equity Fellowship Final Report.
The National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE). Curtin University: Perth.

21. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
March 2017
Australian universities 40
Strategic Plan Disability References 10
Annual Report Disability References 13
How do we make disability a university strategic priority?
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Brett, M. (2018). Equity Performance and Accountability . Report submitted to the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE), Curtin
University: Perth.

22. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
1. Refine equity goals
2. Improve information management
3. Embed student equity goals across the higher education system
(Exemplars to Follow)
4. Analyse, report and disseminate outcomes
Strategic Responses to Equity and Accountability Challenges
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Brett, M. (2018). Equity Performance and Accountability . Report submitted to the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE), Curtin
University: Perth.

23. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
Quick Poll:
What best safeguards disability inclusion:
1. Individuals upholding their rights
2. Disability advocates dismantling barriers
3. Institution policy and governance
4. Government policy and funding
Questions & Comments
How do we safeguard a more inclusive future?
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24. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
Exemplars of inclusion #1
Inclusive Curriculum Capacity Building @ Deakin University
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National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education.
2017. Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program:
Seven Years On. Perth: National Centre for Student Equity in
Higher Education
https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/SevenYearsOfHEPPP_web.pdf

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Exemplars of inclusion #1
Inclusive Education Principles @ Deakin University
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https://blogs.deakin.edu.au/iccb/about/deakin-inclusive-education-principles/

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Exemplars of inclusion #2
Accessible Graphics @ Monash University
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http://accessiblegraphics.org

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Exemplars of inclusion #2
Graphics Viewer using Vibration Interactive Touch and Speech
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http://accessiblegraphics.org/research/gravvitas/

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Exemplars of inclusion #3
Student wellbeing @ University of Melbourne
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http://unistudentwellbeing.edu.au

29. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
Exemplars of inclusion #4
ADCET @ University of Tasmania
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https://www.adcet.edu.au

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Last chance for comments and questions
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Additional Global Accessibility Awareness Day Events
11pm AST La Accesibilidad y los Formatos que Impactan las Inteligencias Múltiples
11pm ET Atlantic Cape Community College: Journey to a More Inclusive Campus
1pm ET How The University of Toledo is Developing a Digital Accessibility Culture
5pm CT Tips and Tricks of Inexpensive Accessibility Testing
https://go.blackboard.com/Global-Accessibility-Awareness-Day-2019

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Thanks
Blackboard
Keep in touch
Email: m.brett@deakin.edu.au
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MattBrettLTU