Access and inclusion

Notre Dame is committed to providing an environment for students that is supportive and free from discrimination. The University strongly supports the admission of students with a disability and encourages those students to seek assistance from the Access and Inclusion Advisor to ensure they are able to participate in their course of study on equal terms with other students.

If you have a disability, injury, medical condition, mental health condition or learning difficulty, the Access and Inclusion Advisor can support you – whether your condition is ongoing, episodic or temporary.

• Your privacy & confidentiality will be respected – the Access and Inclusion Advisor only provides limited information to other staff, with your consent, so that adjustments and services can be arranged for you, when required.
• You do not need to have a permanent condition – you may also be eligible for assistance if you have an injury or condition which is temporary, changes from week to week or comes and goes.
• It is your personal choice whether you register with the Access and Inclusion Advisor – however if you would like us to provide services or adjustment to your study activities, you will need to register so that we can make these arrangements.
• A reasonable timeframe is required to make the necessary arrangements for a number of support services, so you are strongly encouraged to meet with the Access and Inclusion Advisor as soon as possible.

Access and Inclusion services support and empower students to achieve their goals and participate equitably at university, through the provision of reasonable adjustments and learning access plans (LAPs). This is in accordance with requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (Cwth) 1992, the Disability Standards for Education (2005) and the University Policy: Students with a Disability. The adjustments provided will depend on the nature and extent of each student’s needs.

• How to register for support

  For you to receive support, you will need to register with Access and Inclusion. To start the process please make an appointment to meet with an Access and Inclusion Advisor. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss your individual support needs. You will need to provide supporting medical documentation (see below).

  You can meet with an Access and Inclusion Advisor in person, by phone or on Zoom.

  Make an appointment

  A reasonable timeframe is required to make the necessary arrangements so please contact the Access and Inclusion Advisors as soon as possible.

• Supporting medical documentation

  If you have existing medical documentation, e.g. a letter or report from your doctor or other medical professional, you should provide it to the Access and Inclusion Advisor. If you do not have current documentation, you can ask your current treating health professional to complete a Treating Health Practitioner Report form (Sydney) or Treating Health Practitioner Report form (Fremantle).

  If you have a specific learning disability, such as dyslexia, you will need to bring the full assessment report that states your diagnosis, which should be signed by an educational psychologist.

  Your supporting medical documentation must be:

  • Signed and dated
  • On letterhead or stamped by your specialist
  • Current so that it gives accurate and up-to-date information about the nature of your condition or diagnosis and how it affects your study activities

  If you are a new student, please upload your supporting medical documentation when you register and make an appointment.

  If you are an existing student, you can update your medical documentation via our Student Portal.

• Existing students – Access and Inclusion student portal

  If you have previously registered with Access and Inclusion and have a Learning Access Plan (‘LAP’) in place you may access your current LAP within the Access and Inclusion student portal.

  You can use the student portal to view your LAP, make a further appointment with an Access and Inclusion Advisor and request additional adjustments.  You may be required to provide additional supporting medical documentation for additional adjustments.

  Access Student Portal

• Meet the Team

  Fiona Darcy
  Senior Access and Inclusion Advisor – Sydney Campus

  Fiona has been working as an Access and Inclusion Advisor in higher education since 2002. During this time, Fiona has supported thousands of students with disability, medical conditions and mental health conditions across two universities to participate equitably in their studies. Fiona finds great joy and satisfaction in accompanying students on their journey from enrolment to graduation and post-university employment.
  
  Prior to becoming an Access and Inclusion Advisor, Fiona worked in workplace planning and equity, learning and development, and volunteer management. Fiona has a Social Science (Honours) degree in Disability as well as a Master of Arts by research degree. Fiona’s master’s thesis was focussed on the motivations for volunteering at Mary Mackillop Place. Fiona completed this thesis while employed as the Manager of Volunteers at Mary Mackillop Place which she held for a number of years.
  
  One of Fiona’s most notable roles was developing and delivering the disability awareness training for over 7000 staff and volunteers working in the Paralympic Village during the Sydney 2000 Olympics and Paralympics as well as acting as a Venue Staffing Manager at the Village during the Games.
  
  Fiona enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking, reading, and conducting family history. Fiona has also been known to enjoy jet boating, zorbing, and leaping off tall buildings like the Sky Tower in Auckland.

  Bernadette Saleme
  Access and Inclusion Advisor – Sydney Campus

  Bernadette has been an Access & Inclusion Advisor at Notre Dame for over 11 years. Bernadette has a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree with Distinction in Rehab Counselling, and a Graduate Certificate in Liberal Arts.
  
  Prior to joining Notre Dame, Bernadette worked for 10 years in the rehabilitation sector for a number of government and non-government agencies. This involved assisting clients with disabilities to find employment that matched their individual abilities and capacities. For 4 years Bernadette was also a counsellor for the NSW Breastscreen service supporting women following breast cancer diagnosis.
  
  Bernadette finds great fulfilment in building a trusting and safe environment for students to share very personal aspects and impacts of their lives, and supporting those students throughout their academic studies. A highlight of Bernadette’s work is being able to watch students she has supported graduate from University.
  
  Bernadette is an avid swimmer, loves to bushwalk, read and spend time in the company of family and friends.

  Danielle Day
  Access and Inclusion Advisor – Fremantle Campus

  Danielle comes to Notre Dame having worked extensively in the education, disability, and allied health sectors.  Danielle is a qualified Neurodiversity Teacher from the UK and has held senior clinical roles within the Education sector and Therapy services. Danielle has worked extensively providing people, with pre and post diagnosis support in Autism, ADHD and other learning and mental health conditions.

  Danielle holds qualifications in Psychology from the University of Plymouth, United Kingdom. Danielle finds great fulfillment in accompanying students on their journey in Education to overcome barriers to their learning. She is passionate about ensuring students get access to services and reasonable adjustment to help them achieve their personal and professional goals. Danielle is a strong advocate for Neuro-affirming approaches that focuses and celebrates individual strengths.

  One of Danielle’s favourite things to do is to spend time with her family, ocean swimming and walks in nature with their black Labrador. Danielle loves to travel and has spent time travelling South America, Africa, and Asia.

• FAQs

  What is the Access and Inclusion online system, called ACCESS?

  ACCESS is an online Access and Inclusion system to help manage Learning Access Plans (‘LAPS’) for students with disabilities, medical conditions, and mental health conditions. For new students this means you can upload your supporting medical documentation and make an appointment to register online.  For existing students who already have a LAP, you can view your LAP online, request additional adjustments and make review appointments with your Access and Inclusion Advisor.

  How can I register with Access and Inclusion?

  Click on the Student Portal and enter your personal information. You will be required to upload your supporting medical documents online. Once you have uploaded your medical documentation in the student portal you can make an appointment with the Access and Inclusion Advisor on your campus, by clicking on the appointments tab.

  When should I register with Access and Inclusion?

  As it takes time to register and determine reasonable adjustments and support for each student, you should register with Access and Inclusion as soon as you believe you may need support – ideally at the start of a semester. Cut-off dates apply with respect to exam provisions, so please do not wait until the last minute to seek support.

  How can I make an appointment with an Access and Inclusion Advisor?

  Sign into the Student Portal using your student number and password and click on the appointments tab. Please make sure you select the Access and Inclusion Advisor on your campus.  If you are selecting an online appointment via Zoom, you will get a separate Zoom meeting link, via email. If you are unable to attend your appointment, please cancel your appointment in the student portal and/or send an email to the Access and Inclusion Advisor.

  I am a student with an existing Learning Access Plan (‘LAP’). How can I get a copy?

  Log into your Student Portal and click on the adjustment letters tab. If there is no letter displayed, please email your Access and Inclusion Advisor (contact details below) and they can send your LAP to you.

  I already have a LAP but want to change or update something. What should I do?

  Log into your Student Portal and click on the LAP adjustments tab. Click on additional request and follow the prompts. You may be required to submit additional medical documentation or have another meeting with the Access and Inclusion Advisor, depending upon the nature of your request.

  I already have a current LAP. Do I need to apply for a new one?

  Your current LAP is valid until the expiry date listed on it. You do not need to apply for a new one unless there has been a change in your medical condition. You will need to contact the Access and Inclusion Advisor before the LAP expiry date if you require continued assistance.