Access plan - A document compiled in conjunction with disability staff that sets out the different services, supports and accommodations that a student may need while undertaking tertiary study. This 'plan' enables students and disability staff to negotiate reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning practices with lecturers and tutors.
Accommodations - The provision of supports and/or services to students with disabilities to enable them to undertake their course or program. The term also refers to reasonable adjustments that are made to teaching and learning practices.
Assistive technology - Technology designed to assist people with disabilities. For example computer programs that read text, enlarge text and screen readers.
Auslan interpreter - Sign language interpreter.
Austudy - Commonwealth government allowance for tertiary students aged 25 years and over.
ABSTUDY - Commonwealth government allowance for tertiary students from an indigenous (Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander) background.
Bachelor Degree - Study program of 3 or more years in length (if undertaken part time) that provides a student with qualifications in a particular industry or profession.
Career adviserr - Trained advisers that assist clients to identify study options that meet their interests, goals and strengths. They also provide guidance on career options that stem from different tertiary courses. Also referred to as career counsellors.
Career counsellors - Trained counsellors that assist clients to identify study options that meet their interests, goals and strengths. They also provide guidance on career options that stem from different tertiary courses. Also referred to as career advisers.
Career Information Centres - Information centres run by Centrelink that provide a wide range of information on careers and tertiary courses. The centres offer career counselling services and workshops on a wide range of career and employment related topics. The centres are located across Australia.
Career planning - The process of identifying a particular career or occupation and the qualifications and/or experience required to undertake that choice. This process includes researching courses, identifying pre requisites and identifying any professional registration requirements.
Case studies - A profile on a particular subject matter.
Centrelink - The agency is responsible to the Commonwealth Department of Human Services that provides government funded assistance for a wide range of social and human needs. For example disability support pensions, Newstart Allowance.
Commonwealth Supported Places - Course places offered at university that are subsidised by the Commonwealth government. Students that are offered a Commonwealth Supported Place are able to defer their course fees to the HECS-HELP loan scheme until they earn a certain amount of money each year that is determined by the Commonwealth government.
Course - A program of study that results in a qualification being awarded.
Course coordinator - The academic staff member responsible for developing and coordinating a particular course, subject or program of study.
Course fees - The amount charged by an education provider for undertaking a program of study.
Course guide - A publication produced by the tertiary admissions body/centre in each State and Territory of Australia. This publication lists all of the different courses offered by TAFE and universities including course pre requisites, application procedures and cut off scores.
Credit - Recognition of prior work, study or experience.
CRS Australia - The Commonwealth government agency responsible for assisting people with disabilities or injuries to obtain and keep employment. The organisation also focuses on finding solutions to prevent injury. Examples of the services provided include career planning, return to work programs, counselling services and physical assessments.
Deferment - Putting your course of study on hold.
DEEWR - The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations is the lead government agency providing national leadership in education and workplace training, transition to work and conditions and values in the workplace. .
DEST (now replaced by DEEWR - see DEEWR) - The Commonwealth government Department of Education, Science and Training that is responsible for implementing policies, programmes and projects related to education, science and training.
Disability Coordination Officer (DCO) (Now replaced by NDCO - see NDCO)- A position funded by the Commonwealth Department for Education, Science and Training (DEST) (through the RDLO and DCO initiative) that is responsible for enhancing post-secondary education, training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) - Commonwealth government legislation that governs discrimination based on disability in Australia.
Direct discrimination - Occurs where a person or a group of people are treated less favourably than another person or group of people in the same circumstances.
Disability Education Network (DEN) - This is a network of specialist employment services that provide assistance to job seekers with disabilities who require ongoing support to find and maintain employment in the open labour market. The network also provides support and services to employers that hire staff with disabilities.
Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) - Staff responsible for assisting students with disabilities studying at university or TAFE.They provide a free confidential service for enrolled students with a disability and/or ongoing medical condition and also coordinate study supports/accommodations for students.
Disclosure - Telling other people about your disability and/or medical condition.
Diploma - The qualification achieved after a completing a two year (or part time equivalent) tertiary course.
Direct entry - The process where students apply directly to education provider and not to the tertiary admissions body/centre in their State or Territory.
Disability - A physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, neurological and/or learning condition, physical disfigurement and/or the presence of organisms in the human body that are capable of causing disease.
Education institution - Organisation that provides education courses and programs.
Education provider - Organisation that provides education courses and programs.
Employment agency - An agency that finds employment for registered clients.
Enrolment - The process where students provide administrative information to an education provider, confirm the method payment for their course and register the subjects they wish to study.
External study - A course subject or program that is undertaken by a student through a series of learning packages 'externally from campus'. This form of study is flexible as students are not required to attend tutorials and lectures on campus and can study at home at their own pace.
Full time study - The 'normal full time’ load of subjects or units that make up a course. This is considered to be the minimum amount of subjects that a student must undertake in order to complete their course within the minimum time frame. This load can vary from course to course and between tertiary institutions.
General services fee - A compulsory fee charged by TAFE that funds the cost of services, activities and facilities. The amount charged differs between TAFE providers and students can be eligible for a discounted fee depending on their enrolment circumstances and the level of access they have to facilities and services. The amount charged varies each year. Some TAFE institutes base this fee on the amount of teaching hours each student will receive.
Graduate - A person that has been awarded a Degree.
Graduate Certificate - An award for completing a postgraduate program of at least six months in duration (or part time equivalent).
Graduate Diploma - An award for completing a postgraduate program of at least one year in duration (or part time equivalent).
Grants Search Register - A listing of all the different Grants, bursaries, prizes and scholarships that are available across Australia. The register has over 2800 entries including information on the grant, its purpose, eligibility criteria and funding amount.
Honours - A additional year of study after a Bachelor Degree which students specialise in a chosen area of study.
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) - Independent statutory organisation whose goal is to foster a greater understanding and protection of human rights in Australia and to address the human rights concerns of a broad range of individuals and groups. HREOC has responsibility for inquiring into complaints of alleged infringements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and for administering a wide range of equity legislation.
Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS) - Programs available to improve educational outcomes for Indigenous students, including: In-class tuition (aimed at primary school students), Tuition for Years 10, 11 and 12 students and Tuition for Indigenous Students at University.
Indirect discrimination - A requirement or rule that is the same for everyone but has the result of unfairly excluding or disadvantaging a group of people in an unreasonable manner.
Institute - Organised body that provides education and/or undertakes research.
Internal study - Face to face or on campus teaching where students physically attend campus to undertake lectures, tutorials and/or practicals related to their course subjects/units.
Lecture - A class where an academic delivers facts and opinions on a given topic.
Newstart Allowance - A Commonwealth government allowance for unemployed people looking for work who require financial assistance while participating in activities designed to increase their chances of finding work.
Notetaker - A person who takes notes during a lecture or tutorial on behalf of another student.
Masters Degree - A postgraduate degree undertaken after the completion of a Bachelor Degree (normally with honours) which focuses on one area of specialisation.
Modes of study - The format of delivery for a particular a course or subject/unit by an education provider. For example full and part time study.
Mixed mode - The combining of different study formats to deliver a course or subject/unit. For example online and part time study.
National Disability Coordination Officer (NDCO) Program - The National Disability Coordination Officer (NDCO) officers offer information, coordination and referral services for people with a disability who are interested in, or enrolled in, post-school education and training
Online study - All or part of a course or subject that is available online via the internet. This form of study can be part of an external course or program in addition to being part of an internal subject or course.
Open disability employment services - Employment providers that are funded by the Commonwealth government to support people with disabilities obtain and maintain employment in the open workforce. These providers must be certified.
Part time study - Enrolment in less than 75 percent of the 'normal full time’ load of subjects or units that make up a course. Students that study part time will take longer to finish their course than the recommended minimum timeframe as they study fewer subjects per semester than a full time student. Part time study can be undertaken by internal, external, online and mixed modes of study.
Pension Education Scheme - A Commonwealth government supplement that is available to eligible recipients of Centrelink payments who are undertaking full time study.
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy programs offered by universities that are run over three years and involve significant research work.
Postgraduate Program - A program of study that is undertaken after the completion of an undergraduate program.
Prerequisites - Subjects or experience that students are required to have successfully completed in order to be eligible for entry into a particular course of study.
Regional Disability Liaison Officer (RDLO) (now replaced by NDCO - see NDCO) - A position funded by the Commonwealth Department for Education, Science and Training (DEST) (through the RDLO and DCO initiative) that is responsible for enhancing post-secondary education, training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) - Private education providers that deliver a range of nationally accredited and non accredited education and training programs. There are about 4000 RTOs across Australia which include business and secretarial colleges, computer training centres and industry based centres.
Rent Assistance - This is a fortnightly payment from Centrelink that provides recipients with extra financial help to meet rent payments. The payment is only available to private renters and is not available to tenants of State or Territory housing authorities. Special rules apply to single sharers, boarders, lodgers or people who live in a retirement villages.
Scholarships - An award that assists students to pay for their education and/or learning needs. This may include course fees, tuition fees, transport fees, the cost of study materials and/or education services.
Special Tertiary Admission Test (STAT) - This is a two hour aptitude test designed to assess a range of competencies that are commonly considered important for success in tertiary study. The test is used by many tertiary institutions across Australia as part of their admissions process and is an alternate pathway to enter tertiary study. The test appraises an applicant’s ability to understand the material provided and to think critically about issues rather than to assess their knowledge of specific academic subjects.
Student card - An identification card issued to enrolled students by tertiary providers. Students must show this card to access student services such as library books, photocopying and computer terminals. The card also entitles the bearer to a wide range of discounts including discounts on public transport.
Student loan - Financial assistance provided to students to meet the costs of their study. Loans are available from banks, building societies and tertiary providers.
Student Support Officer (SSO) - Staff responsible for assisting students with disabilities studying at university or TAFE. They provide a free confidential service for enrolled students with a disability and/or ongoing medical condition and also coordinate study supports/accommodations for students.
Study support - The term refers to reasonable adjustments made to teaching and learning practices. This may include the provision of specific services and/or equipment.
TAFE - Institute or college of Technical and Further Education. It is a public training provider that offers a wide range of practical based courses. Most courses are based on national competency standards that are set around industry training packages. The courses offered include Advanced Diplomas and Certificate I -I V.
Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme - A scheme run in each State and Territory of Australia that subsidies the cost of taxi fares for eligible participants.
Tertiary admissions body/centre - The organisation that administers the course application process on behalf of participating tertiary providers. Students wishing to undertake a TAFE or university course must apply to this organisation if the education provider requires them to do so. The organisation also produces the annual TAFE and university course guides published in each State and Territory of Australia.
Tertiary education - The words tertiary education is used in its widest possible sense. It can be defined as any form of of formal education that comes after secondary schooling. For example study at TAFE, Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and/or universities. This includes studies done as part of apprenticeships, traineeships with TAFE or an RTO for a certificate, diploma and degree course and Diploma and degree courses offered by universities.
Tertiary education provider - An organisation that provides post secondary school education courses and programs.
Tertiary institution - An organisation that provides post secondary school education courses and programs.
Travel concession - A discount fare available on public transport to full time students, jobseekers, apprentices, vision impaired people, ex-members of the Defence forces with disabilities and senior card holders.
Tutor - An academic staff member or postgraduate student who conducts a small class where students discuss issues raised in lectures.
Tutorial - A small class where students discuss issues raised in lectures.
Undergraduate programs - A program of study that leads to a Bachelor Degree.
Unit - A value assigned to a course which measures the amount of work involved.
University - Self accrediting education provider that designs and approves its own courses. Courses aim to equip graduates to work as professionals in a particular field and/or acquire knowledge applicable to employment in a diverse range of sectors. Courses include undergraduate, Honours and Masters Degrees, Graduate Diplomas, Graduate Certificates and Doctorates.