ADCET UDL Symposium: UDL Aligned, ASQA Compliant VET Assessment Practice

In-person presentation

This presentation shared the evolving work of the Vocational Education and Training led Community of Practice (CoP) formed to explore how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can be meaningfully embedded into assessment while maintaining full alignment with the requirements of the 2025 Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs).  

The group formed after identifying a persistent gap across the sector: while UDL is increasingly embedded in learning materials and formative assessment, summative assessment remains tightly constrained by traditional interpretations of the Principles of Assessment, the Rules of Evidence, and compliance expectations. These constraints often lead to single mandated assessment methods and a reliance on reasonable adjustments, rather than designing assessments that remove barriers from the outset.

The CoP adopted the CAST UDL Framework 3.0 and the ASQA Standards for RTOs 2025 as foundational reference points. Through collaborative analysis, the group is examining how UDL principles can be applied across both formative and summative assessment without compromising competency‑based requirements. 

The revised ASQA Outcome Standard 2: VET Student Support, positions learner support as an institutional responsibility. The CoP is leveraging this standard as a compliance‑aligned rationale to support proactive design of assessments that anticipates and addresses learner variability; and enables the articulation of defensible strategies for embedding UDL into assessment design and documentation.

We presented the agreed key actions and outcomes to date and showcase the co-designed resources. This included    

• Mapping documents that benchmark UDL practices to ASQA guidance.
• Assessment development processes that integrate UDL from the outset
• Practical tools and supporting resources such as exemplar assessment tasks 

The project demonstrates that UDL‑aligned, ASQA‑compliant assessment is both achievable and essential for equitable VET assessment practice. Attendees left with confidence that they can shift to a more proactive assessment design integrating UDL and ASQA requirements to support successful outcomes for learners.

Presenters

Trina Bianchini is employed at TAFE SA in Academic Development, as a Teaching and Learning Specialist with a special portfolio of Accessibility and Inclusive Education. This role involves providing leadership to teaching programs through quality and innovation to deliver positive student experiences and successful outcomes. Trina is a passionate advocate of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as it drives principles of accessibility, usability and quality learning design addressing both digital content and effective facilitation methods utilising digital tools. Trina facilitates the UDL in Tertiary Education Community of Practice with members from across Australia/New Zealand and a lead in the TAFE SA Co-Design Network who are tasked with designing and implementing an Inclusive Teaching and Learning framework at TAFE SA.

Jennifer Cousins has had the privilege of working as a Developmental Educator, Disability Advocate, VET Practitioner, and Teaching and Learning Specialist in Accessibility and Inclusive Education. Throughout her career, she has supported individuals with diverse needs in planning and managing their educational journeys, while also collaborating with educators to develop inclusive teaching strategies. Her qualifications in Disability, Law, and Education, combined with extensive professional experience, underpin a strong commitment to empowering students with varied support needs. She has worked extensively with the Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) to develop a range of online training resources for the tertiary education sector, with a focus on access, inclusion, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Jennifer is deeply committed to the belief that we all engage with the world through different ways of knowing, doing, and being—and that inclusive education must reflect and honour that diversity.

(June 2026)