ADCET Panel Session: Disability Action Plans in Universities - What actually works?

Thu 20 Aug 2026 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm AEST

Online

Event details

Disability Action Plans are one thing on paper and quite another in practice. Most universities have one, but the gap between a well-written plan and real change on the ground can be wide. This 90-minute panel brings together people who have done the work to talk honestly about what that gap looks like and how they've tried to close it.

The focus is practical. We'll work through the whole life of a plan: how consultation is done and who genuinely owns the outcome, how you move from a document to actual implementation, and how you hold the institution accountable once the initial energy has faded.

We will ask our panellists what worked, what didn't, what caught them off guard, and what they'd do differently if they were starting again.

Towards the end we'll turn to the shifting policy environment, including the new Disability Support Fund (DSF) requirements. From January 2027, Table A providers face new obligations around disability governance committees, co-designed education and workforce inclusion strategies, and expanded reporting. We'll talk briefly about what these changes might mean for how Disability Action Plans need to evolve, and how institutions can get ahead of them rather than scrambling to catch up.

This session will be valuable for anyone involved in developing, implementing or reviewing a Disability Action Plan, including disability practitioners, equity and inclusion staff, policy teams and senior leaders.

Facilitator

Darlene McLennan has managed ADCET since 2013 and has worked in the tertiary education and disability sector since 2005, starting as the National Disability Coordination Officer for Tasmania. She has led ADCET's growth into Australia's leading resource on disability in tertiary education, overseeing the development of the ADCET Academy eLearning modules and national projects in Universal Design for Learning and transition support. In 2025 she was awarded an ACSES Equity Fellowship focused on professional standards and capacity building in disability services. Darlene holds life memberships with ATEND and EPHEA, and her lived experience as a person with a Specific Learning Disability informs her work.

Panellists

Aaron Green is the Strategic Projects Coordinator for the Disability, Neurodiversity, and Chronic Illness (CaNDiD) portfolio at Murdoch University. He brings both professional expertise and lived experience to his work in advancing disability inclusion across higher education. After surviving a haemorrhagic stroke nine years ago, Aaron relearned to walk and run, an experience that continues to shape his commitment to accessibility and systemic change. He completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), with his research focusing on communication for stroke survivors aged 18–54 in Western Australia, and is commencing a PhD exploring why barriers to access and inclusion persist across social, business, government, and education systems despite decades of research and investment. Aaron is deeply engaged in advocacy and community work, including with People With Disabilities WA, and is passionate about challenging structural barriers and creating more inclusive environments where people with disability can fully participate and thrive.

As the University of Melbourne’s Associate Director (Accessibility and Inclusion), Belinda Johnston is responsible for leading UoM’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan. Since January, she has also been the Acting Director of Diversity & Inclusion, with strategic leadership responsibility across the D&I portfolio. Belinda has extensive experience in the Victorian state government and across higher education in both professional and academic roles. Leading Victoria’s Office for Disability from 2017 to 2023, she had responsibility for a wide range of accessibility and inclusion policy, strategy, and initiatives. This included leading the development and implementation of the Victorian State Disability plan and Victorian Autism Plan, as well as Victoria’s contribution to Australia’s Disability Strategy.

Cate Rooney is Manager of Accessibility and Equity at Central Queensland University and has over 15 years of experience as an equity practitioner in the tertiary education sector. Throughout her career, she has held a range of leadership roles and contributed to equity programs, projects, and strategic student-focused initiatives. Cate is currently helping to drive the implementation of CQUniversity’s Disability Informed Action Plan, supporting the university’s ongoing commitment to creating more inclusive, accessible, and equitable learning environments.

Sam Hamilton is the Project Officer for Charles Sturt University’s 2026–2030 Accessibility and Inclusion Plan. She is currently seconded from the Division of Learning and Teaching, where she works as an Educational Designer. Sam has more than 30 years experience in education, including extensive work with academic  staff to support inclusive learning, effective assessment design and student success. She has a particular interest in Universal Design for Learning and evidence-informed practice.

Samantha Tiernan is the Accessibility and Inclusion Support Associate Director at Charles Sturt University. She leads initiatives that support students with disabilities and carers to access, participate in, and succeed in higher education. Samantha has extensive experience in, disability support, stakeholder engagement, and service design. Samantha is passionate about creating inclusive learning environments that enable all students to thrive.

The webinar is free to attend, and it will be live-captioned.

Registrations for this panel session are now open

Webinar Connection Info

ADCET webinars use Zoom. In order to participate, you will need to have access to the Zoom platform.

• Download and create a free account at Zoom
• How to attend a Zoom event and use audience controls
• Accessibility features in Zoom

ADCET is hosted by the University of Tasmania

Contact details

Event website
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_M7Nt6dV_QxOpFFIZhnkbOQ

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