Disability Access and Inclusion Working Group

Under the ANU Inclusion Diversity Equity and Access (IDEA) Governance Framework the ANU Disability Action Plan 2020 - 2024 (DAP) will ensure equity in access, participation and success for people living with disability in our student cohorts and our workforce as well as providing an accessible, welcoming environment for our many visitors.

ANU is committed to achieving best practice in equity of access, inclusion and success for people with disability, and the Disability Action Plan Working Group (now Disability Inclusion and Access) was formed under the ANU IDEA Framework to achieve that goal. The DAP was formally endorsed by the IDEA Oversight Committee and then the ANU Senior Management Group in August 2020.

The ANU DAP is guided by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) that states: "Disability is an evolving concept and ... results from the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others;" This Plan is intended to meet the needs of all people living with disability, including family and carers of people with disability.

The ANU DAP has five key focus areas and these are documented below in no order of preference or priority:

Policy and Planning - across ANU, to ensure that all policy and planning processes include consideration and inclusion of people living with disability in order to ensure equitable access to the full experience of university life.

Education Provider of Choice - to continue to attract talented students from around the globe with a diversity of backgrounds and experience and ensure equity for people living with disability in our application and enrolment processes. Ensure accessible learning environments with well promoted and resourced supports for our students living with disability to achieve excellence.

Employer of Choice - to continue to attract and retain talented people with a diversity of backgrounds and experience, including people living with disability. To ensure an accessible workplace that provides equity of access to employment opportunity, employee benefits, conditions and career development. To ensure ease of access to reasonable adjustments, including more flexible work practices, and continue to develop and implement new initiatives to ensure an equitable work environment for staff living with disability. 

Built Environment - ensuring that our built environments are accessible for people living with disability; that our built environment continues to meet our legislative requirements for accessibility for staff, students and visitors; and that we have a clear plan, with measurable targets for development towards best practice in inclusive and accessible design for both our new and existing physical environments.

Digital Environment - ensuring that the digital environment of ANU, including internal and external communications, is inclusive and accessible to people living with disability. And that our digital communications environment reflects and promotes the diversity of our staff and student bodies, including people living with disability.

The implementation of the DAP, oversight of the evaluation of its impact and facilitation of the ongoing development of this and future DAP's will be conducted through the ANU IDEA Governance Framework, with regular and ongoing meetings and reporting being conducted through this structure. The ANU Disability Action Plan is intended to be a living document and the University welcomes input or feedback from students, staff and visitors about any matter regarding access and inclusion.