Fact Sheet: Reasonable Adjustment and Inclusive Practice

This Fact Sheet provides information on Outcome Standards 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, and 2.6 in relation to Reasonable Adjustment and Inclusive Practice.

Reasonable Adjustment and Inclusive Practice are closely connected. Both aim to ensure equitable access to education and training for all students, regardless of their background, abilities, or circumstances.

Reasonable adjustment is a specific legal obligation for students with a disability or ongoing ill health. It ensures that students with disabilities can access, participate and succeed in education on the same basis as other students.

Inclusive practice is for every student; it establishes a foundation for equitable, respectful, and supportive environments where all individuals, regardless of their background or circumstances can fully participate and thrive.

Students from diverse backgrounds, such as culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with lived experience of hardship or disadvantage, as well as students with a disability or ongoing ill health, are more likely to experience significant disadvantage and disruption to their educational attainment and employment prospects, potentially creating lifelong social and economic disadvantage.

This Fact Sheet aims to assist trainers, assessors and managers in understanding and managing a diverse, inclusive registered training organisation (RTO) that successfully implements reasonable adjustments in teaching, learning and assessment.

Inclusive Practice - access and equity and meeting student needs

The Outcome Standards (Standard 2.5) require RTOs to identify and respond to students' needs by providing educational and support services, and ensuring an inclusive environment with appropriate support mechanisms in place throughout the learning journey. These needs may arise from a person’s:

• age and/or gender;
• remote location;
• cultural or ethnic background;
• disability;
• sexuality ;
• language skills, literacy and numeracy level; or
• digital literacy.

The more diverse a student’s background, the more varied and complex their needs may be. This is called intersectionality, a framework that recognises how different aspects of a person’s identity such as race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status, intersect and create unique experiences of privilege, discrimination or disadvantage.

Intersectionality highlights that diversity is not just about individual categories but how they interact in complex ways.

Image Source: The Meyvn Group 2025

Understanding intersectionality ensures that policies and practices address systemic inequalities and create a more inclusive and supportive environment for students. A one-size-fits-all approach to diversity and inclusion does not recognise the complex challenges faced by students with overlapping identities. For example, the needs of a middle-aged male immigrant with 20 years of work experience living in a large city will differ from those of a 22-year-old Aboriginal / Torres Strait Islander woman from a low socioeconomic background living in a small regional town.

Inclusive practice involves creating environments, policies, and training and assessment methods that ensure all individuals regardless of their background, abilities, or personal characteristics, have equal opportunities to participate, learn, and succeed. It acknowledges and values diversity while actively removing barriers that might exclude individuals from fully engaging in a space, activity, or learning experience.

Here are some key principles for inclusive practice:

• Respect for Diversity – Recognising and valuing different identities, abilities and experiences (e.g., race, gender, disability, culture, socioeconomic status).
• Equal Access and Opportunities – Ensuring everyone has the resources, support and adjustments needed to participate effectively.
• Removing Barriers – Identifying and eliminating physical, digital, social and communication barriers that prevent full engagement.
• Flexible Learning Approaches – Using multiple training and assessment methods, accessible content and individualised support to meet different needs.
• Safe and Supportive Environments – Creating spaces where people feel welcomed, respected and empowered to contribute and express themselves.
• Student Voice and Participation – Encouraging individuals to share their perspectives and shaping policies or learning environments based on their needs.
• Trauma-Informed Practice – Recognising and supporting students who may have experienced trauma, ensuring policies and interactions are sensitive to their needs.

Examples of inclusive practice strategies for RTOs:

• Forming similar cohorts of students with comparable needs (such as age groups in IT) may be helpful.
• Offering various elective units provides increased flexibility.
• Offer different learning formats, such as face-to-face, self-paced (possibly online), multimodal learning materials, assistive technology or digital tools, work-based, and experiential learning.
• The pace of learning and assessment might be adjusted through distinct cohorts or individualised instruction.
• Using accessible materials such as large print, captions and screen reader-compatible documents.
• Providing extra support for students with varying abilities, language barriers or additional learning needs.
• Flexible arrangements might be made for assessment (Outcome Standard 1.4 (2)(a)(ii)), such as oral questions and answers for students with literacy challenges or, digital portfolios or videos instead of written reports.
• Adjustments might be made to the context of delivery and/or assessment to consider ethnic or religious protocol.
• Ensuring the Principles of Assessment (Outcome Standard 1.4), particularly the principles of fairness and flexibility, are implemented.
• Online or blended strategies might be employed to provide access when supporting remote students.

The requirements of Outcome Standards 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, and 2.6 are critical for RTOs when considering how to meet the needs of an individual student.

The TAC Fact Sheet Identifying and Meeting Student Needs provides RTOs with further advice. 

Reasonable adjustment

Reasonable adjustment is a term used in the education, employment and VET sectors to refer to any modification made to the learning environment, training delivery or assessment method to help students with particular needs such as disability or ongoing ill health (including mental health), to access and participate in education and training on the same basis as those without disability or ongoing ill health. This is a requirement of Outcome Standard 2.4.

Reasonable adjustment includes:

• ensuring that course activities are sufficiently flexible;
• providing additional support where necessary; and
• offering a reasonable substitute within the context of the course where a student cannot participate.

Relevant legislation 

• Disability Discrimination Act 1992
• Disability Standards for Education (DSE) 2005: Clauses: 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 3.7, 6.3.
• Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA) (WAEOA)
• Revised Standards for RTOs 2025

The legislation listed above lays out the rights of all individuals, students, RTOs and their  obligations. It is incumbent on RTOs to be familiar with the requirements of the legislation to ensure that we all meet our obligations.

Reasonable adjustment is defined in section 4(1) of the Employment and the Disability Discrimination Act (DSE) as ‘an adjustment to be made by a person is a reasonable adjustment unless adjusting would impose an unjustifiable hardship on the person’.

An adjustment is reasonable in relation to a student with a disability or ongoing ill health if it balances the interests of all parties affected, including the interests of the RTO.

Reasonable adjustment is not designed to give a student with a disability or ongoing ill health an advantage over other students, to change course standards or outcomes, or to guarantee success.

Examples of disabilities and ongoing ill health conditions:

• vision impairment
• chronic disease
• deaf or hard of hearing
• learning disability
• mental health conditions
• long-term illness such as cancer
• intellectual disability
• autism spectrum disability
• acquired brain injury
• physical disability

There are distinct boundaries to providing reasonable adjustments for students with a disability.

In particular, the Disability Standards for Education (DSE) Section 3.4(3) instructs that the “… provider is entitled to maintain the academic requirements of the course or programs and other requirements or components that are inherent in or essential to its nature” and notes that “… the provider may continue to ensure the integrity of its courses or program and assessment requirements and processes so that those on whom it confers an award can present themselves as having the appropriate knowledge, experience and expertise implicit in the holding of that particular award.”

This statement means that RTOs must make reasonable adjustments to support students with disabilities, but they must not change the core learning requirements or lower the course standards.

A reasonable adjustment should help students access and demonstrate their knowledge or skills, but it cannot remove essential course requirements that are necessary for a person to be considered competent in that field. The integrity of the qualification must be maintained so that everyone who earns it still meets the required professional or academic standards.

The Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA) (WAEO) also indicates that “reasonableness” must not cause the RTO unjustifiable hardship and must consider the impact on the RTO and other students and the extent to which adjustments can be made without damaging the integrity of the industry standard and the certification that follows.

This means that RTOs must make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, but only if those adjustments do not create an unfair burden on the organisation, negatively impact other students, or lower the professional standards of the course.

The adjustment should help a student access and complete the training, but it must still be practical for the RTO and not compromise the skills or knowledge needed for the qualification.

• course structure, core requirements, literacy, numeracy and digital levels required, delivery methods, assessment methods, any relevant industry or professional association requirements, relevant legislation and OH&S requirements for the industry;
• reasonable adjustment options for students with a disability or ongoing ill health, including student’s responsibilities and how to access services; and
• how the student can disclose information about their disability or ongoing ill health.

Disclosure of disability or ongoing ill health

Disclosure of disability or ongoing ill health is the student’s choice and is not required to participate in a VET course or program. However, encouraging students to share information about the impact of their disability or ongoing ill health on their learning early in their engagement with the RTO helps the RTO make timely, reasonable adjustments.

An RTO cannot force any student to engage in reasonable adjustments, but the RTO can reduce the discomfort of disclosure by providing clear information about:

• the opportunity for all students to have the assessment process tailored to meet their needs; and
• the processes involved in working with each student to develop a suitable assessment strategy.

The RTO must obtain the student’s written and signed consent before sharing any of their disclosed information.

Making decisions about reasonable adjustments

The DSE requires RTOs to consult with the student or their associate about:

• the nature of the disability or ongoing ill health and its effects if any, on the student’s ability to participate in the course or program; and
• any reasonable adjustment that may be made to facilitate participation and achievement.

The key word is consultation - the student may already have a clear idea of what they need, and this process depends on the student providing timely information about the effects of their disability or ongoing ill health.

Once a student has shared relevant information, any decisions about reasonable adjustments must be made collaboratively with the student, their trainers/assessors, appropriate support people, disability practitioners and external experts as required. Planning and preparation by an RTO are integral to making good decisions on reasonable adjustment, and the RTO processes must allocate sufficient time to investigate possibilities for an individual, ensuring where possible a reasonable adjustment can be implemented.

Consultation

If the student seeks support, the following steps may be considered in consultation with the student:

• identify the challenges, needs and barriers involved;
• suggest adjustments that could be made to meet the student’s needs;
• discuss whether these adjustments are reasonable; and
• provide written confirmation to the student of all discussions and decisions and specify a date for final confirmation of course enrolment by the student.

RTOs are encouraged to work with employers and students to determine if there are possibilities for resource sharing that may enable a student to participate and achieve in the VET sector. In larger organisations, there may be a disability specialist or support team that can assist in the consultation process.

Implementing reasonable adjustment

The implementation of reasonable adjustments need not be difficult. Assessing competence involves two distinct phases:

• gathering evidence; and
• making an assessment judgement.

The assessment process must reflect the mandatory requirements of the unit of competency and assessment requirements to meet the workplace standards. All students must be judged against the same standard; this does not mean that all students must be assessed in the same way. In gathering evidence, an assessor can safely make reasonable adjustments while retaining the rigour and consistency of their judgement of competence.

Examples of reasonable adjustment for RTOs:

Offer flexible learning options:

• Face-to-face, online, or blended learning to accommodate different needs.<\/strong>
• Provide self-paced modules for students who require additional time.<\/strong>

Provide accessible learning materials:

• Provide large print, audio, Braille, or digital formats.
• Ensure screen reader compatibility for all online content.
• Use high-contrast visuals and dyslexia-friendly fonts<\/strong>

Provide assistive technology:

• Allow the use of speech-to-text, text-to-speech, or magnification software.
• Provide hearing loops or closed captions for audio/video content.
• Offer alternative keyboards, adaptive mice, or ergonomic supports.

Provide alternative assessment methods:

• Allow verbal, video, or practical demonstrations instead of written exams.
• Use portfolio assessments, case studies, or projects instead of timed tests.
• Provide extra time or allow assessments in multiple short sessions.

Offer modified assessment conditions:

• Allow extra reading or processing time for students with dyslexia or cognitive disabilities.
• Ensure interpreters, readers, or scribes are available when needed.
• Conduct assessments in quiet or familiar environments for students with anxiety.

Technology supported assessments:

• Use screen readers, speech recognition, or digital assessment platforms.
• Provide online or remote assessment options for students with mobility issues.
• Ensure assessment platforms are fully accessible with assistive tools.

Inclusive question formats

• Use multiple-choice questions or visual prompts for students with literacy challenges.
• Allow students to record responses orally rather than writing them.

These modifications must not compromise the unit of competency or its application in real workplaces. For example, the provision of translator services would only be appropriate if the same services could be routinely accessed on a day-to-day basis in the workplace. Modifications such as these have the potential to optimise accessibility and responsiveness to individual student needs and would be incorporated into the delivery process managed by the trainer/assessor and documented in the training and assessment strategy and the unit delivery and assessment plans.

Assessing knowledge and skills

Competence includes two components:

• Knowledge (‘know‑how’); and
• Skills (‘can‑do’).

These components will be assessed differently, so different kinds of adjustments will be required for each.

Knowledge is usually assessed through written or oral, short-answer tests where assessors determine the extent of the student’s knowledge. You may consider the following for a student with a disability:

• ask questions orally instead of in a written format;
• employ the services of a reader, interpreter or scribe;
• provide equipment such as text enlargers, image enhancers, voice synthesisers, voice recorders, specialised software or special furniture;
• give the student more time to complete the assessment;
• allocate a different time for completion of the assessment; and/or
• offer a separate, quiet room.

These adjustments make understanding the question and responding appropriately less threatening for the student, but they do not alter the thought processes the student must go through to demonstrate their knowledge.

Skills are important in VET, and assessment must reflect the application of each skill in a real or simulated workplace. Skills are usually work-related, hands-on activities, where how much time is taken can also be a work-relevant requirement. When making reasonable adjustments with respect to the assessment of skills, you should consider workplace modifications that might reasonably be expected in the industry and whether the student can perform the required skill in workplace-like conditions.

To identify reasonable modifications to a workplace, consultation with industry to identify the modifications needed to provide access to assessment for students with a disability will need to be conducted. Consultation has a second benefit in that it informs and encourages industry to recognise the potential of students with a disability as prospective employees. In some cases, there may be no reasonable workplace modification that will preserve the integrity of the competency.

Students who face this situation need to be clearly informed about this so that if they decide to go ahead with the training, they fully understand their prospects for successful assessment and certification.

Costs associated with reasonable adjustments

JobAccess, an Australian Governmement Department of Social Services program, can provide employers with funding for workplace modifications through the Employment Assistance Fund and Workplace Modifications Scheme; however, it is not available to trainees or training providers. The conditions for funding can be found at www.jobaccess.gov.au. The costs associated with modifications will also determine whether an adjustment is reasonable or not and whether compliance would impose an unjustifiable hardship on the provider.

In the unlikely event that a student does not accept the RTO’s judgement that an adjustment is unreasonable, the Equal Opportunity Commission or the Australian Human Rights Commission can be contacted for advice.

Record-keeping requirements

All RTOs have obligations to keep records for a variety of purposes. Where personal information is collected from a student,  the RTO must inform students of the purpose for which their information may be collected, used or disclosed. Records for students with a disability or ongoing ill health must include:

• the grounds for eligibility for reasonable adjustment decision;
• evidence used to determine eligibility and reasonable adjustments that are to be implemented;
• consultation undertaken with the student or an associate of the student or any other relevant stakeholder;
• the reasonable adjustment(s) available to the student;
• the subjects and assessment task(s) for which adjustments are provided;
• the grounds for the denial of reasonable adjustment; and
• any advice provided to the student through the decision-making process.

It is highly recommended that RTOs keep samples of assessment tasks that have been adjusted to include in the validation and review processes within the RTO.

More information is available in the Fact Sheet: Records Management. 

Useful resources to support reasonable adjustment and inclusive practice

Department of Training and Workforce Development 

• Assessment in the VET sectors (2^nd edition, 2016
• Reasonable Adjustment: A guide to Working with students with disability. (2^nd edition, 2013).

Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (Qld) (DESBT)

• Reasonable adjustment in teaching, learning and assessment for learners with disability: A guide for VET practitioners. (July 2018).

Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) - provides information and practical guidelines to support disability practitioners, teachers and students.

Disability Awareness – A website that provides free training for VET staff supporting students with disability, developed as part of a Commonwealth Government initiative.

JOBACCESS – A website for Commonwealth Government Disability advice.

National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) 

• Supporting tertiary students with a disability or mental illness: good practice guide (November 2015).

Reasonable Adjustment Checklist for RTOS

The following checklist is a useful guide and contains the relevant steps for RTOs in considering and making decisions on reasonable adjustment.