Training Support: Standards 2.3, 2.4

Standard

VET students have reasonable access to training support services, trainers and assessors and other staff to support their progress through the training product.

Performance Indicator

The RTO demonstrates:

1. how it determines the training support services to be provided to each VET student and makes these available
2. VET students have reasonable access to trainers and assessors and other staff
3. VET students are informed about how and when they can access trainers and assessors and other staff
4. VET students receive timely responses to queries.
    

Intent of Standard 2.3

Standard 2.3 recognises that people learn in different ways and may need varying levels and types of support to enable them to successfully participate in training. Poor communication and limited access to trainers and assessors (and other support) can negatively impact on student engagement and slow or impede student progress through the training product.

RTOs are responsible for identifying the training support services required by individual students to enable them to meet the training product requirements and progress through / complete the training product in which they are enrolled.

Training support services may include, for example:

• resources, including readings, exercises, practice tests, etc.
• language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) support
• assistive technology
• additional tutorials, including online tutorial support
• one on one time with trainers and assessors
• specialised IT / technical support.

RTOs are expected to provide students with reasonable access to identified training support services, including trainers, assessors and other staff (for example, administrative or IT support). This does not mean staff must be available to students at all times, but RTOs should consider what is reasonable in the context of the student cohort, the training product, the delivery method / training mode and the level of support likely to be required.

Self-Assurance Considerations

In self-assuring against this Standard, consider (among other things):

• how you identify student needs to determine the training support services to be provided to each student
• the different ways in which you can support students to progress through the delivery and assessment of the training producthow you monitor student progress, receive feedback, and adjust the support required on an individual basis

Standard

Reasonable adjustments are made to support VET students with disability to access and participate in training and assessment on an equal basis.

Performance Indicator

The RTO demonstrates:

1. VET students are supported to disclose their disability if they wish
2. reasonable adjustments are made where appropriate
3. where reasonable adjustments are not possible, the reasons why have been communicated to the VET student.

Intent of Standard 2.4

RTOs are expected to foster a culture where students from all backgrounds and of all abilities are encouraged and supported to participate in training and assessment. This is key to creating a safe and inclusive learning environment, ensuring students feel valued and have support to increase participation in VET.

RTOs have obligations under the Disability Standards for Education 2005 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 to support students with disability to access and participate in training and assessment on the same basis as students without disability. As part of this, RTOs are required to make reasonable adjustments to support students with disability, consistent with Part 3 of the Disability Standards for Education 2005.

Reasonable adjustment refers to any modification made to the learning environment, training delivery or assessment method to ensure students with disability or ongoing ill health can access and participate in training and assessment. This could include, for example:

• ensuring that course activities are sufficiently flexible
• providing additional support where necessary
• customising resources, activities or presentation mediums
• offering a reasonable substitute within the context of the course where a student cannot participate.

In identifying and implementing reasonable adjustments, RTOs should engage with the student, appropriate stakeholders (for example, parents, carers, partners and associates) and the student’s trainers and assessors to understand the student’s individual needs and collaboratively identify potential adjustments.

Disclosure of disability or ongoing ill health, including mental ill health, is the student’s choice and is not a requirement for participation in a training product. However, encouraging students to share information about the impact of their disability early in their engagement with the RTO helps you to put reasonable adjustments in place in a timely way.

In responding to a student’s needs, RTOs must balance the interests of all parties affected and consider the extent to which adjustments can be made without adversely impacting the integrity of the industry standard and the certification that follows. This means that the adjustments that are made must be applicable in the workplace.

RTOs should refer to Part 3 of the Disability Standards for Education 2005 for a more detailed description of their obligations in relation to reasonable adjustments.

Self-Assurance Considerations

In self-assuring against this Standard, consider (among other things):

• how you encourage and support students to disclose their disability (or the impact of their disability) to enable you to identify potential adjustments required
• how you engage with students (and their support people, trainers and assessors, etc. as appropriate) to understand the impact of a student’s disability and identify potential adjustments
• the different ways in which you might support students with disability to participate in training and assessment on an equal basis
• how you ensure the integrity of the unit of competency whilst determining if adjustments are reasonable
• how you communicate to students where reasonable adjustment is not possible based on their communication preference/need

In considering the reflective questions, consider the extent to which your current practices are working and what if any, changes you could make to improve these. It may be helpful to think about examples.

1. How do you identify student needs and monitor a student’s progress to determine the training support services to be provided to each Student?
2. How do you define ‘reasonable access’ to training support services and ‘timely responses’ to queries and monitor your RTO’s performance against these?
3. How do you encourage and support students to have conversations about their disabilities and the potential impact on their learning?
4. How you engage with students (and others, as appropriate) to collaboratively identify and agree reasonable adjustments to be made?

Standard

• Standard 2.1 - information provided to learners
• Standard 2.5 - diversity and inclusion
• Standard 2.6 - wellbeing
• Standard 3.1 - VET workforce management
• Standard 4.1 - leadership and accountability
• Standard 4.4 - continuous improvement

Other

• Disability Standards for Education 2005
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992