Accessibility and neurodiversity

Accessibility and neurodiversity is one of the six focus areas in our Workplace Diversity Plan and one of six Employee Networks at Charles Sturt. Accessibility and neurodiversity includes people who have physical, mental, intellectual, developmental, or sensory impairments that may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

Accessibility and Neurodiversity Champions

Our Accessibility and Neurodiversity Champions advocate and promote matters related to accessibility and inclusion for employees who identify as or care for someone who is neurodiverse or with disability, with university stakeholders.

Professional Staff Champion

Profile photo of Carlo Iacono

Carlo Iacono, University Librarian, Division of Library Services

"I have worked with and managed colleagues with varying neurodiversity. I would be proud to be an ally and support as I can."

Academic Staff Champion

Profile photo of Lewis Bizo

Lewis Bizo, Executive Dean, Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences

"In my role as Executive Dean I can actively work towards creating a more inclusive and diverse academic community, ensuring that individuals have equal access to opportunities and resources, both as students and staff."

Accessibility and Neurodiversity Employee Network

The Accessibility and Neurodiversity Employee Network aims to provide a safe place for people to connect with one another and create dialogue around diversity, workplace inclusion and belonging at Charles Sturt.

The network unites people who share an identity or lived experience, and those who support them or those who would like to learn more about their perspectives and experiences. It's also a forum to raise issues of importance, provide feedback and guide decisions around University priorities and initiatives that impact you.

The inaugural Accessibility and Neurodiversity Network meeting was held on 5 October 2023 and was attended by staff from a range of areas across the university.

2024 meeting dates

What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity acknowledges and celebrates the extensive variety of human brains and nervous systems. It recognises that each of us think, learn and behave differently which impacts how we experience and interact with the world.

Neurodivergence acknowledges that variations in brain function and cognitive processes are a natural part of human diversity and includes diagnosed conditions like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, and Tourette’s syndrome. It’s a way to recognise and value different ways of thinking and learning, rather than viewing them as deficits.

Neurominority refers to a group of people who share similar experiences and are a minority amongst the broader neurotypical community. Examples include autistic people and people with ADHD.

While many neurodivergent people do not consider themselves to have a disability, neurodiversity is included here in recognition of the fact that some neurodivergent people may need additional support or reasonable adjustments to be able to participate fully and thrive at work.

What is disability?

Disability is an aspect of human diversity and a normal part of the human experience. It is a broad concept that includes physical or functional impairments and limitations or restrictions on activities, including at work.

Disability can be temporary, permanent, or episodic and be visible or invisible. It includes medical, mental health and chronic conditions and injuries and includes people who care for someone else with a disability. It does not just refer to someone's health and is impacted by the relationship between a person’s body and how they experience the world around them.

Charles Sturt's Disability and Work or Study Adjustment Policy provides a definition that follows the federal Disability Discrimination Act:

"Disability - as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 s 4(1). Disability is very broadly defined as any physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric, neurological or learning disability and includes physical disfigurement and the presence in the body of disease-causing organisms. A disability may be temporary or permanent, total or partial, lifelong or acquired. The prohibition against discrimination on the basis of disability also covers a disability that existed in the past, may exist in the future or that is imputed to a person."

There are more than 5.5 million Australians with disability (2022 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers) and it's estimated that around 15–20% of people are neurodivergent. In Charles Sturt's 2024 Your Voice survey, 14.73% of staff identified as having a disability, chronic medical condition(s) and/or as neurodivergent.

Complete the Disability Awareness ELMO module (see 'training' accordion below) to learn more about disability statistics, definitions and the legal frameworks that support disability inclusion in Australia.

Reducing workplace barriers

Charles Sturt is committed to providing a safe and accessible working environment where barriers are reduced for neurodivergent staff, staff with disability, and staff with medical or chronic conditions.

  • Attitudinal barriers: negative attitudes, opinions or behaviours and including stigma, stereotyping and having low expectations about what someone can or can't do. Attitudinal barriers can impact how disability is viewed and perceived and may lead to discrimination and fear. It can be overcome by building awareness and understanding and by treating everyone with respect and dignity.
  • Systemic or institutional barriers: policies, processes and practices within organisations and society that can exclude or discriminate against people with disabilities. Embedding inclusivity into day-to-day practices is important in removing these barriers and creating a safe and inclusive workplaces where people can perform at their best.
  • Physical/environmental barriers: can impact access to facilities and services and include inaccessible natural or built work environments. Physical accessibility considers the overall and internal accessibility of the workplace including signage and wayfinding.
  • Communication barriers: can prevent people from accessing the information they need and may be experienced by people who have impairments that impact speech, reading, hearing, writing and/or understanding. It also refers to the barriers faced by people who use different ways to communicate than people who do not have a disability.
  • Technology barriers: accessible technology goes beyond accessible documents and refers to the range of online systems, applications, websites and tools used in an organisation. Equitable access to workplace technology helps to ensure that all employees have access to tools and systems they need to do their work independently, effectivity and efficiently.

Accessibility and universal design

Accessibility Standards and Guidelines

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1992 makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person in many areas of public life, including employment and education, because of their disability. The DDA is supplemented by Disability Standards and Guidelines that detail the rights and responsibilities for equal access and opportunities for people with disability.

Disability Standards like the Disability Standards for Education 2005 and Disability (Access to Premises - Buildings) Standards are legally binding. While Guidelines (or Advisory Notes) assist individuals and organisations with understanding their rights, responsibilities, and compliance obligations.

Inclusive and universal design

Charles Sturt University embraces the principle of universal design and aims to embed the capacity to cater for a diversity of users, including people with disability in the design of products and environments. The United Nations Convention on The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) also recognises the importance of universal design in removing barriers in the physical environment, employment, education, health and information and communication technologies (amongst others). The convention defines universal design as:

"The design of products, environments, programmes and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. "Universal design" shall not exclude assistive devices for particular groups of persons with disabilities where this is needed."

Universal design and best-practice approaches to accessibility play an essential role in reducing barriers for neurodivergent employees and employees with disabilities by minimising the need for individual adjustments. This ensures that all staff, including those with undisclosed or invisible disabilities, can access and use the systems, tools, and resources they need to perform their roles at their best.

Workplace adjustments

Visit our Workplace Adjustments page to learn about workplace adjustments, how to request them and where to go for help and support with an adjustment request.

Information, resources and support

The resources below aim to facilitate best practice approaches to accessibility and embed universal design practices into our processes, systems, and environments so we can foster inclusivity and reduce barriers for Charles Sturt employees.

  • Flexible work

    Charles Sturt strives to create a fair and inclusive workplace including offering flexible work arrangements that help staff to balance their work and life commitments while meeting the operational needs of the University.

    Flexible, hybrid, or remote work arrangements may be suitable for staff for a range of reasons, including attending medical appointments, attending treatment or having rest periods. Flexibility that responds to an individual’s needs also helps to ensure that employees can fulfil their roles while meeting their unique scheduling needs due to differences in thinking, learning, and behaving.

    See Workplace flexibility to learn about our guiding principles around staff flexibility and explore what options may be available to you.

  • Leave

    Charles Sturt staff may be entitled to various types of leave including:

    • Annual leave - paid time off that allows you to relax and recharge
    • Long service leave - recognises your continuous service at the University and provides a chance for you to rest and relax
    • Personal leave - if you or a member of your immediate family or household requires care due to illness
    • Fleixble working hours - if you're eligible and have your supervisor's approval, you may accumulate time off for extra hours you work. This is known as 'flexi-time'. You may also be able to work flexible hours, depending on the needs of your work area.
    • Special leave - if you have leave available, you can use special leave for a limited range of emergency situations.
    • Leave without pay - you may apply for leave without pay for a range of reasons, including family responsibilities or illness.

    See Leave - People and Culture for further information.

  • Training

    Disability Awareness ELMO module

    The Disability Awareness ELMO module challenges ingrained cultural and attitudinal barriers that perpetuate disability discrimination and provides an overview of the legislative framework that supports disability inclusion in Australia.

    Duration: 60 minutes, completed at your own pace.

    Structure: Four modules each with a short quiz that must be completed in successive order.

    • Module 1 – What is disability? Definitions and models, types of disability and statistics.
    • Module 2 – Let's talk about disability. Inclusive language, terminology and communication, myths and stereotypes.
    • Module 3 – Legislation and policy. Legislative and social policy frameworks including: the Disability Discrimination Act, Disability Standards, stigma and discrimination and disability disclosure.
    • Module 4 – Disability in the community. Explores disability discrimination, justice and how to promote inclusion and accessibility in education and employment.

    Each module includes links and resources to further your knowledge.

    Complete Disability Awareness

    Neurodivergence in the workplace training options

    Autism Essentials

    Reframing Autism an Australian Autistic-led charity & association offer a free self-paced course, Autism Essentials.

    This course provides a solid understanding of Autism in a way that is neuro-affirming. This means we talk about Autism and Autistic people in a way that is respectful of who we are, our strengths and our challenges, and does not prioritise non-Autistic ways of being, thinking and doing.

    Who is Autism Essentials for?

    This course is designed for a wide variety of lived experiences as well as different levels of pre-existing knowledge about Autism - from those that are totally new to the topic to those that have formal education in Autism.

    Whether you are Autistic, formally diagnosed, self-identified or think you might be Autistic, a family member or loved one of an Autistic person, a researcher, teacher, other professional, or ally, we hope you learn something new or deepen and extend your existing knowledge of Autism and the Autistic community.

    What will I learn in Autism Essentials?

    Autism Essentials focusses on five main areas:

    • Language
    • What Is Autism?
    • Brain Differences
    • Communication and Socialising
    • Thinking and Processing

    Complete Autism Essentials

    LinkedIn Learning

    LinkedIn Learning offers a range of self-paced online training courses on neurodiversity and neurodivergence in the workplace. Recommended courses include:

    • Hiring and Supporting Neurodiversity in the Workplace - This self-paced course takes approximately 2 hours to complete. It covers neurodivergence and neurotypes (including ADHD, autism, and dyslexia), mental health and psychological safety, common neurodiverse traits (including masking, camouflaging and rejection sensitive dysphoria), communication and difficult conversations and disclosure.
    • Neurodiversity in the Workplace - This self-paced course takes approximately 1-hour to complete, it explains neurodiversity and ways to create a more neurodivergent inclusive work environment.
    • Understanding and Supporting ADHD Colleagues in the Workplace - This self-paced module takes approximately 1-hour to complete. It aims to help colleagues and supervisors understand how ADHD can manifest at work and create a more ADHD friendly workplace.
    • Nano Tips for Working Inclusively with Neurodivergent Employees - This 10 minute course explores practical strategies to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and collaborate more effectively with neurodivergent employees.

    External training options

    A range of online and in-person neurodivergence training options are available through organisations such as Untapped and Specialisterne Australia. Please contact edi@csu.edu if you would like to discuss options for your team or area.

  • Neurodivergence in the workplace
  • Web accessibility and inclusive technology

    Charles Sturt's commitment to accessibility extends to digital accessibility, we aim to ensure that our websites and digital platforms are accessible and provide inclusive/assistive technologies and services to support our employees including workplace adjustments where required. An overview of some of the accessibility tools and resources that may assist staff are provided below.

    Division of Information Technology resources

    The Division of Information Technology's Web accessibility page includes a comprehensive suite of resources and information on web accessibility and compliance. It includes information on key concepts and techniques for:

    • Creating accessible documents (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
    • Accessible PDFs
    • Accessible images, media and multimedia (including captions and transcripts)
    • Webpages
    • Colour and contrast

    Windows and Microsoft

    Microsoft has integrated a variety of features within Windows and Office to support all users, including neurodivergent people and people with disability. The Microsoft help articles below are a starting point of some of the features that may be available, visit Accessibility Technology & Tools | Microsoft Accessibility for a comprehensive overview of features and functions.

    Microsoft information and learning resources are also available for:

    If you're unsure about what may be helpful for you or a member of your team, ask the Microsoft Accessibility bot, an AI-based tool that helps users find information about the accessibility of Microsoft products and services.

    Zoom

    Ensuring that accessibility features and functions are turned on and available in Zoom meetings helps to create an inclusive and engaging meeting experience for participants.

    Learn about the accessibility tools available in Zoom including captioning and transcription options.

    Charles Sturt Library resources

    View the Library's Tools for screen reading - Library Guide which provides a list of recommended free text to speech software or tools. This resource is student-focused, but contains a great overview of tools, applications and software that may also be useful for staff.

    The Library's eBook Guide includes an overview of using eBooks including Text to speech (TTS) or read aloud functionality that is available with some publishers and eBook formats.

  • Support and contact

    We support and work with staff who have a temporary or permanent medical condition, injury or disability that impacts on their ability to do their job by:

    • taking steps to ensure that their workplace is accessible
    • providing information, advice and about regarding workplace adjustments including exploring external funding options
    • introducing reasonable workplace adjustments to reduce barriers and allow them to meet the inherent requirements of their role
    • working with managers and supervisors to implement workplace adjustments
    • providing training and information on inclusive workplace practices

    Contact the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team if you have questions or would like to learn more.

    If you have been injured at work, please make a report or contact the Division of Safety, Security and Wellbeing.