About this step
Now that you've registered with Student Equity and Disability Services (SEDS), take the final step to implement your AAP.
This step includes:
- Accessing your AAP
- Sharing your AAP with teaching and faculty staff
- Staying in touch to keep your plan up-to-date.
Clock How long this step takes: Allow one week each semester to share and discuss your AAP.
Access your plan
You will get an email when your AAP is ready.
How to access and download
- Log into the application portal
- Scroll down to ‘Your Active Registration for ongoing support’
- Click ‘Your Academic Adjustment Plan’.
- To download a copy, click on ‘Print AAP’ and save a PDF copy.
- Save your AAP somewhere secure.
Share your plan
Share your AAP with:
- Your subject coordinators
- Teaching staff (if known)
- If you're a graduate researcher, your supervisor.
Teaching and faculty staff can only provide the right support if they know what you need. Sharing your AAP helps them understand how best to support you. If you decide not to share it, this may limit the adjustments available to you.
When to share
Share your plan early so we can arrange support in time for assessments or research. Ideally, do this at the start of each semester, your candidature, or as soon as your AAP is ready.
How to share
Email is the best way to share your AAP.
In your email, you should:
- Introduce yourself and which subject(s) you are taking
- Let them know you have an Academic Adjustment Plan
- Attach a copy of your AAP
- Request early access to class materials if needed
- Inform them if you have Alternative Exam Arrangements (AEAs) in case there are faculty-managed exams
- Let them know how they can contact you to discuss your supports
- Share our SEDS email address in case they need advice about how to implement your supports.
Help with sharing
We understand sharing your AAP may sometimes be uncomfortable. It may help to know that when staff receive your AAP, the University requires them to:
- Be approachable and open to supporting you.
- Maintain your privacy. To learn more, visit our SEDS privacy information.
- Provide fair and relevant support based on your AAP and faculty guidelines.
- Create an inclusive learning environment.
If you need help with sharing, please book an appointment with your SEDS Equity Adviser. You can use the appointment booking link emailed to you in step three or with your AAP.
Discuss your plan
It's a good idea to discuss your AAP with staff you have contacted.
Together, you can:
- Agree on how your supports will work in the specific subject or program
- Tailor adjustments to suit your needs and assessments
- Raise any concerns early, before assessments begin.
Have these conversations early in the semester so there is enough time to agree on what works best and put them in place.
Discussion points
You can make suggestions for how to tailor your supports. Here are some examples for different adjustments:
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- Ask no direct questions to you in class
- Get class discussion points ahead of class time
- Complete written discussion questions after class.
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If you can't attend a class:
- Complete reflection questions based on the week’s content
- Complete other written work which addresses learning outcomes for the week’s content
- Attend online instead of in-person (if classroom set up and lesson plan permit)
- Meet with teaching staff during consultation hours to catch up on content.
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- Change the task to an individual assessment
- A smaller group size
- Allowed to choose your group members.
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- To present in front of a smaller group or a teaching staff member
- Pre-record your presentation.
Common actions
Complete the actions listed in your AAP. Support requests are subject to approval by your faculty.
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An extension is a longer period of time to submit the assessment. A short extension is up to and including 10 business days.
To activate this support:
- Apply before your assessment due date
- Check that your assessment allows extensions
- Attach a copy of your AAP with your application.
If extensions are not listed in your AAP, you can still apply, but you may need to provide extra supporting documents.
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Special consideration provides a one-off adjustment to an assessment task. It's applied close to or shortly after the assessment’s due date.
Apply for special consideration to activate supports when you need:
- An extension longer than 10 business days
- To apply for an adjustment after the assessment's due date
- A special exam
You might also need special consideration when:
- Your condition worsens or you experience a flare-up.
- Your faculty does not support a short extension for an assignment with a due date. This does not apply to exams or presentations.
- Circumstances unrelated to your AAP affect your ability to complete assessments.
- You need an adjustment not covered by your AAP.
You will need to attach a copy of your AAP and meet the supporting document requirements for special consideration.
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If you didn't get your preferred class, you can use your AAP to request a timetable change.
You can also request support for timetabling issues unrelated to your AAP.
Please note, this process does not cover flexible attendance. Please discuss attendance arrangements with your subject coordinator or teaching staff.
Request timetabling assistance
Alternative Exam Arrangements (AEAs)
If your plan includes AEAs, we will apply these to exams running in the:
- Semester 1 and 2 exam periods
- Summer term exam period
- Summer term, Semester 1 and 2 special and supplementary exam periods.
You will see these in your central exam timetable in my.unimelb, as long as you meet the AEA deadline.
You may also have faculty-managed exams, coordinated by your faculty. These are any exams that do not appear in your exam timetable. You will need to email your subject coordinator to inform them of your AEAs at least 10 business days before the assessment.
For more information about AEAs, visit the Alternative Exam Arrangements page.
Assistive technology
If your plan includes assistive technology, you can download software and view guides.
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Nitro PDF
Nitro PDF can crop and extract text from PDFs. For example, this can help by removing headers from a PDF, to give a smoother listening experience.
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Microsoft Edge browser
This web browser is available for MacOS or Windows. It can read web articles aloud. Some browser addons provide similar functionality.
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Microsoft's Seeing AI
Seeing AI is a free app for iOS and Android. It can use your device's camera to scan and read aloud text. This may help with reading printed text or text on a computer screen.
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Immersive Reader
Microsoft's Immersive Reader can can read text aloud and has visual tools to help you to focus while reading.
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Accessibility guides
Tips and guides to accessing systems, dictation, hearing loops and grammar tools.
Maintain your plan
We can update your plan if your situation changes and you need different supports. This includes enrolling in a new course or program. If you need to update your exam supports, make sure you do so before the AEA deadline.
How to update
Submit an enquiry to request changes.
We may require additional documentation to support certain adjustments.
Share your updated AAP
Remember to follow the steps above to access and share your updated AAP.
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If you encounter a staff member who is unsure how or hesitant to provide support, please refer them to the Accessibility guides for academics. Or ask them to contact us.
You can book an appointment with your SEDS Equity Adviser if you need help sharing your AAP.
You can also discuss any concerns with University of Melbourne Student Union Advocacy.
If you feel you have grounds, you may raise a complaint and grievance.
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You can find your subject coordinator's details in the Handbook.
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Most plans expire at the end of your studies. For shorter-term circumstances, your AAP expiry will match the duration of impact.
If you take longer to complete your studies, we can update your AAP to match your completion date.
If your plan has expired, you will need to reapply.
Need more help?
If you have further questions, you can ask the Stop 1 AI Assistant.