The Student Disability Service employs Student Support Assistants (SSA) to work directly with students on a one-to-one basis. SSAs usually provide note-taking support and/or Library Assistance and your Disability Advisor will have assessed whether you are eligible for this type of support and, where relevant, helped you to apply for funding to cover the cost.

Your responsibilities as a student are to:

  • Make contact with the Student Disability Service as soon as possible to ensure you receive support in a timely manner.
  • Provide your Disability Advisor with your semester timetable. Unless otherwise specified SSAs usually only cover lectures therefore please inform your Advisor of the days / times and location of all your lectures.
  • If you have been assessed as requiring SSA support in tutorials, lab classes and workshops please inform your Disability Advisor of these days / times / locations.
  • Your notes will be handwritten unless you have been assessed as needing typed notes. Your SSA will be advised as to what type of notes you require.
  • Unless otherwise specified SSAs attend lectures with the student present, if you do not turn up for your class your SSA may not be given access to the lecture on your behalf.
  • If you are ill or cannot attend class you MUST inform your SSA and Disability Advisor by 9am in the morning – this can be done by phone or email. Your Advisor can then decide if it is appropriate for your SSA to attend on your behalf.
  • Contact between students and SSAs is mainly via email and mobile phone, you will need to agree for your contact details to be passed on.
  • You will need to keep a note of all the hours your SSA has worked for you as you are required to confirm your SSAs timesheet around the 28th of each month. Without this confirmation your SSA will not be able to be paid.
  • You are required to provide notepad/paper and pens for your SSA and either purchase or reimburse your SSA for any photocopying or printing costs if necessary.
  • If your SSA is providing library support you must provide him or her with the exact shelf location, title and author of book and pages you wish to be photocopied.
  • Please give your SSA a minimum of 24 hours’ notice when requesting library support.
  • Be respectful towards your SSA at all times and inform your Advisor if your needs are not being met.
  • Please keep us informed if your needs are not being met.

If you require further information about your rights and responsibilities as a Person with a Disability or Specific Learning Difficulty, please see:

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August 2012