Disability Services

Services for staff and students with disabilities or medical conditions are provided through the University Counselling and Disability Services. This free and confidential service is available for prospective and enrolled students of the University as well as for all staff members.

The three core functions of Disability Services are:

  • Supporting the needs of staff and students with disabilities.
  • Supporting staff in meeting the needs of students with disabilities.
  • Promoting an inclusive and accessible environment at Curtin through policy development and representation on University committees.

About disability

Curtin Malaysia, as part of Curtin University, Western Australia, abides by the Australian legal definition of disability. Disability is regarded as part of the human experience and can be experienced by anyone at any stage of their life. The legal definition of disability is broad and includes:

  • Mental illness/psychiatric disabilities
  • Learning disabilities
  • Autistic Spectrum Disorders
  • Medical conditions
  • Physical disabilities
  • Intellectual disabilities
  • Sensory disabilities
  • Temporary disabilities, illnesses or injuries

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1992 defines disability as:

  • total or partial loss of the person’s bodily or mental functions; or
  • total or partial loss of a part of the body; or
  • the presence in the body of organisms causing disease or illness; or
  • the presence in the body of organisms capable of causing disease or illness; or
  • the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of the person’s body; or
  • a disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning differently from a person without the disorder or malfunction; or
  • a disorder, illness or disease that affects a person’s thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgment or that results in disturbed behaviour;

and includes a disability that:

  • presently exists; or
  • previously existed but no longer exists; or
  • may exist in the future; or
  • is imputed to a person

Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2017-2020

Curtin’s Disability Access and Inclusion Plan outlines the strategies that we will undertake to provide an accessible and inclusive environment for our students, staff and visitors with disabilities.
The seven major outcomes of the DAIP are:

  1. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to access the services of, and events organised by, Curtin.
  2. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to access the buildings and other facilities of Curtin.
  3. People with disability receive information from Curtin in a format that will enable them to access the information as readily as other people are able to access it.
  4. People with disability receive the same level and quality of service from the staff of Curtin as other people receive from the staff of Curtin.
  5. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to make complaints to Curtin.
  6. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to participate in any public consultation by Curtin.
  7. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to obtain and maintain employment Curtin.