Introduction

Many general staff in universities come into contact with people with disabilities, eg in the course of their work. For example, in the library, car park, cafeteria, university shops and services.

Interactions - A Guide to Assisting a Person with a Disability, was developed by the Universities Disabilities Co-operative Project (NSW) to assist staff working in universities to interact more effectively with people with disabilities. The booklet is in four parts, Part 1 Emergencies, Part 2 General hints on how to interact positively with people with disabilities, Part 3 A range of disabilities and ways of communicating with or assisting people with those disabilities, and Part 4 a glossary.

The definition of disability used in Interactions is based on that found in the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) was passed by Parliament in 1992 and took effect from 1 March 1993. The Act 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 a 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 or reality, emotions or judgement or that results in disturbed behaviour.

This definition includes disabilities that presently exist, previously existed (but no longer do), may exist in the future, or are imputed to a person.

Section 3 of the Act outlines its objects:

(a) to eliminate, as far as possible, the discrimination against persons on the grounds of disability in the areas of:

• work, accommodation, education, access to premises, clubs and sport; and

• the provisions of goods, facilities, services and land; and

• existing laws, and;
• the administration of Commonwealth laws and programs; and

• to ensure as far as practicable, that persons with disabilities have the same rights to equality before the law as the rest of the community; and
• to promote recognition and acceptance within the community of the principle that persons with disabilities have the same fundamental rights as the rest of the community.

Thus, the Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the basis of their disability be it a physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, neurological or learning disability or any person associated with a person with a disability. It also makes it unlawful to discriminate against any person with a physical disfigurement or the presence in their bodies of an organism capable of causing a disease.

About the Universities Disabilities Co-operative Project (NSW)

The Universities Disabilities Co-operative Project (NSW) was established in 1991 with funding from the Department of Employment, Education, Training (DEET) - now the Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DEETYA). Its goal is to develop strategies that meet the needs of students with disabilities in higher education as effectively and economically as possible.

Initially consisting of representatives of the Sydney metropolitan universities, it now includes all universities in New South Wales as members, as well as the New South Wales Regional Disability Liaison Officers.

Copies of this booklet are available from the Equity and Diversity Unit of the University of New South Wales, Kensington NSW 2052, or from the Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) of any University in New South Wales:

Australian Catholic University

Charles Sturt University

Macquarie University

Southern Cross University

The University of Newcastle

The University of New England

The University of New South Wales

The University of Sydney

University of Technology, Sydney

University of Western Sydney

University of Wollongong

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