By Sophie Blewitt
The ANU has removed the ‘Inclusive Teaching’ item from Education Access Plans (EAPs) as of Semester 1, 2026. This item previously ensured access to closed captions on Echo360 and class materials on Canvas prior to the start of the semester, including course outlines, course readings, and lecture materials.
The ANU has cited technical difficulties as a reason for removing these support mechanisms. It was also suggested that the issues addressed by providing advanced access to class materials and captions are not accessibility-specific. The adjustments are to be considered as part of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) model broadly adopted by the ANU, a model which aims to provide for all learning types, for students both with and without a disability. This model is promoted to course convenors when constructing course materials via the UDL Guidelines.
In a statement to Observer, the ANU Disabilities Student Association (DSA) Co-Officers, Taryn Lee and Ashleigh Keating, noted that the UDL is less strictly implemented than EAP requirements.
“While the DSA does welcome the concept of UDL being implemented, we are greatly concerned that there is no university-wide standard on how this should look. We fear that once again, this will be another case of the experience being dependent on the convenor’s willingness to adopt this approach.”
The DSA disagreed that these were not specifically accessibility issues, stating that students with certain disabilities gain particular benefits from the ‘Inclusive Teaching’ adjustments. This would impact students such as those with “autism and those who are d/Deaf or Hard of Hearing, [who] benefit from having guaranteed access to captions and slides in advance”.
The ANU has also made changes to the EAP process this semester. For instance, ANU Accessibility no longer manually verifies the student status of each recipient of an EAP. This is now an automatic process, allowing students to upload their documents immediately.
EAPs will also renew automatically, notifying students when the new EAP is ready for a signature. The preamble to an EAP letter no longer explicitly states the courses taken by a student, such that changing courses does not require a new EAP. ANU Accessibility advises that students should still contact them if dropping or switching courses after the census date (for Semester 1, March 31). The DSA has approved of these changes, noting that it streamlines the process for both students and Accessibility staff.
Any students with questions about their EAPs have been invited to contact Accessibility at accessibility@anu.edu.au or their EAP case manager. The DSA Co-Officers advised Observer that Accessibility is understaffed, and any urgent issues can also be resolved by contacting the DSA at sa.disabilities@anu.edu.au or Student Assistance at sa.assistance@anu.edu.au.
More to come.
Graphics by Laudine Cao
ANU Observer 