Accessibility

RMIT is dedicated to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for students, staff and visitors. By prioritising both digital and physical accessibility, we aim to promote equity and remove barriers for people with a disability, long-term illness or mental health condition. We are committed to ensuring our web content and digital systems comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.2 level AA.  

Our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Framework drives our commitment to becoming "Inclusive by design. Everyone. Everywhere. All the time. Through the IDEA Framework, we aim to create a culture that values and respects the diversity of our community by integrating an intersectional lens to our practice. Specifically, our Framework is built on the following five pillars: 

• Access, Participation and Success: building the diversity of our student and staff profile, ensuring all can participate and thrive in learning.
• Culture, Capability and Leadership: recognising the critical roles that leaders at all levels play in setting the tone and modelling inclusion.
• Education and Research: focusing on shifting pedagogical approaches to teaching and embedding diverse perspectives and experiences into curriculum and research.
• Infrastructure, Services and Operations: highlighting the importance of planning, resourcing, evaluation and communications, and the way in which these elements support inclusion, diversity, equity and access.
• Community and Partnerships: considering the way in which we can have a positive impact in the communities we serve, sharing our resources and expertise and learning from others.

Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, RMIT is required to provide information, services and course materials that are accessible to the widest possible audience. Our Digital Accessibility Procedure seeks to ensure our websites and systems are in line with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.2 level AA.  

The Procedure also sets out guidelines to ensure that accessibility is considered during the Procurement stage of new digital platforms and during the lifetime of our relationship with vendors.

Assistive (or adaptive) technology refers to devices and software that make it possible for people with disabilities to use computers.

Examples of assistive technology

• NVDA is a free screen-reading software that converts text on screen to voice. You can download NVDA for free.
• VoiceOver is the free screen-reading program included in all Apple computers. See Apple’s VoiceOver user guide.
• Zoom (magnification) software: Windows Magnifier and macOS Zoom can help you enlarge the content of your screen and are included by default in the operating system of your computer.
• Read&Write is a literacy assistance software. Everyone at RMIT can install this software. See the instructions to install Read&Write (PDF 542 KB).
• Accessibility settings on your computer and phone: modern operating systems include options such as: dark mode, focus mode, high contrast mode, colour filters for colour vision deficiency, blue light filters, and more! Explore the accessibility settings of your device and you’ll be surprised by the options that come built in.

For students, Equitable Learning Services may be able to provide access to commercial assistive technology if this supports participation in your studies. Students can also check the Library computers and their assistive technology offering.

Staff may contact IT Service Connect (login required) to find out more about support for assistive technology.

Each year Property Services works with the RMIT Accessibility Working Group and stakeholders from across the University, guided by the Accessibility Action Plan, to deliver improvements to the accessibility of our campus facilities to enhance the staff and student experience.

RMIT aims to be an example of the positive change you can make to peoples’ lives by going beyond the minimum set by building standards and creating new environments that are truly inclusive by design.

Sensory friendly spaces

Swanston Library has two rooms that are designed to reduce sensory overload, and provide a safe and quiet environment for study and self-regulation.

See the Library Accessibility and Neurodiversity support page to find out more about the conditions of use of these spaces.

At RMIT, we are constantly striving to improve our accessibility efforts. Please contact us at digital-accessibility@rmit.edu.au to report any accessibility issues with our digital assets. We will do our best to find a solution with you.

Alternatively, staff and students can create a ticket with IT Service Connect and describe where the problem occurred, what the problem was, what you were trying to do, and what computer and software you were using.