• Register with your university’s Equitable Learning/Disability service and request an Equitable Learning Plan (note: the name for these plans varies by institution, e.g. it may be called a Student Access Plan, Learning Access Plan, Academic Adjustment Plan, or AccessAbility Plan).
  • These plans articulate reasonable adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education 2005; and universities are expected to provide equivalent opportunities for access and success.
    
• A formal plan makes expectations clear and protects academic integrity while enabling adjustments that preserve learning outcomes (e.g., format changes, timing, environment).
  
• You can choose how much personal or diagnostic information to share. In most universities, teaching staff see a summary of your learning needs and recommended adjustments, not your full medical history. You can always choose to explain more if you feel comfortable and think it will help them understand what is going on for you and how they can support you.

Two things to bear in mind:

1. Many equitable learning plans require you to reach out to your academic to activate extensions or alternative assignments. Make sure you do this well before the deadline.
   
2. Having an equitable learning plan doesn’t mean adjustments can be made in every situation. Some course requirements may be tied directly to the learning outcomes, like compulsory attendance.