Invisible Disabilities Week (19 - 25 October) is a chance to challenge assumptions, build awareness, and create learning environments that work for everyone. You may not identify as having a disability, but if your condition impacts your study or daily life, you could still be eligible for support
Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed at university, yet those with invisible disabilities often face unseen barriers. When people think of disabilities, they often picture physical impairments that are immediately visible like someone in a wheelchair or using a prosthetic. According to research, at least 30% of Australian with a disability live with conditions that are not immediately visible to others (Muir & Coe, 2023). These include neurological, cognitive, sensory, mental health, and chronic conditions that aren’t always immediately apparent. Chances are, someone you know is living with an invisible disability.
Examples of Invisible Disabilities
- Chronic pain such as fibromyalgia and chronic migraines
- Mental health conditions like anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD and schizophrenia
- Autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, MS and Crohn's disease
- Sensory processing disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Invisible hearing and vision impairments
- Neurlogical conditions such as epilepsy, Parkinson's and MS
Support for Study
Whilst some students won’t identify their condition as a ‘disability’, if your health condition is impacting your study in anyway, there is support available! All Australian universities provide free, confidential services for students with a disability or medical condition.
Access Plans can be created to address the impacts of:
- A medical condition
- Temporary or ongoing illness/injury
- Mental Health condition
- Specific Learning Disability (e.g. ADHD, dyslexia)
- Auitism
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- or any disability that impacts on study
A disability advisor can also help identify reasonable adjustments based on your disability and the specific requirements of your program.
Common reasonable adjustments include but are not limited to:
- Attendance: absence from classes on an occasional basis without requiring a medical certificate
- Extensions: short extensions on individual assignments
- Alternative Exam Arrangements (AEA): e.g. changes to the environment, duration, or other exam conditions, to enable you to sit your scheduled exam.
- Assistive software/equipment: e.g. magnification, text-to-speech, speech-to-text, screen reader, infra-red receivers for hearing augmentation systems
- Alternative formatting / external services: e.g. captioning, transcriptions, AUSLAN interpreters
The team at Barossa Regional University Campus is here to help. We provide free access to study spaces, assistive technology, and connections to university disability advisors who can help you get the support you need. Whether you’re managing a mental health condition, a chronic illness, or a sensory or neurological condition, there is a path forward, and you don’t have to walk it alone.
Examples of Support from Universities
Adelaide University - Access and Inclusion
Charles Darwin University - Access and Inclusion
Curtin University - Disability & Accessibility Support
Flinders University - Disability services
TAFE SA - Disability and Inclusion
Muir, R., & Coe, M. (2023). ‘Out of Sight, But Not Out of Mind’: A Collaborative Reflective Case Study on Including Participants with Invisible Disabilities in LIS Research. Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association, 72(1), 26–45.https://doi.org/10.1080/24750158.2023.2168115
