Dyslexia and the Law in Australia 

Australian Dyslexia Association

The ADA states in http://dyslexiaassociation.org.au/what-is-dyslexia that “dyslexia is recognised in Australia under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and under the Human Rights Commission. The Australian Working Party have produced a document “Helping People with Dyslexia: A National Agenda” which outlines key recommendations.”

Please refer to these documents:

Australian Human Rights Commission

Federal Discrimination Law:

Chapter 5: The Disability Discrimination Act

PDF and DOC versions of the Act are available online https://www.humanrights.gov.au/federal-discrimination-law-chapter-5-disability-discrimination-act

See also:

https://www.humanrights.gov.au/employers/good-practice-good-business-factsheets/disability-discrimination

https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/disability-rights/about-disability-rights/overview-dda-disability-discrimination-act

State and Territory Anti-discrimination and Equal Opportunity Agencies

See also: 

https://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/the-law

https://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/the-law/equal-opportunity-act

DET Department of Education and Training

Dyslexia is included as a disability under the DDA 1992 section f as stated in the document Disability Standards Education (2005):http://education.gov.au/disability-standards-education“: “The Disability Standards for Education 2005 clarify the obligations of education and training providers, and seek to ensure that students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as other students.”

DSM-5

DSM-5 and Dyslexia fact sheet including DSM-5 in an Australian Context 

Dyslexia Support Australia (DSA)

Belinda Dekker‘s fact sheet on Dyslexia and the Law in Australia

SPELD VIC

Advisory and Advocacy Services

http://www.speldvic.org.au/advisory-advocacy-services/

Victorian Curriculum & Assessment Authority (VCAA)

Special Examination Arrangements for VCE external assessments

VCAA has a PDF available for download

Specific Learning Disorders

“The VCAA has adopted the following operational definition of a Specific Learning Disorder for the purposes of granting Special Examination Arrangements: Specific Learning Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a biological origin. Students with this disorder possess specific cognitive processing deficits that cause difficulties with learning and using academic skills and manifest in persistent problems with one or more of the following:

    • Inaccurate or slow and effortful word reading
    • Understanding the meaning of what is read
    • Spelling
    • Written expression
    • Mastering number sense, number facts or calculations
    • Mathematical reasoning.”

More information: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vce/exams/specialprovision/specialexams.aspx#specific