Australian Higher Education Policy and Inclusion of People with Disabilities: A Review

Written from the perspective of a disability practitioner and equity manager working in the Australian tertiary education sector for over twenty-five years, this paper reviews some of the significant social, equity, and education policy developments and associated legislation, which have influenced the inclusion of people with disabilities in Australian tertiary education over the past four decades. While such initiatives have encouraged aspirations and enabled increasing numbers of people with disabilities to participate in higher education, the challenge remains to create a system that is representative of the wider community and values the knowledge, skills, and experiences that people with disabilities bring to their learning, ultimately becoming places where people with disabilities can flourish.