Do universities have to provide computer equipment for home use by students with disabilities?
While it is not possible to be definitive on the extent of obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act (since the Federal Court rather than this Commission would make authoritative determinations in the event of a complaint on this issue), it seems highly unlikely that a claim would succeed that a University is discriminating by failing to provide computers for home use, notwithstanding that some students with disabilities could benefit from such provision. First, while the DDA deals with discrimination in provision of educational services, and thus may require some degree of reasonable adjustment in the way those services are provided, it does not require education providers to deliver services they are not in the business of providing. Otherwise it might be argued, perhaps equally convincingly, that universities should assist students with disabilities affecting mobility by providing free and individualised transport to campus. Long term loan of computers for use at home woul
