Reasonable Adjustment Under Standard 2.4: Where the Line Actually Sits
- Jodie Almond
- Jul 20
- 3 min read
A Principle That Is Easy to State and Hard to Apply
Standard 2.4 of the 2025 Standards requires RTOs to make reasonable adjustments so that students with disability can access and participate in training and assessment on an equal basis. Making reasonable adjustments also supports compliance with the Disability Standards for Education 2005. Few would argue with the principle.
The difficulty is in the application. Day to day, across a team of trainers and assessors, the hard question is always the same;
Get it wrong in one direction and you exclude a capable student unfairly. Get it wrong in the other and you certify a competency that was never genuinely demonstrated.
A reasonable adjustment is any change to the way training or assessment is delivered that accommodates a student's individual barrier to engaging with a course, while maintaining the integrity of the training product. Adjustments should be available to all students regardless of the nature of their disability, whether physical, psychosocial, or intellectual, and whether permanent or temporary. That last word matters. A temporary circumstance such as a short-term injury can still warrant consideration, but the same test applies regardless: does the adjustment preserve the core requirements of the unit?
When reasonable adjustment is applied correctly, it works for everyone.
Two Case Studies That Show the Line
ASQA recently shared two examples from the same first aid unit of competency that illustrate the principle better than any policy statement could. Both involved a request for reasonable adjustment. One was refused, and one was granted, and the difference between them is the whole point.
The Test, Stated Simply
A reasonable adjustment changes how a student demonstrates competency. It never changes what they have to demonstrate.
The same test, applied consistently, will resolve the large majority of reasonable adjustment decisions an RTO faces. Adjust the method, never the standard. The difficulty is not understanding the principle. It is applying it reliably across a whole team, every time, and being able to show the reasoning on paper.
Why Consistency Is the Real Challenge
The risk for most RTOs is not that they refuse to make adjustments. It is that adjustment decisions are made inconsistently, undocumented, and differently by different staff. One assessor grants something another would refuse. A sensible adjustment is made but never recorded, so there is no evidence of the reasoning if it is ever questioned. A student is left without support they are entitled to because nobody knew what support was available.
Consistency comes from giving staff a clear process and a shared understanding of the test, and from documenting both the adjustment and the reasoning every time. That protects the student, the assessor, and the RTO at once.
The CWTS Solution
Our Student Support Guide with Posters brings the whole picture together in one place, covering reasonable adjustment, student support services, privacy, escalation, and progress monitoring. It is aligned to the 2025 Standards, fully editable, and ready to rebrand.
For the policy and procedure framework that sits behind it, our Information and Student Support Services Policy Pack covers student support obligations, access and equity, and the consumer protection requirements that go alongside them.
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has published a comprehensive range of resources covering inclusive practice, reasonable adjustments, enrolment, and student mental health. They are worth bookmarking for building your team's understanding and capability. Where CWTS products differ is in the operational layer; Standards-aligned policies, procedures, and templates that are ready to rebrand and embed directly into your RTO's practice.
Closing
Reasonable adjustment is one of those obligations where doing the right thing by the student and doing the right thing by compliance are the same thing. The line is clear once you hold onto the test: adjust the method, never the standard. The work for most RTOs is making sure every member of the team can apply that test confidently, and document it, every time. That is what good practice looks like, and it is entirely within reach.
Linked Products and Courses
Student Support Guide with Posters | |
Information and Student Support Services Pack | |
QMS Essentials: LLN Testing and Learner Support |
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