An ecological understanding of disability is emerging in international
and research contexts. The disability policy framework operating in the
Australian higher education sector is grounded in medical and social
models of disability. The World Health Organisation International
Classification of Functioning (ICF) can be considered an ecological
model of disability that bridges medical and social perspectives. The
ICF is a key conceptual component of government funded reviews of
disability, and it is arguably a matter of time before it begins to
influence the way in which disability services are implemented. This
paper critiques the higher education sectors' management of disability
issues from an ecological/ICF perspective. The management of disability in higher education is influenced by Equity Performance Indicators. These indicators demonstrate general improvements to access, participation, retention and success of students disclosing disability since their inception. However, the construction of these indicators utilises concepts of disability which are not consistent with contemporary models of disability and do not correspond with the experience of disability at an individual or institutional level. This variation between experience and indicator constrains future advances to enabling student participation. This paper recommends that an ecological model of disability be utilised by the higher education sector as a
mechanism for enabling improved student participation. Strategies are identified for embedding an ecological perspective across policy jurisdictions including, State, Federal, institutional and service delivery contexts.