Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00188:clause:1_20
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00188
Segment Type: clause
Provision Reference: sch 1 cl 20
Character Range: 90972–93227

20      There is a severe functional impact on communication in the person's main language.

            (1) Either:

                 (a) the person has severe difficulty understanding day-to-day language in unfamiliar environments or relating to non-routine tasks, even where a sentence or instruction includes only a single step such as 'put the book next to the pencils' and needs instructions repeated or gestures or physical demonstration in order to understand; or

                 (b) at least one of the following applies:

                      (i) the person has severe difficulty in producing speech, difficulty coordinating speech movements or damage to speech structures, for example a stutter or stammer, or vocal cord, larynx damage which makes speech very effortful or very slow; or

                      (ii) the person's speech is difficult for strangers to understand; or

                      (iii)             the person uses a limited vocabulary of words in speech; or

                      Example: fewer than 50 words;

                      (iv) the person's speech is clear but is not used appropriately, such as frequent echolalia - compulsively repeats words or what the other person says, frequently swears or uses abusive language as a result of a condition such as Tourette syndrome and has severe difficulty sustaining a normal conversation for even a few minutes; or

            (2) The person uses alternative or augmentative communication such as sign language, technology that produces electronic speech, use of symbols to communicate, use of a note taker to assist in communication; and

                 (a) the person has severe difficulty speaking clearly and is completely reliant on a recognised sign language such as Auslan or signed English; or

                 (b) the person needs to use an electronic communication device to communicate with others in places such as shops, workplace, education or training facility and cannot be understood without this device; or

                 (c) the person has severe difficulty speaking and uses handwriting or typing to communicate; or

                 (d) the person has severe difficulty speaking  and uses the assistance of a note taker to communicate.