Classroom Learning
School inclusion is about more than being physically present in the same space. It is important that students are engaged alongside their peers in the classroom. They must be respected and supported to be authentic learners, to access the same curriculum, be challenged to learn, and to receive reasonable adjustments to enable their participation.
Students learn better when they have positive perceptions of the classroom environment, one that creates a psychological environment that facilitates learning.
Inclusive Strategies for Teaching and Instruction
In all situations, thinking through the “big ideas” and using peer involvement and flexible approaches, the regular lesson can proceed with everyone involved in that same lesson, and most importantly, ALL students will be gaining the core information necessary for life and ALL will be challenged at their level. Everyone gains!
All Means All
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There are a number of approaches to ensuring accessibility in education, with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in particular allowing for possible barriers to learning being minimised from the very beginning. Other approaches are differentiation and Quality Differentiated Teaching Practice (QDTP).
The UDL framework allows educators to ensure that possible barriers to learning are minimised from the very beginning and, as a result make learning as accessible as possible.
The Committee encourages States parties to apply the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach. UDL is a set of principles, providing teachers and other staff with a structure to create adaptable learning environments and develop instruction to meet the diverse needs of all learners.
It recognizes that each student learns in a unique manner and involves developing flexible ways to learn: creating an engaging classroom environment; maintaining high expectations for all students, while allowing multiple ways to meet expectations; empowering teachers to think differently about their own teaching; and focusing on educational outcomes for all, including those with disabilities.
The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, CRPD, Gen Comment No 4 (2016), Article 24: Right to Inclusive Education
Article
What Is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?
Amanda Morin
Here is a short and simple explanation of UDL
"The goal of UDL is to use a variety of teaching methods to remove any barriers to learning and give all students equal opportunities to succeed. It’s about building in flexibility that can be adjusted for every student’s strengths and needs. That’s why UDL benefits all kids."
Video
UDL at a glance
CAST
CAST created the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, which makes learning inclusive for everyone by designing it be accessible by all learners from the outset.
Video
Removing the Barriers: Planning for ALL
Shelley Moore
Checklist
Universal Design Principles Checklist
Queensland Department of Education and Training
An inclusive classroom will provide access to accessible instruction and learning materials. This checklist was originally developed for vocational education and training providers but will also be relevant for teachers of students in upper primary and high schools.
Website
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL)
The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers state that graduate level teachers will be able to differentiate teaching to meet the learning needs of all of their students, including students with disability.
Article
12 strategies to Engage Students who work below Grade Level
Nicole Eredics
Some more ideas on including all learners
"So, one of the most common questions I hear with regards to inclusive education is, how can teachers keep students who work below grade level engaged and learning during class instruction?
... Thus, I have put together a list of strategies that teachers can use to reach and teach students with intellectual disabilities during classroom instruction."
Website
Differentiation Daily
Paula Kluth
"This site is a collection of nearly 800 ideas to help educators add interest, relevance, fun, and novelty to classroom instruction. Specifically, I compiled these materials to support teachers in diverse classrooms who want to meet the needs of students with a wide range of needs, interests, challenges, and strengths, including learners with disabilities and unique learning profiles.
It’s my hope that this page makes the work of teaching and including all students easier and more enjoyable."
Video
Differentiation and The Brain: A discussion with Carol-Ann Tomlinson
Carol-Ann encourages teachers to break the bad habit of one-size-fits-all teaching, and to see differentiation as quality teaching that leads to great outcomes for their students.
Website
School Inclusion from Theory to Practice
Loren Swancutt
This website has been created by a teacher who leads inclusive education practices in her Queensland State High School. Loren is also a convenor of School Inclusion Network for Educators (SINE), which is a network of All Means All – The Australian Alliance for Inclusive Education. SINE supports educators to initiate, develop and sustain inclusive schooling practices for all students. It is the network of All Means All – the Australian Alliance for Inclusive Education
Website
Inclusion ED. Supporting diverse learners
Autism CRC
InclusionED is an online professional learning community, co-designed with educators, for educators. It translates the latest research into straightforward practices that teachers can apply in the classroom, to support the specific needs of diverse learners.
Adjustments - What's Reasonable?
Schools are obligated by the Disability Standards for Education to provide reasonable adjustments so that students with disability are able to participate in lessons and extracurricular activities and demonstrate their learning.
"Adjustments are measures taken to level the playing field by dismantling barriers to access and participation”
Graham, L. (Ed.). (2020) Inclusive Education for the 21st Century
The NCCD (National Consistent Collection of Data) is a tool that has the potential to provide national consistency, identification and on-going adjustment based funding for students with disability across Australia.
Inclusive education advocates support the notion that it would be ideal if governments and school bodies could move away from the more traditional forms of needs-based funding to adjustment based funding such as that outlined in the NCCD.
Booklet
What are inclusive reasonable adjustments?
Community Resource Unit Ltd.
This guide helps families think about reasonable adjustments which promote full inclusion and participation. It includes activities for you to think about what this should look like for your family member.
Click here to read the booklet (PDF)
Click here to read the booklet (MS Word - simplified format)
Video
Teach Us Too
Jonathan shares his story of what it took for him to learn to read and write, and moving from a ‘special school’ to being included in the general classroom. He challenges educators to keep looking at how access to learning will be achieved.
Video
Making adjustments – Jacob’s story
Family Advocacy
Jacob is a student at Nambucca Heads High School and the video shares the adjustments that have been made and the learning goals that are developed for him. The teacher, specialist and principal talk about how they differentiate the curriculum through discussions with parents and ensuring they meet the needs of Jacob.
Website
What is the NCCD
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD)
"The NCCD collects data about school students with disability who are receiving adjustments across Australia in a consistent, reliable and systematic way. It enables schools, education authorities and governments to better understand the needs of students with disability and how they can be best supported at school."
Podcast
Classroom adjustments podcasts
The annual Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) collects information about Australian school students who receive an adjustment to address disability.
These podcasts on classroom adjustments on the NCCD website canvasses possible adjustments for students at school across 18 different disability areas. It discusses the success and the challenges for the students through the eyes of the student, parent, teacher and other professionals.
Podcast example: Muscular Dystrophy
In this episode, Steven shares some of the challenges at school and the adjustments that are made. It includes five top tips to support students with MD in their schools.
Podcast example: Autism
In this episode, we hear from Steven a year 3 student who explains what school is like for him and from his mum Claire, who shares common adjustments that can be made to support her son in the classroom. Dr Suzanne Carrington discusses common difficulties and the importance of knowing the student’s learning strengths. There is also the five top takeaway tips for students.
Article
Designing out barriers to student access and participation in secondary school assessment
Professor Linda Graham
Designing out barriers to learning also applies to assessment. It is possible to plan for everyone to be able to demonstrate their learning in assessment.
Website
Targeted Resources and Supports
Queensland Department of Education
Queensland schools can access a variety of targeted resources to assist them to address the diverse learning and support needs of all students with disability. School principals are responsible for supporting the educational programs of all students with disability in their school, and are able to request access to a range of specialist services, and direct to school resourcing through a number of models.
Website
Reasonable adjustments
Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
"Collaboratively planning, implementing and reviewing adjustments promotes meaningful student participation, progress and achievement. The starting point for selecting curriculum is the Australian Curriculum learning area content at the student’s age-equivalent level. The curriculum provides the context for teaching, learning and assessment."
Article
Modified Curriculum: Re-considering the necessity
Loren Swancutt
"For a variety of reasons, students may experience functional impacts that affect their ability to progress through curriculum complexities and amounts at the same rate as their peers.
If such impacts are not adequately supported through the application of quality, differentiated teaching and learning, Universal Design for Learning and adjustments; than students may access modified curriculum – same content and topics but with modified expectations that are aligned to the students 'zone of proximal development' (Vygotsky, 1978)"
Using Technology Well
When planning reasonable adjustments, educators should consider whether access to the right technology can remove the barriers to learning.
Article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) recognises the importance of access to assistive technology. Assistive technology has been found to be the first step for any next steps: for a child with a disability to play with other children; go to school and be educated; and to become a successful citizen and contributing member of society.
Article
Understanding My Son’s Dysgraphia Helped Me Advocate for Him
Dawn Margolis Denberg
This article by a parent of a child with dysgraphia (impairment in writing) explains how the use of assistive technology opened up a whole new world for her son and the entire family.
Website
Assistive Technology
Department of Education Queensland
Assistive technology supports students with diverse learning needs within an inclusive learning environment. This can range from "high tech" technology, such as electronic devices or power wheelchairs, to "low tech" devices such as a pencil grip, supportive seat or a simple switch.
Video
Assistive Technology: the tools we use to close the achievement gap and prevent academic failure
Department of Education Queensland
This recording will deepen your understanding of what the range of assistive technologies are, and how and when they should be used to support students in the classroom to maximise student success and confidence.
Website
Video
What is Assistive Technology
Australian Disability Clearing House on Education and Training
"For most people technology makes things easier. For people with Specific Learning Disabilities, technology makes things possible!"
Article
Assistive Technology for Learning: What You Need to Know
Understood
This link will provide you with AT basics and examples of specific assistive technology tools for a variety of needs and ages.
Website
Understood: Tech Finder
Understood
This AT techfinder allows you to search expert approved apps via type, age, issue and year level.
Fact Sheet
Free Assistive Technology options for students
Community Resource Unit Ltd.
These documents list a range of free assistive technology available for students via mobile devices and laptops
Click here to read Top Free Assistive Tech for Laptops (PDF)
Click here to read Top Free Assistive Tech for Mobile Devices (PDF)
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Many students may need access to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
Article
Tips for implementing AAC in the Classroom
Lesley Gallagher and Amy Litton
"We’ve put together a few of our tips and tricks about implementing communication devices in school that we, and the schools have found useful for successful device use in the education setting.
This resource is designed for people working in and with schools."
Article
Building Peer Connections
Hannah Gutke
AAC is also important for students being able to communicate with their peers, and so access to AAC should be provided throughout the school day. Read more from a parent on how AAC has been used to build peer connections for her daughter.
Making Sense of Curriculum and Policy
Participating in the regular curriculum matters. All students have the right to learn on the same basis as their peers.
Video
Every Student with Disability succeeding - Kuranda District State College
Department of Education Queensland
"All of the leadership team have very much the same mindset around the inclusion of all students…We don’t actually have a special education unit…All students are included within the classroom."
Policy
Inclusive Education Policy
Queensland Government
"The Department of Education's Inclusive education policy commits the department to continuing our journey towards a more inclusive system at policy and regional levels, and as part of our everyday practice in schools, educational settings and classrooms."
Framework
The Prep-12 Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Framework (P-12 CARF)
Education Queensland
The Prep-12 Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Framework (P-12 CARF) sets out how every student in Queensland state schools are to be taught, assessed and reported on all learning areas of the Australian Curriculum, without exception. Every student with disability has a right to a high quality education, with reasonable adjustments provided so they can learn alongside their similar-aged peers, and demonstrate their learning and progress.
Parents may find this document helpful in discovering what is expected for teaching, assessing and reporting on every student’s learning in Queensland state schools. It includes information about the differentiated, focused and/or intensive teaching that must be provided before a student is considered for an Individual Curriculum Plan (ICP). It also outlines the requirement for parent endorsement of an ICP, and the review requirements of the ICP (eg must be reviewed every semester).
Click here to read the Framework document Opens in new window
Video
Intent of the Australian Curriculum
The Australian curriculum was originally designed to be equitable and responsive to all students, their preferences and differing requirements. This flexibility has enabled students with disability to access the curriculum on the same basis as their peers.
Website
Australian Curriculum: F-10 Curriculum
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
In September 2015, Australia’s education ministers endorsed the Foundation – Year 10 Australian Curriculum.
This website provides teachers, parents, students and the community with a clear understanding of what students should learn, regardless of where in Australia they live or which school they attend.
Article
The Australian Curriculum – A curriculum for ALL
Loren Swancutt
"Teachers can utilise the Australian Curriculum to deliver teaching and learning programs that are responsive to diversity within regular, heterogeneous classrooms. It provides tools and approaches that support teachers to seamlessly address variances in cognitive, physical and social development."
Article
Curriculum
Loren Swancutt
"If we provide age-appropriate, commensurate opportunity based on the notion of presumed competence and value in diversity, what results is the authentic possibility for limitless and infinite potential. We bypass the danger and harm of inequity and ablesim, and instead give back power and choice to the student."
Website
Disability adjustments and participation in NAPLAN
National Assessment Program (NAP)
"Adjustments are provided to students with disability to support access to the NAPLAN tests and encourage maximum participation. This page outlines the adjustments and how they can be applied - including examples."
Understanding Senior Schooling and Planning for Life After School
Website
Australian Curriculum: Senior Secondary
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
The senior secondary Australian Curriculum specifies content and achievement standards for each subject.
Website
SET (Senior Education and Training) Plans
Queensland Department of Education
An outline to understand the SET plan which is developed with year 10 students to assist them in making choices about their future education and/or training.
Handbook
QCE and QCIA Policy and Procedures Handbook
Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority
This handbook provides detailed information on the Queensland Certificate of Education and the Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement to support senior schooling in Queensland. We encourage parents to understand the opportunities that can be obtained by completing the Queensland Certificate of Education and the discussions to have with school staff when engaging in the SET planning.
Fact Sheets
Employment fact sheets
Community Resource Unit Ltd.
Getting a part time job in high school is a common rite of passage that enriches the lives of many young people. These fact sheets have been developed to help young people with disability get their first job.
Booklet
Lifelong Learners
Resourcing Inclusive Communities
"Many people with disability are not expected to learn, and so are not given the chance. The people and families represented in this book chose to see beyond the deficits and limiting statements... They decided life is a learning opportunity for everyone."
This project is proudly supported by the Queensland Government through the Department of Education.
The Department of Education website outlines its commitment to Inclusive education through its inclusive education policy.
