Parents and schools can get positive outcomes for students with disability by working together to meet the Disability Standards for Education. To find out more about these standards, see Get Started.

Reasonable Adjustments

All schools must make reasonable adjustments for students with disability, which effectively enable the student to participate in learning and school activities.

A reasonable adjustment does not cause an unjustifiable hardship for the school, or cause a loss of benefit or harm to other students and/or staff.

The adjustment/s must have clear and measurable benefits for the student with disability.

Decisions on what reasonable adjustment/s will be put in place and used for a student,  are made in consultation with the student if possible; the student’s family; their representative/nominee; the teacher; teaching support staff and relevant health and allied health professionals.

Reasonable adjustments will cover any or all of the following:

– the physical environment;

– safety;

– health and well-being;

– communication;

– personal care;

– medical needs;

– emergency procedures;

– access  to the curriculum.

Schools can use different ways and resources to provide reasonable adjustments:

– targeted school funding for resources, programs and materials, including specialist and targeted curriculum material;

– ongoing school funding;

– redirecting general school resources;

– using expertise in the school or school network, allied health specialists and other staffing supports.

Schools might name or categorise  reasonable adjustments as follows:

– quality differentiated teaching practice;

– supplementary adjustments;

– substantial adjustments;

– extensive adjustments.

 

The Learning Plan

A Learning Plan (or Individual Education Plan)   is a written plan that records the information about the student and describes what reasonable educational adjustments will enable the student to participate.

The purpose  of the learning plan:

– identify the student’s priority learning goals;

– link these with the curriculum;

– outline student’s aspirations, strengths, interests, and needs;

– convey information that impacts on the student’s learning and wellbeing;

– guides teachers in making adjustments to support student’s learning;

– detail the adjustments;

– ensure regular review of the student’s needs and progress;

– identify transition needs and may include or link to a transition plan;

– link to a behaviour management plan if required;

– inform assessment and reporting processes.

Principles of the Learning Plan:

– it is part of a continuous process from early years to secondary education and links to post-school options;

– planning follows a pattern of assessment, gathering information; evaluation, reporting and review;

– planning is student centred;

– all students are able to learn;

– flexible use of the curriculum to include learning goals  and plan for next steps helps address the learning needs of all students;

– the learning plan is an outcome of working together with the student and important people in their life.

Keeping an organised file of information and meeting records is very helpful to keep you, the student, and their team on track with goals and progress.

The following headings are a way to organise an information folder:

– personal information (DOB, address etc);

– diagnosis or disability (as little or as much details as you think necessary);

– assessments.