“Interacting with the education system can be a frustrating and confusing experience for parents of a child with a disability or special needs, as they attempt to ensure that their child gets adequate support to reach their full potential”, said Ms Parker.
“We will take a close look at what can be learned from the provision of education to students with a disability or special needs in Australia and overseas. In particular, we will look at whether a student’s funding allocation should be based on their functioning capacity rather than their disability”, she added.
A number of other important issues are also covered by the terms of reference, including:
• Level and adequacy of current special education places
• Adequacy of support services for children with a disability in mainstream school classes
• Provision of a suitable curriculum for intellectually disabled and conduct disordered students
• Access to professional support services, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and school counsellors
• Adequacy of pre-service and post-service teacher training
Media Release can be found here.
More information and an online submission form can be found here.
Submissions close 19 February 2010.
Categories: education, parenting, work and family
96th Down Under Feminists Carnival 
Life at 9: discussion thread 
DUFC #69 
Quick Link: Public Education On Principle 
Hoyden About Town 
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Thanks TT.
I’m a bit concerned about ”whether a student’s funding allocation should be based on their functioning capacity rather than their disability”
This seems a bit of shorthand for “we think we could save some money here” to me. I suppose it depends how they apply it.
Shouldn’t it be based on their neither, but on their level of need for support services?
A skotch of universal design could go a long way, too. Like wheelchair accessible classrooms, and accessible parking – two things my (currently abled) kid’s State school lacks. Not only does this make it difficult for KWD to enrol and be educated there, but it makes things damn hard for parents and teachers with disabilities.
‘Interacting with the education system can be a frustrating and confusing experience for parents of a child with a disability or special needs, as they attempt to ensure that their child gets adequate support to reach their full potential’. It can also be frustrating for, how can I put this, that child. I get really really irritated by how carers get centred in situations like this at the expense of KWD. School was incredibly tough for me and I ended up being unable to access campus for fair portions of high school and was at those times self-taught. ‘Frustrating and confusing’ for me. Frustrating and confusing for my parent too, but seriously?
I could write a flipping book on how students with disabilities are treated in the NSW education system, and it would be a BOOK OF RAGE. So for now let me just say that I hope that they don’t send people off working hard on their submissions only to totally ignore all contributions, which I wouldn’t put past them.
Thanks for letting us know, Mindy. 🙂
Most of the KWD who qualify for EA assistance at my school don’t get an EA for 100% of class time (though most of them need it). It all comes down to money of course.
@Lauredhel
Good point. My concern was that a student with say leg braces and crutches instead of a wheelchair may be evaluated as not needing ramps or lifts for easy access, which would in turn save money but not necessarily benefit the student, or any future student with a disability. I’m not sure what the rules are in NSW regarding accessible spaces, all the primary schools in my small town have ramps and the one with second storey classrooms has a wheelchair lift. That one is a Catholic school though, so different funding method and model. Not sure about the public highschool.
As for parking, I’m not sure any of the schools have it.