Regional ASD Summary
2012 achievements for early childhood and schools
Region: South-Eastern Victoria (formerly Gippsland Region)
Key achievements:

Capacity building and professional learning – significant professional learning provided
to a range of DEECD workforce, professional partners and families e.g. ASD Transition
Workshops, Inclusion Online courses, ATI Scholarships, 1:1 consultations, Collaborative
Projects, Journal Club.

Development of partnerships to ensure evidence-based learning and wide distribution
of resources and knowledge across the region e.g. ISP Schools., Baw Baw Autism
Project, AMAZE, ASPECT

Maintaining the impetus of the ASD implementation plan amidst significant change and
Regional development

Celebrating the recruitment of our new ASD Coach to the SWB Team and integration of
the role to support and supplement the Regional ASD Plan.
Spotlight on - Sensory Integration and support at Trafalgar Primary School
Ongoing investment in professional development, including working alongside occupational
therapists and speech pathologists over the past six years has been the catalyst for exciting
changes to the environment at Trafalgar Primary School. In 2009 the school was successful
in obtaining funding from the School Focused Youth Service Program to support the
development of student and staff resources with a specific focus to understand and provide
for the sensory needs of students within the classroom.
Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder are commonly found to have difficulty
processing and responding appropriately to sensory information. A child with a sensory
integrative disorder can have social and emotional difficulties, be impulsive and lacking in
self control, have an inability to unwind or calm themselves and have difficulty with
transitions between activities. They may also be overly sensitive to touch, movement, sights
or sounds. The use of sensory integration therapy has been successful in reducing anxiety
and behavioural difficulties and in increasing children’s positive interaction with their
environment and people in it.
Understanding the sensory issues of children with an ASD has opened up the doors to
understanding the sensory needs of many children within Trafalgar Primary School.
Common practice with staff now includes the use of weighted wheat packs, sensory ‘fiddle’
toys, ear plugs, iPods, wriggle cushions, pilates balls and specially designed chairs that allow
for movement and help with concentration.
More recently as a component of the work undertaken for the Inclusion
Support Program, a sensory wall in the main foyer of the school has been
installed. The wall provides equipment for children to utilise when anxiety
levels are high and when they need time to settle themselves. Although the wall has only
been in place for a short time, it has already had a significant positive impact with several
students.
The combined use of sensory equipment and resources to support students has become an
established practice at the school resulting in students being better able to focus on learning
tasks and having appropriate support to manage and prevent episodes of anxiety. The
development of staff knowledge regarding sensory integration and the provision of
equipment to support the needs of students links to the Gippsland regional priority of
‘Specialist Provision’ which monitors the implementation of evidenced based models to
support the inclusion of young people with an ASD.
Student: Noah Smith – non ASD student.)