Disability Education Reference Group
Tuesday 29 October 2013
11 am – 1 pm
Hedley Beare Centre for Teaching and Learning, Stirling
Meeting Room 8
In Attendance:
Ms Ros Donohoe, Education & Training Directorate, A/g Senior Manager, Disability Education (Chair)
Ms Jacinta Evans, Senior Manager, Therapy ACT, Community Services Directorate
Mr Peter Brady, CEO, Autism Asperger ACT
Ms Karin Wetselaar, Principals’ Association
Mr Rex O’Rourke, Disability ACT, Community Services Directorate
Dr Chris Kilham, Australian Association of Special Education
Ms Jan Kruger, ACT Down Syndrome Association
Ms Sue Healy, Sharing Places
Ms Sascha Colley, AEU Representative
Ms Catherine Axelby, Education and Training Directorate (secretariat)
Guests:
Ms Stella Scheele, Education and Training Directorate
Ms Jo Daly, Education and Training Directorate
Ms Catherine Laverty, Education and Training Directorate/Community Services Directorate
Ms Maureen Howe, Disability ACT, Community Services Directorate
Ms Jean Walker, Education and Training Directorate
Apologies:
Ms Beth Mitchell, Education and Training Directorate, Director, Student Engagement
Mr Rajen Amirthalingam, Parent Group – Children with vision impairment
Ms Carey Doyle, P&C
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Record of Meeting
1. Welcome and apologies
Ms Donohoe noted apologies and welcomed the group
2. Minutes of the previous meeting
Minutes accepted as a true and accurate record.
3. National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Update
Mr Rex O’Rourke gave a general update on the NDIS.
4. NDIS Education Interface
Ms Catherine Laverty presented on the NDIS Interface.
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Key Considerations:
o What is a mainstream obligation?
o What is reasonable adjustment?
o What is reasonable and necessary under NDIS?
 Key areas:
o Personal care at school
o Special needs transport
o Early intervention
o Contracted services
o Healthcare Access At School (HAAS)
o Therapy interface.
Enhanced Service Offer Update:
 Round 1
o 1304 applications
o 740 offers made
o Additional 64 school leavers with high and complex needs were offered grants
o Unsuccessful Round 1 applicants will be prioritized in Round 2.
 Round 2
o Opened on 30 October 2013 and closes on 8 November 2013.
5. Everyone Everyday Update
Ms Maureen Howe gave an update on Everyone Everyday.
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The second phase of the trial has been completed
Neville Bonner and Weetangera Primary Schools participated in the pilot
The University of Canberra will be completing evaluations of the pilot.
6. Circle of Friends and Professional Learning – Dr Bob Jackson
Ms Jan Kruger presented on the Circle of Friends program.
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Research indicates that students with behaviour difficulties, or who have trouble making friends,
benefit from the Circle of Friends program.
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There is a professional learning opportunity for teachers and families around inclusion coming up
with Dr Bob Jackson, Managing Director of Include (Inclusion through skills development).
Dr Jackson has been working in the field of human services and education for over three decades.
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Action: Ms Kruger to send out resource on the Circle of Friends program to DERG members.
7. Excellence in Disability Education Strategic Plan
Ms Ros Donohoe gave a summary of the progress and the Final Report to the Director-General. The work of
Disability Education continues under the new ETD Strategic Plan, Education Capital: Leading the Nation.
8. Learning Difficulties Update
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The Taskforce report has been released.
A Project Charter has been developed.
A Project Officer has been appointed to progress the work and to ensure a consistent approach.
9. Australian Curriculum
Ms Ros Donohoe shared Mr Ian Copland’s summary of updates on the Australian Curriculum, with a focus
on student diversity. Australian curriculum website
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Student Diversity Advice materials are being reviewed. ACARA is working on video illustrations of
personalised learning.
General capabilities are now accessible from the top menu bar under F-10 Curriculum heading.
Assessment and reporting – looking at what ACARA can do to provide consistency around reporting
and assessment for students with disabilities.
10. Black Mountain COMPASS
A brief has been submitted to the ETD Director-General on the Compass program.
Entry criteria for Black Mountain School will align with that of The Woden School – this will ease concerns
of North Canberra residents requiring access to a specialist school closer to home.
There was discussion on why this was only for high school students and not primary also?
Action: For further discussion at the February 2014 DERG meeting.
Action: For discussion at Specialist School Principals meeting in 2014.
11. “Missing School” – Students with long –term illness
Ms Jo Daly presented on the Missing School project.
The objective of this project is to work closely with the MissingSchool Organisation, missing school website,
to develop solutions to ensure students who experience significant prolonged, or recurrent, absences due
to chronic or critical illnesses to remain connected to their school, friends, teachers and their learning.
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Data collection is currently being undertaken through a survey of ACT public schools to ascertain
the number of students fitting the above criteria.
Current policies and procedures are being analysed to ensure they are supportive of families and
students.
Consultations are taking place with students, families, principals and teachers to gain greater
understanding of the issues faced by these students and their families.
Research is being undertaken of best practice models to introduce in the ACT.
Discussion of trialing the “There’s a Monkey in my chair” program in several ACT public primary
schools. This program is designed to maintain the students presence in the classroom.
A pilot program was developed at Lyneham High School focused on connecting students with their
peers via digital methods.
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12. Early Intervention
Ms Jean Walker gave an outline of early intervention services.
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There are programs for children aged 2 years.
2-3 year old playgroup programs (parent/child).
3 year old early intervention – psychologist assesses who is eligible.
Early Childhood Centres (ECC) and Early Childhood Units (ECU) are managed by specialist schools
for 3-5 year olds.
Autism Intervention Unit programs are managed by Cranleigh and Malkara Schools for children
diagnosed with Autism.
There is a partnership with Therapy ACT for language development programs.
All programs are currently being assessed and an early intervention working group has been
developed. The working group consists of representatives from specialist school principals, speech
pathologists from Therapy ACT, Autism Aspergers ACT, mainstream principals, hearing and vision
team, senior psychologist, early childhood education and one representative from the DERG. The
Terms of Reference will be developed at the first meeting in 2014.
13. More Support for Students with Disability – National Partnership Update
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Twenty-seven schools participated in the first roll-out of data collection.
$1m has been allocated to the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data initiative.
There have been discussions around a half day forum for participating schools to review the
process.
14. Online ILP Update
SQUIZ Australia is currently working on Online ILPs.
15. Newsletter, Parent Guide
The parent guide is currently being made accessible.
16. DECO Conference and Life Page – Communities of Learners
On Thursday 24 October 2013 fifty staff attended the Disability Education Coordinator (DECO) conference.
Participants were very engaged and feedback was positive. Mr Craig Smith, Coordinator Special Projects,
Autism Spectrum Australia presented at the conference.
Data was collected on the day and will be used to form part of a report to the Australian Government
Department of Education under the More Support for Students with Disability National Partnership.
17. Future Structure and Content of Meetings
The group was interested to revisit the Terms of Reference and membership of the DERG.
Next Meeting
Venue: TBA
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February 2014 (TBA)