Special Provision Review:
SEVERE LANGUAGE DISORDER (SLD)
Focus Group Questions
Question 1
Respondents felt that, for students with a long-term condition, students
should not have to be further tested nor should the school have to
reapply for Special Examination Arrangements for the student.
Using an early application approach whereby schools could submit
applications, on the basis of a long-term condition, prior to the student
commencing their VCE/VCAL, schools would not be required to provide
medical evidence each year unless there has been a significant change
in the student’s circumstances, i.e. a deterioration that warrants
consideration of adjusted provisions. Is this something you see as a good
idea?
What do you see, if any, would be the issues with moving to such an
approach?
Question 2
Provision should be based on “the [students] usual way of working” (UK
term). Some respondents felt that the history of provision by the school
should be a prime consideration.
Do you think that the early application process, as referred to in question
one above, would alleviate this concern?
Question 3
Respondents wanted assistive technology (AT) investigated. Not only
would AT provide students with a ‘level playing field’ but could also be
cost effective in reducing reliance on readers, clarifiers and scribes.
Should AT be available to students with a severe language disorder?
What assistive technology is currently being used by SLD students?
Question 4

A number of respondents, particularly parents, said that requiring an
IQ assessment is costly, especially for non-metropolitan families.
It is assumed that most students have had an IQ assessment done
in early secondary schooling. Does the VCAA need to be clearer on
the purpose of the IQ assessment?

Respondents felt that IQ tests were not fair on students with severe
expressive issues.
What evidence/assessments should the VCAA be asking for?

It was also felt that the timeframe for administering the CELF 4 is too
short – and can be difficult to access.
Would early application (refer question one) help this? Are there any
other alternatives?
What do you believe the eligibility benchmarks should be for special
provisions?
Special Provision Review - Questions: Severe Language Disorder (SLD)
1
Question 5
There was some criticism of the PAT-R reading test.
The PAT-R was chosen because it has: Australian content, is Australian
normed, can be administered to an individual or a group (class), is an
attainment test, uses silent reading (as opposed to reading aloud), has a
wide range of questions (36), has online scoring and is reasonably priced
(affordable for schools).
Bearing in mind the rationale for selecting the PAT-R ahead of other
reading tests, do you think the VCAA should consider changing from the
PAT-R? If so what alternatives do you recommend?
Question 6
Many respondents believe the essay process needs to be reviewed.
What is the purpose and criteria applied to essays? Doing essays puts
students under stress.
Does the VCAA need to more clearly explain the purpose of the essays
or is there something more inherently wrong with the essay process? If
there is, what precisely are your concerns with the essay process?
Question 7
 A number of respondents believe that the VCAA should simply
endorse the recommendations made by a professionals i.e. a
diagnosis equals provision.
What should the VCAA do to verify an application/recommendation
made by a professional?
 The VCAA receives many differing reports and recommendations
from professionals, some of which vary considerably and are often
made without the professional necessarily being aware of the specific
requirements for different exams.
Are there ways that the VCAA can improve how it seeks information
from professionals to ensure consistency of responses?
Question 8
There was a level of confusion expressed by parents over what
provisions were available for specific illnesses and conditions. They were
also unsure of the application and approval process.
How can the VCAA provide better information to parents and students?
Question 9
Respondents felt that students require more reading/writing time than
currently available. It was also felt that rest breaks were beneficial for
students with a SLD.
Which type of break (reading, writing, rest) is of most benefit to students
with a severe language disorder? How should the VCAA determine how
much time a student should receive?
Special Provision Review - Questions: Severe Language Disorder (SLD)