Recommendations
Chapter 1
Recommendation 1- page 8
The committee recommends that, within a reasonable period, all
teacher aides working with students with disabilities should be qualified in
special education from an accredited teacher aide training course, and that
this should be a condition of additional Commonwealth funding for disability
education.
Chapter 2
Recommendation 2 – page 26
The committee recommends that the Commonwealth commission a
study to develop a best practice funding model to support the needs of students
with disabilities in schools.
Recommendation 3 – page 28
The committee recommends that MCEETYA develop nationally
agreed definitions of disabilities.
Chapter 3
Recommendation 4 – page 40
The committee recommends that MCEETYA investigate the
development of teacher exchange programs for staff of ‘lighthouse’ special
schools and mainstream schools.
Recommendation 5 – page 45
The Committee recommends that MCEETYA commission an assessment
of the outcomes of inclusive policies for students with disabilities; and
devise implementation and professional development strategies for teachers and
school administrators to improve these outcomes.
Recommendation 6 – page 46
The committee recommends that MCEETYA develop a policy on
inclusive education that recognises the importance of having a range of
schooling options for students with disabilities.
Chapter 4
Recommendation 7 – page 52
The committee recommends that, subject to assessment under
Australian trials currently being conducted, routine screening of the hearing
of all Australian newborn children should be adopted.
Recommendation 8 – page 53
The committee recommends that MCEETYA should examine options
to re‑introduce some form of regular screening for sensory impairment for
school and pre-school age children, either within schools or as part of
community health and immunisation programs.
Recommendation 9 – page 74
The committee recommends that the transition of students with
disabilities from school to further study, employment and lifelong learning
should be the subject of further inquiry.
Chapter 5
Recommendation 10 – page 80
The committee recommends
that all university teacher training courses include a mandatory unit on the
education of atypical students (including students with a disability and gifted
students), to familiarise trainee teachers with classroom methods appropriate
for students across the spectrum of ability.
Recommendation 11 – page 86
The committee recommends that the Teachers for the 21st
Century—Making the Difference program should be extended as a national
professional development scheme, with funding augmented to target improved
performance outcomes for teaching and learning especially for atypical children
in all education settings.
Recommendation 12 – page 86
The committee also recommends that the Commonwealth, through
MCEETYA, should set out broad guidelines on the duration and structure of
courses to be implemented through this national professional development
scheme, and establish an appropriate evaluation process.
Recommendation 13 – page 93
The committee recommends that MCEETYA undertake a study to
identify deficiencies in service provision for students with disabilities in
rural, regional and remote areas, as part of a project aimed at addressing the
overall shortage of specialist educators.
Recommendation 14 – page 94
The committee recommends to MCEETYA that research be
undertaken to evaluate the effects of changes in the role and employment
conditions of special education teachers, and to assess the adequacy and appropriateness
of current specialist consultation models.
Chapter 6
Recommendation 15 – page 105
The committee recommends that the Department of Education,
Science and Training explore options for the establishment of a scheme designed
to assist students with disabilities to purchase assistive equipment.
Recommendation 16 – page 108
The committee recommends that the Commonwealth fund
universities to develop long-term strategies to improve the physical
environment and pedagogy of universities to ensure equality of access for
students with disabilities.
Chapter 7
Recommendation 17 – page 118
The committee recommends that the Attorney-General formulate
the Disability Standards for Education 2002, under paragraph 31 (1) (b) of the Disability
Discrimination Act 1992; it also recommends that the Commonwealth take the
necessary legislative action to put the education standards beyond legal
challenge.
Recommendation 18 – page 122
The committee recommends that Commonwealth, state and
territory governments share the cost of implementing the education standards.
MCEETYA is the appropriate forum to determine the extent that these costs
should be shared.
Recommendation 19 – page 126
The committee recommends that the conditions on which
financial assistance is paid to state and territory education authorities, and
the supporting guidelines for quadrennial funding, should be strengthened to
include reporting processes that ensure that Commonwealth funds for students
with disabilities are spent on students with disabilities.
Navigation: Previous Page | Contents | Next Page