Unscrupulous training colleges are targeting people with disabilities and the homeless in order to cash in on government education funding. The ABC has obtained evidence some colleges are recruiting people with intellectual disabilities to costly diploma-level courses funded with expensive VET-FEE-HELP training loans. But the training offered is often unsuited as those targeted have a … Continued
Alice-Ann Meyer had heard the comments before – “he looks funny”, “he looks scary” – but when they were directed at her little boy yet again at a primary school open day, it was too much. The blog post that the Texan mother wrote when she got home, pleading with parents to stop their children … Continued
Tracey Hayes has photos of her twin boys strapped to chairs at Monash Special Developmental School in Melbourne Other parents of autistic children have also made complaints about how their children have been treated in Victorian schools Rebecca Cobb claims she was forced to pull her autistic son Tristan out of Marnebek school, in Cranbourne, … Continued
Inclusive education, where students with disabilities are educated within mainstream classrooms rather than special schools or classes, is widely recognised as being the best way to ensure everyone gets a good education. However, resourcing is a major issue, with schools not receiving adequate funding or training. One of the major barriers to adequate funding is … Continued
Access to education is a critical factor in eliminating disadvantage and protecting vulnerable children, and is essential to lifelong economic and social wellbeing. For these reasons, the Commission undertook research examining the experiences of students with disabilities in Victorian Schools to learn how schools are meeting students’ needs, as well as understanding where practice might … Continued
The PM has delivered on Gonski’s recommendations for a funding boost to students with disabilities. Money is necessary, but will only go so far – attitudes must change too, writes Stephanie Gotlib On Monday, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced an additional funding boost to special schools of $76 million over six years. This equates to … Continued
Autistic children face a struggle, part of which is the need for funding to help them achieve successful schooling. He sits at the back of the class, obsessed with a pull of string in the worn carpet. The subject does not engage him, nor does the droning lecture emanating from somewhere near the whiteboard. The … Continued
Disability rights activists say some people with intellectual disabilities are being short-changed when it comes to superannuation. The Federal Government is being urged to change super laws so that low-earning workers with disabilities qualify for super payments. Parents fear their children will end up on welfare despite being quite capable of working.
Non-government schools will emerge as the big winners from the Council of Australian Governments meeting on national funding reform, to be held in Canberra on April 19. Which is ironic, seeing that the greatest need is in the public system. Few schools serving the poorest communities in Australia are non-government. About 80 per cent of … Continued
A voucher system making funding for disabled students portable between schools would not guarantee a quality education, advocates warn. The Victorian government has proposed a voucher system for disadvantaged students, known as a ”pupil premium”, where the money would follow the child to the school of their choice. It is part of a $400 million … Continued
If you have an obvious disability, you’ve probably got used to people’s awkwardness, as they struggle with what to say, how to act, where to look. Often pre-conceived ideas or prejudices about difference have developed without them even realising. A Victorian initiative wants to help confront this awkwardness early on, at school. The Young Ambassadors … Continued
As the mother of three children on the autism spectrum, Kerrie Curtis is a veteran of battles with the Victorian education system. Her latest fight is to get special VCE exam provisions for her oldest son Liam, who has Asperger’s, an anxiety disorder and a learning difficulty. Ms Curtis’ frustration is not with his school, … Continued
Down syndrome was first described by John Langdon Down 150 years ago. A child either has or has not Down syndrome and a diagnosis is definite soon after birth, but the experience of having Down syndrome is not static. As with prenatal diagnosis, medical progress has significantly affected those with this condition. The same discipline … Continued
When, at 23, Joanne Webber was told she had a rare eye condition, she received lots of support. She was diagnosed for free at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and was helped by the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind. “I met with mentors of similar age to me and met people with … Continued
Victorian Education Minister Martin Dixon says a plan for a prep-to-year-12 school for students with autism in Melbourne’s western suburbs is ”non-negotiable”, with work on the new school to begin within two years. Specialist autism P-12 schools are controversial because some experts argue autistic children should be educated in mainstream schools to improve their social … Continued