Spectro-spective: Stories of Autism
This is a 15 minute short film featuring people on the autism spectrum, telling and showing us something of their personal story – their perspective of the spectrum. Produced for World Autism Awareness Day 2015.
Resources
Children with autism caged and abused at school
Disturbing allegations have emerged about widespread abuse of children with disabilities in the classroom following the suspension of a principal at a school where a cage was built for a 10-year-old boy with autism, to control his behaviour. Children are regularly shut in isolation rooms, tied to furniture or physically restrained by staff at some … Continued
Mistreatment of disabled kids ‘shocking’
Reports a cage was used for an autistic child at a Canberra school are deeply disturbing, opposition education spokeswoman Kate Ellis says. The principal at the school has been suspended after the cage-like structure was found in a classroom, apparently used to house the autistic student. Education department officials have launched an investigation following a … Continued
Disability groups back call for inquiry into education of children with a disability
Disability groups have backed calls for a broad inquiry into the education of children with a disability, following revelations an autistic Canberra school student was confined in a cage-like structure.
Principals report ‘crisis’ in funding for disabled students
School principals say they are facing an urgent crisis in funding students with a disability-and most have been forced to dip into other budgets to support their disabled students. The survey by the Australian Education Union found most principals say they don’t have adequate funding to support children at their school with special needs.
Disability standard for education (2005)
The Standards were formulated to assist educators understand and comply with their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, and became federal law in August 2005. The Standards seek to ensure that students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as students without disability.
Separate curriculum for students with disability no good for anyone
The review of the Australian curriculum raises major concerns about access to a quality curriculum for students with disability. Under the guise of creating greater inclusivity, the review recommends a separate curriculum for some students with disability. A separate curriculum is discriminatory The Australian curriculum has been at the centre of public attention since its … Continued
Schools ‘babysitting’ students with disabilities due to lack of funds, primary principals say
Students with disabilities are being babysat at school rather than being given the resources and time they need to learn, Western Australia’s Primary Principals’ Association says. President Stephen Breen said a leaked report by PricewaterhouseCoopers showed the average number of students with a learning disability was 18.6 per cent, but only 5 per cent received … Continued
Training colleges securing thousands in Government funds by targeting people with disabilities
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’s plea for son Jameson and children with disabilities goes viral
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
Strapped in and Locked Up: Shocking Photos Reveal how Autistic Children are Treated in Australian Schools
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
Disability Funding in Schools Shouldn’t be Based on State
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
Held Back- The Experiences of Students with Disability in Schools
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
‘Special Schools’ Can Only Do So Much
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
At Margin of Enlightenment’s Spectrum
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