Tricia Malowney OAM CF DLI MAICD BA’s Post

According to new research, the NAPLAN — which monitors the learning progress of Australian students — does not effectively support students with disabilities. Since 2008, mentions of students with disability in NAPLAN focus on students exempt from the exam, rather than academic achievements. In short — data shows what students with disabilities cannot do, rather than what they can do. The lack of accurate data worries me. I suspect that the number of students with disabilities is higher than 24% and certainly not the sometimes quoted 10% or even less. It poses the question - if the population of people with disabilities is conservatively estimated at around one in 4, where are the children with disabilities? The majority of participants in the the NDIS are young. Are we selecting who is tested so that we are afraid that the numbers will be lower? And schools will lose their standing. Every child is entitled to a quality education. We need to know if schools are ensuring that we are not being included in the data. Clearly, these reporting gaps are concerning. Aligning NAPLAN data with other relevant data, like the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) — as suggested here — can help improve our policies and support systems. Visual Description: A teacher helping a student with their work. #DisabilityEmpowerment2024 #Accessibility #Education

I was shared this review by the UoN special and inclusive education team exploring the provision of reasonable adjustments for students with disability in the Australian context, and I thoroughly resonated with the piece. This is an area of increasing concern that continues to be unable to be resolved locally, and regularly requires external support from advocacy and/or other services. I wanted to share a few notable points that stood out: - 21.8% of students enrolled in Australian schools have a disability that 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠; and almost 15% require a level of support beyond quality differentiated teaching practice. - 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 (59%) of students with profound and multiple disabilities reportedly attend classes in a mainstream school. - The association between 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 for students with disability and the 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 mainstream teachers feel to teach a range of learning needs has been noted with teachers reporting 𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 when teaching students with disability. - While the application of reasonable adjustments appears to be a common-sense approach for students with disability, teachers are failing to apply reasonable adjustments in classrooms. Further, reasonable adjustments that were implemented 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 rather than trained teachers. Additionally, the 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 to assist schools in determining a reasonable adjustment has been highlighted. The successful provision of reasonable adjustments for students with disability was highlighted to be most impacted by the following: - 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (classroom size, school leadership) - 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (teacher role/responsibility, professional competence) - 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 (role and competence of teacher aides) - 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥, 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭.

Understanding Due Process in Your Child's Special Education The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates due process procedures for children enrolled in special education programs. This ensures fair and informed decision-making regarding your child's educational needs. What is Due Process? Due process outlines a formal set of policies and procedures that schools and districts must follow. These procedures are typically detailed in your district's procedural safeguards statement, sometimes referred to as "parent rights." Why is Due Process Important? Due process empowers you to participate in your child's educational journey. By understanding these procedures, you can ensure: Your child receives a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) as mandated by IDEA. Decisions regarding your child's special education program are made fairly and with your input. You have resources and avenues to address any concerns you may have. Taking Action: Locate your school district's procedural safeguards statement and familiarize yourself with the due process procedures. If you have questions or concerns, don't hesitate to reach out to us at Ballou Education. #SpecialEducationLaw #IDEA #DueProcess #BallouEducation

Understanding Due Process in Your Child's Special Education The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates due process procedures for children enrolled in special education programs. This ensures fair and informed decision-making regarding your child's educational needs. What is Due Process? Due process outlines a formal set of policies and procedures that schools and districts must follow. These procedures are typically detailed in your district's procedural safeguards statement, sometimes referred to as "parent rights." Why is Due Process Important? Due process empowers you to participate in your child's educational journey. By understanding these procedures, you can ensure: Your child receives a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) as mandated by IDEA. Decisions regarding your child's special education program are made fairly and with your input. You have resources and avenues to address any concerns you may have. Taking Action: Locate your school district's procedural safeguards statement and familiarize yourself with the due process procedures. If you have questions or concerns, don't hesitate to reach out to us at Ballou Education. #SpecialEducationLaw #IDEA #DueProcess #BallouEducation

Raising my twins, both with disabilities, has been a journey of challenges and a deep commitment to ensuring they have the same opportunities as other children. From the start, I believed mainstream education was the best choice. I wanted them to experience diversity, learn alongside their peers, and feel they truly belonged. For one of my children, this vision has worked. With the right adjustments, he integrated into mainstream schooling and thrived. But for my other child, who is deaf, the reality has been different. Despite all the supports we put in place, true inclusion has remained out of reach. The problem wasn’t lack of effort or resources—it was the lack of language access. When everyone around you speaks a language you can’t understand, no amount of support makes you feel included. Without communication and understanding, my son was left out—not just academically, but socially. This experience had taught me that inclusion isn’t just about being in the same classroom—it’s about meaningful participation. For deaf children, that starts with access to language. Without that, being in a mainstream classroom often feels like being invisible. No technology, adaptations, or well-meaning teachers could bridge the gap when the world around him was built for hearing children and he couldn’t understand a word of it. It’s not inclusion if you can’t engage. How can we talk about inclusion without addressing language access? True inclusion means every child—regardless of ability—has access to communication, learning, and belonging. For deaf children, that starts with language. Without it, how can they fully participate in the classroom, form friendships, or learn like their peers? Inclusion isn’t just about physical presence—it’s about enabling children to communicate, learn, and feel seen. As we push for inclusive education, we need to ask: Are we meeting the needs of all children, especially those with different ways of accessing information? Deaf children need more than just a seat in the classroom. They need teachers trained in Auslan, Deaf role models,classrooms designed to support hearing aids, cochlear implants and FM systems, and school environments prioritising deaf awareness. How many mainstream schools can provide this level of support? We can’t continue ignoring the very real challenges deaf children face. Many families are fighting not only for resources but for their child’s right to communicate, learn, and feel included. We need to stop building systems that assume inclusion is the same for all. For deaf children, inclusion must start with meaningful access to language. All Means All - Australian Alliance for Inclusive Education Kate Washington MP Jason Clare MP NSW Department of Education Children and Young People with Disability Australia CaFSA NSW Fams NSW Alastair McEwin AM

😮 San Francisco State University has 3000 students registered with the disability support office. They have 5 counselors in the disability office. That's a 600:1 student to counselor ratio. 🙌🏼 “It’s about creating access,” said DPRC Associate Director Roberto Santiago. “For people who have barriers to accessing education, whatever that specific barrier is for that person. Our job is to mitigate or remove that barrier as much as possible and try to give them an entry point into receiving the same type of educational benefit that other students get.” 💙 The article outlines how the staff is doing their best to expedite the process for students. https://lnkd.in/eVcZefei #Disability #HigherEducation #Access #Equity #College #Accommodations #Counseling

I recently came across a powerful article from the Golden Gate Xpress that highlights the resilience of students like Delilah Tesfalidet at San Francisco State University (SFSU). Tesfalidet’s journey, from moving to California to pursue education to managing the challenges of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, is nothing short of inspiring. Her determination to continue a full course load despite her condition is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. However, her story also sheds light on a concerning issue: the barriers that students with disabilities face in accessing adequate support. SFSU's Disabilities Program and Resource Center (DPRC) provides crucial resources, but with a 600:1 student-to-specialist ratio, the system is severely strained. For context, this means that each specialist supports hundreds of students, many of whom have unique and complex needs. This statistic struck me as both shocking and indicative of a broader systemic challenge in higher education. As someone pursuing a Master’s in Student Counseling, I am deeply committed to advocating for equitable support systems that allow all students, regardless of their abilities, to succeed. Stories like Tesfalidet’s remind us of the importance of accessible facilities, efficient processes, and increased staffing to address these gaps. Programs like the DPRC and the California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) are critical, but we must do more to ensure that students don’t have to face excessive hurdles to receive the support they need. Let Tesfalidet’s story inspire us to continue pushing for inclusive education and to create pathways for all students to thriv

Finally we are seeing more media coverage focusing on the upsetting issue schools and families have been facing for a long time but it’s getting worse. What do you do when a student becomes aggressive? These students often have an imputed diagnosis or diagnosis, but not always. What do you do when you have tried everything and every support for this child that you can possibly do but it’s still not working? How do we, as schools, create an outcome where we: - support overstressed and overstretched teachers who are juggling the so many differing needs, behaviours and demands? - hire more support people for these kids when funding isn’t sufficient to do so? - protect other students from these struggling kids who strike out in sometimes violent and distructive ways? - reassure other parents who are wanting the school to immediately do something about the violent behaviours their children are exposed and want safety for their children at school? - offer support and hope to the parents of these struggling kids who are desperate for their child to just attend school and not be called to pick up their child again after an incident at school? It’s heartbreaking for everyone. We need more therapeutic schools to open that work with primary aged students who can’t cope with the current school setup as it is. School leaders and educators are desperate to help and to find a better way for these poor kids but can’t any options. We need change.

Happy to share this work with you. I co-authored the last chapter. #STAC Education students will recognize my contribution on how dominant cultural values are embedded in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. We then discussed how in an increasingly diverse society new best practices for collaborating with families have emerged. https://lnkd.in/dRV2QGyN