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Special education refers to teaching practices that meet the individual needs of students with disability.

All students are entitled to participate in and progress through the NSW curriculum. Schools need to provide adjustments to teaching, learning and assessment activities for some students with disability.

Students with disability

Students with disability have a range of abilities and needs. The Disability Standards for Education 2005 describes the legislative requirements of schools to support students with disability. Schools need to ensure these students have an equitable education.

Read more about students with disability.

Accessing the curriculum

Students with disability can access syllabus outcomes and content in a range of ways. They can do this with or without adjustments as appropriate.

Read more about accessing the curriculum.

Collaborative curriculum planning

Curriculum options for a student with disability should be appropriate for their individual learning needs and priorities. These options include adjustments to teaching, learning and assessment. Make decisions with the student, their parent/carer, teachers and other significant individuals.

Understand the collaborative curriculum planning process.

Supporting students with disability in learning

Teaching strategies to support students to access learning. Inclusive learning enables students to access authentic, relevant and meaningful learning opportunities.

Read more about supporting students with disability in learning.

Adjustments

Adjustments relate to teaching, learning and assessment. They enable a student with disability to access syllabus outcomes and content and show their achievement.

Read more about adjustments.

Assessment and reporting

Students with disability should be provided with a range of opportunities to demonstrate achievement of syllabus outcomes in school-based assessment tasks, including exams.

Understand how to assess and report a student’s achievement.

Case studies

The case studies illustrate adjustments to teaching, learning and assessment for individual students with disability. Each case study shows how a sample unit of work and an assessment activity have been adjusted to suit the needs of the student.

Read the case studies.

Life Skills

Years 7–10 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content and Years 11–12 Life Skills courses provide options for students with disability who are unable to access the regular course outcomes. Understand:

  • eligibility
  • course options
  • planning and programming
  • assessment and reporting
  • what credentials a student receives.

Read about Life Skills.

VET

VET courses can be studied by any student, including those with disability.

Read about VET courses and students with disability.

Home schooling

Home schooling is education delivered primarily in a child’s home by a parent or guardian.

Read about home schooling in NSW.

Guides and resources

The following guide provides advice and strategies for teachers to help students who are experiencing difficulties. This includes assessment, planning, programming, strategies and illustrations of practice.

Contact

For more information, contact:
[email protected]

At the NSW Department of Education

Disability, Learning and Support
Level 11, 105 Phillip Street, Parramatta NSW 2150
Phone: (02) 7814 3879
Email: [email protected]
See information about Disability Support at the NSW Department of Education and Public Schools NSW.

Within the Catholic Education Sector

Manager – Disability Support at Catholic Schools NSW
133 Liverpool Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9287 1555
See the contact list of individual dioceses.

At the AIS

Student Services
Association of Independent Schools of NSW
Level 4, 99 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9299 2845
Fax: (02) 9290 2274

Syllabus changes

Prepare to teach new syllabuses in 2019 and 2020

Have your say on current projects

Nomenclature update

‘Students with special education needs’ has been changed to ‘students with disability’.

Read the Official Notice

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