Exceptional Learners | Ms Karin Coleshill

New government policies have mandated that every school submits disability data to a central collection point. To follow this legislation Terrace will be contributing the following information.

What does disability mean? This new national data collection will reinforce the actions required of schools under the National Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005. The significant change with this collection is the use of a broader definition of disability than the one currently used to identify and allocate resources in educational systems. This legislation stipulates schools and education systems to make, where appropriate, reasonable adjustments for students with disability.

What is an adjustment? An adjustment is a measure or action taken to assist a student with disability to participate in education on the same basis as other students. Adjustments can be made across the whole school setting, in the classroom and at the individual level.

What information will be collected? In 2017 the data will be collected on 4 August and will include:

• Total number of school students

• Number of students with a disability by school level enrolment (primary/secondary)

• Number of students within disability type (physical, social, cognitive or sensory)

• Level of adjustment provided (within differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial, and extensive)

Information will be recorded in such a way to be sure that no child can be identified.

Student names will not be collected centrally, only numbers are submitted.

Further information can be found at the website http://www.schooldisabilitydatapl.edu.au/