2 November 2010

To the QTU Special Education Network

Committee Workshop

The QTU Special Education Committee will be holding its policy development workshop on the weekend of 13-14 November. The agenda for the workshop includes:

  • QTU Special Education Policy review and development for 2011 State Conference
  • QTU Special Education Committee webpage development
  • Development of Fact sheets/position papers relating to Special Education
  • Development of articles relating to Special Education for the Teachers' Journal.

Members of the Special Education Network are invited to provide comments and suggestions in relation to any of these tasks. Send to research@qtu.asn.au.

The QTU Special Education Policy can be accessed via the QTU webpage (http://www.qtu.asn.au/). Click on "About us", then on "QTU Policy". You will need your membership number and password (on your membership card) to access policy.

The QTU Special Education webpage is also accessible via the QTU website. Click on "Issues" then on "Special Education Committee". If you have ideas for things that might be added to the page, please let us know.

The Committee is particularly interested in receiving suggestions for topics for QTU Fact Sheets
(e.g. "toileting of students", "administration time for HOSES").

Finally, we would like to increase the number of articles that appear each year in the Queensland Teachers' Journal that address special education issues or promote the work of special educators. If you have suggestions, including "good news" stories about work happening in your school, we would love to hear from you. Better still, we would be delighted if you wanted to submit an article.

STLaNs

The QTU has had preliminary discussions with ADG Teaching and Learning Yvana Jones about recruitment and selection processes for STLaNs. The QTU is concerned that there is no current recognised process and that this could lead to a diminishment of the role. The QTU has indicated its willingness to be involved in developing a process. If the Department agrees, the QTU will seek input from members.

RnR Project

The Recognition and Response (RnR) Project is a trial being conducted in six Queensland State Schools in the P-3 Years. The participating schools are Mudgeeraba SS, Berrinba East SS, Moreton Downs SS, Pacific Pines SS, Camira SS and Springfield Lakes SS. The trial schools will be given the autonomy to use their current level of resourcing flexibly and responsively to enable early intervention, reducing the need to categorise students with disabilities for support purposes, especially students with autism spectrum disorder. The trial schools will not be disadvantaged in the allocation of support resources by participating in the RnR trial.

While the QTU has concerns about aspects of the RnR approach, it does not oppose implementation on a trial basis. The QTU is represented on the RnR Reference Group and the RnR Evaluation Governance Group. An information sheet describing the project is available here.

Changes to the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)

The QTU has received feedback from schools that it is being asserted, due to changes made to the Federal DDA in 2009, that it is no longer possible to take disciplinary action (e.g. suspension/exclusion) against a student with a disability where the student's misbehaviour is related to their disability. The QTU sought legal advice on this and has held discussions with DET. The assertion is not true.

The following advice is consistent with the QTU and DET understandings of the requirements of the legislation:

  • Schools must make "reasonable adjustments" for students with disabilities (including in relation to behaviours arising from the disability).
  • There is an onus on the school to demonstrate that these adjustments have been made.
  • In the words of DET: "Students with disability may still receive consequences, including
    suspension and exclusion, if the decision to do so would apply equally to the same conduct
    engaged in by a student without disabilities and reasonable adjustments have been applied".

Reasonable adjustments for a student with potential behaviour support needs should include a
Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) and an individual plan.

Dr John McCollow
Research Officer