• In schools, the Disability Standards for Education (2005) are used to ensure that students with disability, including learning difficulties, can access and participate in education without disadvantage. In addition, they help to clarify the obligations of staff and guide decisions regarding reasonable adjustments at school and in other education settings.   

     

    The Disability Standards for Education are currently under review and AUSPELD is preparing a submission for the Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) regarding the experiences of students with learning difficulties, their parents and their teachers. AUSPELD and the individual State SPELDs would like to use the information you provide to inform this submission. From your own experience working with students with learning difficulties, please answer the following questions as accurately as possible. All information provided will be kept confidential. Please feel free to skip any questions that are not relevant to your situation.  

     

    Can you please complete this survey by Thursday 10th September, 2020. Thank you!

     

     

  • Where do you live?

  • If you work in a school, what type is it?

  • Do you live in a remote or regional area?
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  • With regards to working with students who have learning difficulties, please rate how well you know and understand your obligations in terms of supporting access and/or participation as specified in the Disability Standards for Education.
  • From your experience, how well do most of the other staff at your school/s understand these obligations?
  • Please rate your level of confidence to negotiate and implement reasonable adjustments for students with learning difficulties.
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  • How proactive is the school you work in/with in terms of suggesting ways to meet the needs of students with learning difficulties?

  • If adjustments are made, do you believe they are sufficient to support a child with learning difficulties to successfully access the curriculum and participate in assessment tasks?
  • What are some of the more common adjustments made and used in schools? (Tick any that apply)

  • In general, how frequently are the suggested adjustments used within a classroom?
  • How often are adjustments reviewed or updated?
  • Do many of the students with learning difficulties in your school have a documented plan (e.g. and individual education or learning plan / IEP or ILP) that is closely adhered to?
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  • How useful have you found your local SPELD office (or in WA - DSF) in terms of providing information and advice about appropriate intervention or adjustments for students in your school? (Tick all that apply)
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  • The Assistive Technology (AT) used in schools often takes the form of electronic devices or computer hardware or software and can be used to reinforce or support the learning process. Do you believe better use of Assistive Technology (AT) can improve access to and/or participation in the curriculum for students with learning difficulties? (Note: specific examples of AT can be found below.)
  • During the last term, what were the most common AT options utilised at your school/s?

  • From your experience, to what extent do students struggle to remain motivated or engaged at school due to barriers resulting from their learning difficulty?
  • The challenges associated with having a learning difficulty can, in some cases, contribute to the development of mental health difficulties. Please indicate the mental health difficulties that you have observed in students with learning difficulties.
  • Please select any factors below that you believe may have contributed to the presence of mental health difficulties.

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  • Optimal learning opportunities occur when students are not experiencing additional stress and don’t have an overly negative view of their abilities within a classroom. To what degree does the school you work in/with seek to address these issues with students, particularly for those with learning difficulties?
  • Students with learning difficulties need both accommodations (to ensure access to the curriculum) and intervention (to improve their academic achievement). How well do you believe intensive intervention (tier three) is provided in your school for students with learning difficulties?
  • To the best of your knowledge, are both accommodations and intervention provided consistently in your school (or the schools you are familiar with) as part of the support for students with learning difficulties?

  • Over the past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted schools. To what extent did the move to home-based or online learning affect the ability of students with learning difficulties to participate in their education?
  • What has been your experience with transition planning and support for students with learning difficulties between Primary and Secondary School or from Secondary School to further education/training? Please indicate below to what extent transitions are supported.

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  • What are the most significant barriers that students with learning difficulties face at school or in later education and training? (Tick any that apply below)

  • How much training have you received on the Disability Standards for Education (DSE)?

  • How much training have you received regarding the selection and provision of reasonable adjustments for students with learning difficulties?

  • If training was to be developed, what format would you prefer it take ?

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  • Is there a clear process to follow in your school if a family or carer makes a complaint regarding the support provided to their child, or challenges what has been provided for their child with a learning difficulty?
  • Are you aware of an occasion (or occasions) when a family or carer has made a complaint due to a school not meeting their obligations in relation to the Disability Standards in Education?
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  • Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with us.

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