DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND TRAINING

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

POLICY
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Responsibility of:
Effective Date:
Next Review Date:
Target Audience:

School Support Services

March 2012
March 2015
All staff/parents/school community

DoE File: FILE2015/316

DoE Doc: EDOC2015/14237
VERSION NUMBER: 2.0

This document must be read in conjunction with school procedures and guidelines for the
implementation of the Students with Disabilities Policy.

1. POLICY
The department is committed to ensuring that all students with disabilities can enjoy the
benefits of education in a supportive environment that values diversity, inclusion and
participation. Schools will ensure that students with disabilities are provided with education
services and support appropriate to their needs.

2. PRINCIPLES
2.1

The following principles of the policy provide a foundation to plan and implement
provision for students with disabilities.
2.1.1 All students have the right to full access to an inclusive education1 through the
Australian Curriculum, Northern Territory Curriculum Framework (NTCF), and
Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training (NTCET).
2.1.2 The focus of learning programs is on the students abilities.
2.1.3 All students and their families, guardians and caregivers have the right to expect
transparency of process in relation to decisions made about the student. They
are recognised as partners in education and will be actively supported in
exercising their right to participate in the decision making processes in a timely
fashion.
2.1.4 A students disability/disabilities will not predetermine their educational placement
however, due consideration must be given to the ability of schools to provide
reasonable educational adjustments in order to meet specific student needs and
disability requirements. What is reasonable in terms of educational adjustments
or in meeting a student's special needs will ultimately be governed by the
relevant anti-discrimination legislation. Consultation between department staff
and the parents/carers of the student is a critical aspect of placement of a
student and should always focus on the placement providing the best outcomes
for the student.
2.1.5 All students with disabilities have the right to appropriate curriculum and
assessment through the development of an individualised education adjustment

Inclusive education provides all children with the possibility to learn together without discrimination. It should take
into account the diversity of disabled children. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO)

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plan. (For more information on the process and templates refer

http://www.det.nt.gov.au/students/support-assistance/special-education-disability/disability#eap)

3. BUSINESS NEED
3.1

All students in the Northern Territory have the right to access a broad and balanced
education that will prepare them for participation in society. They have the right to
an education that meets their individual, cultural, social, emotional, physical and
intellectual needs as lifelong learners.

3.2

These rights are supported in the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for
Young Australians (2008). The two goals that are relevant to this policy are:
3.2.1

Australian schooling promotes equity and excellence

3.2.2

All young Australians become:

successful learners
confident and creative individuals
active and informed citizens

4. SCOPE
4.1

This policy covers students with disabilities as articulated in the Disability

Standards for Education 2005 (DSE)2 and the Anti-Discrimination Act (NT). The
DSE can be found at: http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/Humanrightsandantidiscrimination_DisabilityStandardsforEducation.

4.2

For the purposes of this policy, diagnosis of a disability includes: intellectual,

sensory, physical, social/emotional, language/communication disability; a specific
learning disability; or multiple disabilities. However this does not preclude other
disabilities or impairments as identified in the Commonwealth Disability
Discrimination Act and the NT Anti-Discrimination Act (pg. 2 of the procedures and
guidelines refers).

4.3

The policy supports the following key areas:

Enrolment
Participation
Identification, Referral and Assessment
Educational Options
Inclusive Curriculum Provision
Certification
Student Support Services
Elimination of Harassment and Victimisation
These key areas are expanded in the procedures and guidelines refer pgs. 5-7

Disability Standards for Education is subordinate legislation under the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination
Act 1992. The Standards clarify and elaborate the legal obligations in relation to education.

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5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

5.1

Executive Director School Support Services

The Executive Director School Support Services has the responsibility to:

5.1.1

5.2

ensure that the policy is widely disseminated, understood and monitored

throughout the department.

General Manager Student Services

The General Manager Student Services has the responsibility to:

5.2.1

arrange timely advice and training to principals and teachers with regard to
changes in policy and legislation that affects the care or treatment of students
with a disability, including the provision of relevant information for schools to
forward to families and caregivers

5.2.2

ensure that the policy is widely disseminated, understood and

monitored throughout their region

5.2.3

effectively provide specialist education advice to schools, families and

relevant stakeholders for students with a disability

5.2.4

recommend access to, or change from, educational options in accordance

with the Enrolment of Students with Disabilities in Special Schools and
Special Centres Policy3 where the option is other than in a mainstream
school setting

5.2.5

respond to schools in relation to support services, specialised facilities,

equipment, resources and training to meet individual student needs

5.2.6

ensure a high standard of information management in relation to

students with disabilities

5.2.7

ensure the provision of coordinated services by developing and maintaining

cooperative links with relevant government departments and community
agencies

5.2.8

ensure facilitation and support of the implementation, application and development

of policy through advice and models of best practice in the field of special
education

5.3

Executive Directors Schools and Regional Directors

The Executive Directors Schools and Regional Directors have the responsibility to:

5.3.1

ensure overall monitoring, implementation and application of this policy in

schools through performance discussions

5.3.2

ensure the development of appropriate inclusive curriculum and supporting

documents

http://www.det.nt.gov.au/students/support-assistance/special-education-disability

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DoE Policy: Students with Disabilities

5.4

School Principals
School Principals have the responsibility to:
5.4.1

ensure the policy is reflected in the school Strategic Improvement and Annual
Operational Plans

5.4.2

ensure the policy and associated documentation is provided to School staff,

families, guardians and caregivers in a format that is understood and meets
their needs
ensure that members of the school community have access to appropriate
professional development opportunities around the Students with
Disabilities Policy and special education

5.4.3

5.4.4

deliver quality educational programs that respond to the needs and abilities of
all students, including students with disabilities

5.4.5

ensure that the school develops, implements, evaluates and reviews the
Education Adjustment Plan for the student with disabilities

5.4.6

ensure that stakeholders are invited, with reasonable notice, to meetings

concerning a students profile, educational planning and other relevant
education decisions

5.4.7

report outcomes in the School Performance Reports to the school

community

5.4.8

report to, and actively initiate and maintain, consultation with families,
guardians and caregivers with regard to the educational placement of their
children and their ongoing educational programs

5.4.9

ensure that the identification and provision of educational programs for

students with disabilities is in accordance with this policy
ensure, in consultation with Regional Directors, and within recognised
constraints, that appropriate resources are provided for the implementation of
effective education programs for students with disabilities

5.4.10

5.5

5.4.12

inform Student Services, and other relevant business units, of the specialised
services and facilities, equipment, resources and training required to meet
individual needs of a student with disabilities

5.4.13

ensure that appropriate records are kept and disseminated.

Classroom Teachers
Teachers have the responsibility to:
5.5.1 deliver quality educational programs that respond to the needs and abilities of all
students, including students with disabilities
5.5.2 develop, implement, evaluate and review every 6 months the Education Adjustment
Plan for the student with disabilities. This may involve working collaboratively with
the Special Education Teacher or appropriate person

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5.6

Special Education Teachers

Special Education Teacher have the responsibility to:
5.6.1
5.6.2
5.6.3

5.7

support classroom teachers to deliver quality educational programs that respond to

the needs and abilities of all students, including students with disabilities
support classroom teachers to develop, implement, evaluate and review every 6
months the Education Adjustment Plan (EAP) for the student with disabilities
coordinate the EAP process in the middle years and senior years context

Parents and Carers

Parents/carers have responsibility to:
5.7.1

initiate and maintain constructive communication and relationships with schools

and other involved providers to achieve the best educational, social and
emotional outcomes for the student

5.7.2

actively participate in the planning, implementation, and review of education

adjustment plans, designed to assist the student to achieve optimum educational
outcomes.

6. RELATED POLICY, LEGISLATION AND DOCUMENTS

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The Northern Territory Education Act http://www.det.nt.gov.au/about-us/legislation

School Guidelines and Procedures Students with Disabilities Policy
Disability Discrimination Act 1992: An Act relating to discrimination on the ground of
disability. Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
Disability Standards for Education 2005: subordinate legislation under the
Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992. The Standards clarify and
elaborate the legal obligations in relation to education. Disability Standards for
Education (DSE)
Anti-Discrimination Act (NT)
Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (2008)
Enrolment of Students with Disabilities in Special Schools and Special Centres
Special Education Support Services Package
EAP Package
Quality Teaching Practices
Vision Impairment Information
Hearing Impairment Information

www.education.nt.gov.au