Supporting Students with Disabilities
"All students deserve equitable access to an engaging and rigorous curriculum." (Tomlinson and Javius 2012)
At Stretton State College, it is our strong belief that all students have the capacity to learn and grow and that every student has the right to demonstrate progress in their learning and flourish. It is the responsibility of the Karawatha Learning Centre (KLC) to advocate for Students with Disabilities and to understand and uphold the overarching legislation and policy that supports this philosophy. This philosophy is underpinned by the belief that ALL people make important contributions to our world, regardless of ability. It is the role of the KLC staff at Stretton State College to liberate this ability and to assist all students to become the best possible version of themselves.
At Stretton State College, the KLC provides targeted supports for students across the college who have an identified disability under the six Educational Adjustment Program (EAP) categories. These categories, as defined by Education Queensland include Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Intellectual Impairment (II), Speech Language Impairment (SLP), Hearing Impairment (HI), Vision Impairment (VI) and Physical Impairment (PI).
It is the goal of the KLC to provide a supportive, positive and inclusive learning environment that allows all students with disabilities to achieve their personal best. This is achieved through monitoring students and working collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure:
the barriers to learning are addressed and removed
practices in teaching and learning are evidence based
all school staff understand how to make reasonable adjustments for Students with Disabilities
the provision of a cohesive and supportive approach to behaviour management, aligned with the college responsible behaviour plan, and individualised to meet the needs of the student.
Each student is supported by a case manager, who works with classroom teachers, Advisory Visiting Teachers (AVT), Allied Health professionals, external agencies, families and the student to ensure supports are implemented across all settings to remove barriers to learning.
The KLC teachers predominately work within the classroom alongside their mainstream teaching peers but at times it is important to offer alternative programs and opportunities for students with disabilities based on individual needs and in consultation with students’ families. These include evidence-based regulation and social skills programs, facilitated speech and language programs and individualised Physiotherapy and Occupational therapy programs. These services are delivered as part of the student’s educational program and are directed towards educational outcomes.