Strategies to support full participation of students with disability
My university degrees at Flinders University are a Bachelor of Education (R-7) and a Bachelor of Disability Studies. The inclusion of students with disabilities in the school setting and the wider community is an area that is important to me and that I have been volunteering and working with since 2011. What I have learnt at university is valuable because of the increasing number of students with special needs in schools and the need for people with the skills to include them into the environment meaningfully.
As no person with a disability is the same as another person with a disability, I have demonstrated evidence below that shows my ability to use and develop strategies for a variety of different students with disabilities.
As no person with a disability is the same as another person with a disability, I have demonstrated evidence below that shows my ability to use and develop strategies for a variety of different students with disabilities.
Inclusion
I am a firm supporter of the phrase"Nothing about me without me" when it comes to developing programs, plans, holding meetings and more for students with and without disabilities. In inclusive education, learning is active, enjoyable, individual, and a social process. I have participated in a number of environments that have enhanced my understanding of disability, the Disability Standards for Education and strategies to support full participation of students.
Learning Support Team MemberAt Roma Mitchell Secondary College, I work as part of a small team in a mainstream school setting supporting students with special needs to access the Australian Curriculum. The students that I work with live with one or more of the following special needs:
In 2015, our team worked with students and teachers to find their most preferred method of support. The conclusion was made that students preferred in-class support where they were able to socialise, collaborate and be a meaningful member of their classroom. In this same year, the level of improvement in Mathematics rose among students with special needs. The image displayed here is evidence of my ability to teach a new concept to a student with a disability using a variety of different strategies to engage her with the learning content. This is a valuable asset as it is teachers' obligation to educate students with disabilities on the same basis as students without a disability as set out by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005. |
Case Study: MiaThis case study was completed as part of a topic in my Disability Studies degree about a student named Mia who is in Year 2, has Autism Spectrum Disorder, is non-verbal and has a mild intellectual disability. In this case study, I developed a series of Maths lesson for her mainstream classroom and a list of evidence-based strategies to support her academic and social participation. To support Mia's academic participation, classroom arrangements were modified, the teacher used a multi-modal system of communication and encouraged Mia to develop independence. To support Mia's social participation, her class members were educated about what communication is and how to communicate with someone with an Augmentative and Alternative Communication device. They also used the Just Like You! Disability Awareness Program to educate students about disability. | Strategies for Common DisabilitiesIn a blog post titled 'Strategies on a Mind Map', I have posted images of different mind maps that summarise strategies for different disabilities and disorders that are common among primary school students. I use these visual aids to guide my practice when supporting students. I remember that different strategies work for different students and that these need to be individualised to fit individual student needs. |
I use a variety of strategies in my teaching practice and these are mainly focused around building relationships with students and providing visual cues to enhance learning. My studies at Flinders University have prepared me with a variety of resources, skills and strategies for working with students with disabilities to help them to achieve their goals on the same basis as a student without a disability. In the field of education, we are moving towards more inclusive settings where people with disabilities are able to access and meaningfully engage with the Australian Curriculum and the school environment.