Integration of students with special needs

Federation calls on the DET to provide the full range of special education settings for all students with special needs.

Furthermore, the placement of students with special needs into schools should occur only on the following conditions:

a) That principals and other staff responsible for student enrolment follow the Federation guidelines for the enrolment of students with disabilities.

b) That any public school with a child with high support needs be entitled to additional full-time teacher/s above the existing staffing formula to allow schools to reduce class sizes.

c) That a separate fully funded and resourced training program be available for all staff to access if required. This program to be provided every year for as long as the child is integrated.

d) That additional funding for relief be allocated to the school so that teachers can continue to evaluate, monitor and develop programs beneficial to the integration needs of the child.

e) That where an integrated child remains enrolled from one year to the next the school should not be required to make annual submissions to maintain resource support. A school will make a new submission only if the school believes additional level of support is required.

f) That where a child moves from one public school to another that the level of support automatically moves with the child.

g) That any child with high support needs get full-time assistance from a suitably trained teacher's aide.

h) That any activity in which the child is involved, for example overnight excursions, et cetera, gains the appropriate level of support and funding needed.

i) That funding and teachers' aides for any special needs student be ongoing for as long as the child is at school.

j) if it is the most appropriate educational and setting for the special needs child.

That the Teachers Federation work in conjunction with the PSA to negotiate the appropriate training and development for teachers aide specials working in a variety of teacher aide special support environments.

The need for transporting students with disabilities in staff cars still exists. Federation in consultation with the PSA is to draw up appropriate guidelines for the use of staff cars.

2002 Annual Conference decisions

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