International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) was on Saturday 3 December 2022.
The United Nations-observed day is aimed at increasing public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability. This year the theme is 'Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world'.
Below are resources, training and activities you can access and use with your students to promote inclusive schools.
Inclusive schools
We know that inclusive education improves outcomes for all students, not just those with disability.
In a video as part of IDPwD, Dylan Alcott AO provides tips to help students be more inclusive. Dylan is a former athlete and Australian paralympic gold medallist in wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis.
Please consider sharing the video with your class to encourage reflections about the importance of inclusion.
Classroom resources
To celebrate IDPwD, schools can hold an event and use a customisable resource pack to run a school assembly.
The pack also includes fact sheets and activities to help educate students about disability and the contribution people with disability make to our community.
Professional development opportunities
Build your inclusion practices
The department is committed to strengthening inclusive practices within schools.
To help achieve this, we are providing teachers with post-graduate inclusive education professional learning opportunities through the Master of Inclusive Education and Graduate Certificate in Education (Learning Difficulties) programs.
Applications for the programs will open on Monday 30 January and close on Tuesday 28 March 2023.
There are 150 placements available each year across both programs, with 9 courses delivered through 7 partnered universities.
Diverse Learners Hub
Professional learning and teaching resources for supporting diverse learners can be found at the Diverse Learners Hub.
AllPlay Learn
AllPlay Learn has online information, courses and resources for teachers to help create inclusive education environments for children and young people with developmental challenges and disabilities.
Supporting students with diverse learning needs
The Inclusive Classrooms professional learning program will offer the following fully funded blended learning courses starting Monday 20 February and finishing Friday 28 April 2023:
- Supporting Students with Autism
- Supporting Students with Learning Difficulties including Dyslexia
- Supporting Students with Oral Language and Learning
- Supporting Students with Hearing Loss
- Supporting Students with Vision Impairment
- Supporting Student Behaviour.
Other short professional learning is also available at any time:
- Human Rights Approach to Diversity and Inclusion module (30 minutes)
- Supporting Students with Learning Difficulties including Dyscalculia module (3 hours).
Application details
Inclusive Classrooms professional learning courses are free for all department staff.
The courses provide up to 20 hours of accredited professional learning for Victorian Institute of Teaching registration and other professional associations.
To apply for a Term 1, 2023, course, visit the Inclusive Classrooms catalogue on the Victorian Deaf Education Institute website.
Applications are open until Monday 6 February 2023.
For more information
For more information, refer to the IDPwD website.
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