The Victorian Government has announced an investment of nearly $1.6 billion over four years to transform support for students with disability in Victorian government schools.
Building on the Education State vision of excellence, equity and wellbeing, this investment aims to make inclusive education part of everyday practice in all schools and classrooms.
From 2021, new resources and initiatives will start to roll out to help Victorian government schools and regional and Area-based workforces, as the new Disability Inclusion approach is progressively introduced from 2021 to 2025.
Disability Inclusion will support school staff to be more equipped to respond to students' needs and create inclusive environments that support every student in their class.
About Disability Inclusion
Disability Inclusion will build on the positive progress Victoria has already made in inclusive education and introduces the below.
- A new Disability Inclusion Profile will help schools and families identify the strengths, needs and educational adjustments schools can make to help students with disability. The profile is a new strengths-based process that will bring together the key people who understand the student's education and support needs, to complete the profile together.
- A new facilitator role is being established to help schools and families work together through the new approach. This approach was piloted in 2018 and involved more than 100 schools and 930 students.
- A new tiered funding model with additional investment to support inclusive practice in schools. The new model will align resources and support with the educational adjustments made by schools to help students with disability to participate in education on the same basis as their peers.
- A package of activities and supports for school workforces to build their knowledge and skills in inclusive education. These include:
- inclusive classrooms extension — blended (online and face to face) professional learning focused on building the understanding, assessment and classroom support for students with diverse learning needs
- scholarships — continuation of the Masters of Inclusive Education scholarships initiative and the introduction of a scholarship initiative for a new Graduate Certificate with a focus on learning difficulties
- Diverse Learners Hub — the establishment of a new Diverse Learners Hub which will introduce front-line coaching roles and multi-disciplinary teams to provide evidence-based resources and guidance for education workforces
- specialist schools as centres of expertise — a new initiative to support mainstream schools to implement inclusive practices with support and expertise from leading specialist outreach teachers through coaching, collaboration, and professional learning
- support for parents — information, advice and resources to support parents to engage effectively with schools as partners in student learning, and understand the learning needs of students in the classroom and evidence-based teaching practices.
These supports will continue to build over coming years to further increase the resources available to schools.
Find out more
- For more information on the new reform, refer to our Disability Inclusion web page.
- For more information about the Victorian Budget 20/21, refer to our State budget highlights 2020/21 web page.
- For support and services for families of children living with disability and additional needs, refer to our Inclusive education web page.
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