Schools' responsibilities under the Disabilities Discrimination Act 1992
Throughout the years of schooling it is the responsibility of schools to enable a student with a disability including those with learning difficulties, to access and participate in education on the same basis as students without disability. This may require adjustments to assessment requirements in order that the student can effectively demonstrate what they know and can do.
Adjustments related to assessment are commonly referred to as ‘disability provisions’.
These provisions may include but are not limited to, adjustments to the assessment:
- process
e.g. use of specific technology, reader;
- task
e.g. use of visuals, simplified language;
- format
e.g. point form; use of symbols
Disability provisions should be determined on an individual basis through the individual planning process. This requires consultation with the students and/or their parents/carers and the experts involved in their education. To view the DDA click on the following link:
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
Board of Studies Disability Examination Provisions for the School Certificate Tests and Higher School Certificate Examinations
The NSW Board of Studies provides for disability examination provisions to be granted to students who have demonstrated special examination needs, in the School Certificate (SC) tests and the Higher School Certificate (HSC) examinations. These needs may be related to learning, sensory impairment, mental health, medical or physical conditions.
Examples of provisions available include:
- Braille or large print papers;
- use of a writer and/or reader;
- use of an oral interpreter;
- extension of test time;
- rest breaks;
- separate examination supervision; and
- permission to take medication.
Schools should assess and make adjustments for each student's special examination provisions needs and, when appropriate, submit applications for the SC tests and/or HSC examinations on their behalf. This process should be completed in consultation with the student and his/her parent/s.
The Disability Examination Provisions online application form is available to schools from Schools Online for students in Year 10 or Year 12 who intend to sit for the SC tests or HSC examinations in that year.
Individual schools are responsible for determining and approving disability provisions for all school based assessment tasks. The Board of Studies determines Disability provisions for the SC tests and the HSC examinations only.
Students and parents should be advised that there is no guarantee that the Board will grant the same provisions as those provided at school.
Disability Provisions for the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) Tests
Disability Provisions may be accessed by a student for all or part of the tests and should reflect the type of support the student typically accesses in the classroom. Parents/caregiver must be consulted with regard to disability provisions and a consent form signed prior to the test. Some provisions must be applied for and approved prior to the NAPLAN test week.