Students with Disability and Diverse Needs

The Student Services team works in collaboration with AISNSW member schools to assist in addressing the needs of students who may require additional planning, support and adjustments arising from:

  • disability
  • additional learning support academic/curriculum
  • additional learning support for behaviour/social emotional development
  • mental health difficulties
  • gender identity and gender expression
  • or a combination of the above


Access Student Services Support Materials for Member Schools >

I am interested in accessing:

Advice and Support

Available for key school staff to develop and enhance collaborative planning processes to support students with disability and diverse needs. The focus of the consultancies will vary depending on the student’s needs and school context but may include for example:

  • identification and implementation of adjustments
  • monitoring student learning and behaviour.

Services and support available to explore:

A dedicated member of Student Services is available to provide advice related to a range of areas such as:

  • Enrolment
  • School attendance planning
  • Collaborative planning
  • Risk mitigation strategies
  • Year 12 school leavers
  • Curriculum and assessment adjustments

Contact Student Services: 02 9299 2845

Professional Learning – face-to-face and virtual

Tailored to your school’s context and needs, delivery of professional learning may include face-to-face, or virtual engagements (e.g. Zoom or webinar). Sessions may be distributed over time to allow for implementation and reflection in between sessions, or they may be stand-alone offerings.

Professional learning is offered in the following areas:

  • Anti-discrimination legislation – Disability Discrimination Act and Disability Standards for Education
  • Curriculum and assessment guidance
  • Effective teaching and learning
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder – fundamentals and practicalities
  • Strategies and approaches to support behaviour
  • Interventions to support students with mental health challenges in the school setting.

Contact Student Services: 02 9299 2845

Online Learning Experiences

Aimed at building your skills and knowledge around specific focus areas.

 There is no right or wrong place to start with this professional learning. The flexible structure of the online learning experiences allows you to dip in and out. You set the pace. You decide where to start and which modules are most meaningful and relevant for you.

Specific focus areas include:

  • Disability Legislation and Individual Planning
    - Disability Discrimination Act (1992) and the Disability Standards for Education (2005)
    - Collaborative Planning Process
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder – Three modules focused on:
    - Universal Supports
    - Targeted Supports
    - Intensive Supports
  • Mental Health – Three modules focused on:
    - Universal Supports: Good for All
    - Targeted Supports: Necessary for Some
    - Intensive Supports: Essential for a Few
  • Supporting Students with Challenging Behaviour – Five modules focused on:
    - The Functions and Priorities of Behaviour
    - Gathering Information about the Form and Function of the Behaviour
    - Analysing the Data, Patterns of Behaviour and Summary Statements
    - Developing Interventions and Behaviour Support Plans
    - The Escalation Cycle of Behaviour

Guidance Documentation, Planning Tools and Resources

Guidance Documentation

Designed to provide information about processes and procedures that may be used to inform school’s own policies and practices.

Fact Sheets

Focused on a range of topics and issues connected to the collaborative planning process – individual planning, behaviour support planning, risk assessment and health care planning. Think of them as quick reference resources, with up to date information about a particular issue. The fact sheets are a great starting point to find answers to a particular question or issue. They’re also a valuable resource to share with staff and others in your learning community.

Planning Proformas

Developed to help in documenting the agreed actions and outcomes throughout the collaborative planning process.

Case Studies

 Designed to provide provide practical examples of how the planning documents are used throughout the collaborative planning process. Samples have been developed for both the primary and secondary context.

  • Attendance:
    - Fact Sheet
    - Planning Proforma
    - Return to School Rubric
    - Guidance document – AISNSW Guide to School Attendance Requirements and Attendance Improvement Planning
    - Sample Letters to communicate to parents/carers
  • Collaborative Planning Process - Fact Sheets, Planning Proformas and Case Studies focused on:
    - Individual planning
    - Behaviour support planning
    - School risk assessment
    - Health support planning
  • Classroom Management:
    - Video snippets
    - Spotlights of practice and summary of self-assessment tool
  • Curriculum and Assessment: Adjustments and Supports:
    • Fact Sheet about Multi-tiered Systems of Support
    • Fact Sheets covering aspects of curriculum planning including:
      - Tiered Interventions
      - Differentiated Teaching
      - Diagnostic Assessment
      - Inclusive Programming and Planning
    • Resources focused on principles of effective instruction and engagement strategies
    • Webinar about supporting students with diverse needs in Stage 6
  • Enrolment: Guidance document – Supporting and Enrolling Students with Disability
  • Gender Identity:
    - Guidance document: Gender Identity and Intersex Status: Guidance document for Schools
    - Planning Considerations for Gender Identity
    - National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS): NDIS Fact Sheet
  • School Counselling:
    - Guidance document: Guidance for School Counselling in Independent Schools
    - Guidance document: Professional Associations for School Counsellors
  • Year 12 School Leavers with Disability:
    - Employment Supports Booklet
    - Transition Planning Resources Pack
    - Transition Plan Proforma

Networks

Facilitated by AISNSW, the network groups are designed to support staff working in independent schools by providing an opportunity to connect and share input across a range of pertinent topics.

Diverse Learning Network Group 
Held in Week 5 each term, these meetings provide an opportunity for diverse learning leaders to engage in professional discourse and learning and share their practice and approaches to supporting students with diverse needs.

For further details, please contact Michelle O’Brien, Education Consultant: mobrien@aisnsw.edu.au