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Inclusive Education: A Disability Inclusion Strategy for ACT Public Schools 2024-2034

The ACT Government's Inclusive Education: A Disability Inclusion Strategy for ACT Public Schools 2024-2034 (the Strategy) PDF File (6.6Mb) and First Action Plan 2024-26 PDF File (3.5Mb) are part of the Future of Education Strategy.

The Strategy aims to deliver greater inclusion for students with disability across all ACT public schools by making sure schools have the support they need to meet the needs of all learners.

The ACT Government’s vision is that every child and young person is welcomed, valued, and can access quality education designed to meet their needs at their local school.

In ACT public schools, this means that all children and young people can learn and take part in education on the same basis as their peers.

The First Action Plan outlines the initial actions that will be taken under the Strategy to strengthen inclusion for children and young people with disability in ACT public schools. This work will support staff and deliver positive academic, social and wellbeing outcomes for all children and young people.

Inclusion in ACT public schools

Inclusion in ACT public schools transcript MS Word File (59kb)

Read the Strategy and Action Plan:

The Strategy

First Action Plan

The Strategy’s 7 focus areas

Culture

Relationships

Learning

Key transitions

Workforce

Resourcing

Infrastructure

What we’re doing

In 2024, Inclusion Coaches started supporting schools across the Tuggeranong region as part of a pilot program. This also includes an Inclusion Transition and Careers Coach supporting students with disability in high schools and colleges. The program is expected to expand across more schools in the future.

Resourcing has also been provided to deliver professional learning in key areas such as universal design for learning, managing complex behaviours, and understanding neurodiversity.

We’re helping to build partnerships between specialist and local schools, by helping staff with expertise to share their knowledge and skills to build our workforce capability across all schools.

A new needs-based funding model for students with disability is being developed. This new model focusses on the adjustments students need at school to access learning and participation.

We have held 3 Inclusive Education Student Voice Forums, with more forums planned for 2025. These forums ensure our Strategy implementation is informed by the views and experiences of students with disability.

Hear from our teachers, parents, carers and students about how adjustments support all learners in ACT public schools.

Supporting our students

Supporting our students transcript MS Word File (59kb)

Meeting the needs of all learners

Meeting the needs of all learners transcript MS Word File (59kb)

Disability Royal Commission

The Disability Royal Commission released its Final Report External Link in September 2023. Of the 222 recommendations, 15 focus on education for children and young people with disability. The Education Directorate is working with other ACT Government areas to respond to the recommendations.

A range of work has occurred since 2015 to improve inclusion and there are some great examples of inclusive education in ACT public schools.

Picture of an arrow shaped timeline showing a range of activities to review and improve education for students with disability in ACT Public Schools. The timeline shows from 2015 to 2024 and along the arrow shows the 2015 Expert Panel Report, 2016 Schools for All reform program, 2017 disability funding review, 2018 Occupational Violence Review, 2018 Future of Education Strategy, 2020-21 Covid-19 remote learning responses, 2021-22 Community Conversation, 2023 launch of the Inclusive Education Strategy. The timeline depicts 2024 onwards as the start the implementation of the Strategy’s First Action Plan.

Not all students feel included and welcomed at school or have a learning program that best meets their needs. We recognise the need to continue to build capability for inclusive practice and that appropriate adjustments, for example, organisation, curriculum, physical environment, and teaching and learning strategies; help to make schools inclusive. Development and implementation of a strategy aims to set the foundations for reform, recognising that strengthening inclusion will take time, commitment, resourcing and intentional planning.

Since 2021 the Education Directorate has been working to review education for students with disability in ACT public schools.

To inform the Strategy and First Action Plan we:

  • reviewed work that has already been undertaken on inclusive education in ACT public schools to develop an information paper PDF File (848kb);
  • commissioned an independently facilitated consultation, outlined in the linked webpage;
  • reviewed what’s happening in Australian jurisdictions and overseas and developed an evidence review MS Word File (6.5Mb);
  • facilitated workshops with key stakeholders during term 3 2022;
  • developed a Discussion Paper PDF File (489kb) proposing 7 themes for the strategy and a draft Position Statement for Inclusive Education in ACT public schools; and
  • engaged with ACT public school staff and the broader community about the Discussion Paper and sought feedback via a survey, submissions and staff briefings during term 4 2022. A Listening Report MS Word File (816kb) summarises some of what was heard.

Resources used to develop the Strategy and First Action Plan

For more information about the Strategy, please contact EDU.SystemReform@act.gov.au