Guides: Education Support and Childcare: Students with a Disability

eBooks

Diversity, Special Needs, and Inclusion in Early Years Education Instead of segregating children with special needs from the rest,thid book argues for inclusiveness in educational institutions, through changes in curriculum and teaching methods. It presents case studies from various countries as well as theoretical frameworks, models, approaches and projects on diversity and inclusion to effective implementation of programmes and practices for young children. Each chapter of the book has a unique contribution to understanding the aspects of inclusive education taken from international experience.
Disability Studies The chapters contributing to this edited volume are presented to assist readers with a critical examination of contemporary practice and offer a concerted response to improving inclusive education. The chapters address a range of important topics related to the field of critical disability studies in education and include sections dedicated to Schools, Higher Education, Family and Community and Theorising.

Online Videos

Down Syndrome Queensland - What is Inclusion? A short video produced by Down Syndrome Queensland in conjunction with Griffith Film School and Pullenvale State School. The 4-minute video showcases the difference between integration, perceived inclusion and true inclusion in a classroom environment.
Reaching Ricky Ricky is eleven and has severe autism. Phoebe Caldwell has been working with adults and children with learning difficulties for over thirty years. She uses a communication method called Intensive Interaction to get through to people like Ricky.
Redefining Special Education and Student Support for Today's Teacher: A Culture of Inclusion In this program, special education expert Lee Ann Jung takes viewers for an inside look at inclusive excellence in action. Viewers visit several classrooms to see what real inclusion looks like and to discover how it benefits all students, with and without learning differences.
Severe and Complex Needs in the Mainstream School At Mulberry School a small group of girls with severe and complex needs are integrated into the mainstream school through their work in the Discovery Group. We see them first in the multi-sensory room with SENCO Rachel Wheeler and SEN teacher Lauren Denyer, working on their receptive and expressive language and communication skills as part of their daily routine. We also see some of the techniques used to develop letter and word recognition and pre-reading skills with these girls.
Speech and Language Strategies Teacher Liz Curry and speech therapist Jenny Barrett at Carden Primary School's Speech and Language Centre demonstrate the key strategies used at the centre to enable children with severe speech and language difficulties to successfully return to mainstream schooling. This programme observes the powerful impact these strategies have on children's ability to comprehend and communicate confidently.
Supporting students with Down Syndrome A selection of webinars which are useful resources for people who work with Down Syndrome individuals.
Temple Grandin Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism as a child, talks about how her mind works -- sharing her ability to "think in pictures," which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids.
Understanding Disabilities While watching children being taught new ways to learn, this program offers expert insight into the nature of learning disabilities, why learning disabilities may also be accompanied by ADHD or social disorders, and what can be done to help children learn to compensate and succeed.
Working with Pupils with Down's Syndrome Amina is a 14-year-old pupil with Down's syndrome in Year 10. In the programme we see how every effort is made to include Amina in appropriate mainstream classes with suitable support, and how her individual needs are also met by targeted one-to-one sessions.

Online Journals / Articles

Touching the virtual, touching the real : iPads and enabling literacy for students experiencing disability "In this paper we discuss the potential of iPads for supporting literacy learning in special education, with a focus on how the gestural and sensory experience of touch can enable young learners with moderate to complex physical and/or cognitive disability to engage in fun, independent and inclusive classroom-based literacy activities."
International Journal of Special Education The International Journal of Special Education (IJSE) offers a wide range of multi-disciplinary topics regarding education and services for individuals with disabilities. This International peer reviewed journal (published in English) aims to enhance open access for all reporting the growth of theory and practice in the field.

Junior Fiction

Don't Call Me Special Are there kids in your life who need a comforting and reassuring way to learn about physical disabilities? This is the perfect book and will show the grit that is shown when people with a physical disabilities or special needs live happy and full lives.
My Autism Book : A Child's Guide to their Autistic Spectrum Diagnosis My Autism Book is a beautifully illustrated picture book that helps parents to explain an autism diagnosis to their child in a sensitive, positive and accurate way.
The Wrong Stone "All the stones tried to put their best faces forward. They hid their ugly bits, and they all tried to climb to the top of the pile....all except one who didn't seem to fit anywhere...he was a wrong stone. What's it like to be different? The wrong stone knows." Enjoy the jokes, drama and most of all, the celebration of difference in this heart-warming story where everyone is valued

Technology in the Classroom

Assistive Technology Resources There are a number of resources freely available to assist with selecting appropriate assistive technology and utilising assistive technology effectively.
Dictation and Screen Readers By allowing the use of assistive technology, we can reduce some of the difficulties that students may face when being asked to read and process large amounts of text and when asked to complete written tasks and assessments.
Using Microsoft Learning Tools Learning tools are designed to support decoding, reading fluency, reading comprehension and writing skills by providing the user with additional user options.
Learning with Interactive Whiteboards Used increasingly in schools around the world, interactive whiteboards give teachers extraordinary new ways to reach students. This program introduces the interactive whiteboard, explains how it works, and demonstrates specific ways it can be used in the classroom.
Integrating Digital Technologies into ECEC Programs "Digital technology, when integrated in meaningful ways for children, is a valued tool in early childhood education."
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child is the world’s first research centre dedicated to creating positive digital childhoods for all Australian children.

Books in the Library

Adapting Early childhood Curricula for Children with Special Needs "This comprehensive text on early childhood special education emphasizes a developmental focus over a disability focus. The authors have produced a book that offers educators a practical and effective guide to finding learning opportunities within daily curriculum activities and routine.”
Growing up Disabled in Australia "One in five Australians has a disability. And disability presents itself in many ways. Yet disabled people are still underrepresented in the media and in literature. In Growing Up Disabled in Australia - compiled by writer and appearance activist Carly Findlay OAM - more than forty writers with a disability or chronic illness share their stories, in their own words. The result is illuminating."
Inclusive Education in the Early Years: Right from the Start Inclusive Education in the Early Years introduces key concepts of inclusion, disability and inclusive education within the context of early childhood education. It focuses on effective approaches to facilitating inclusive education in the early years, addresses the Key Learning Areas and incorporates consideration of the prior to school, transition and early childhood school years.
Methods and Strategies for Teaching Students with High Incidence Disabilities This book's focused approach presents just five to seven techniques in detail in each chapter. You'll see methods in action in case studies, and practice effective teaching methods and techniques through application activities. You'll also find information to help you address culturally, economically, linguistically, and ethnically diverse learners, among others.
Teaching Communication Skills to Students with Severe Disabilities "This textbook is an essential guide for educators and other school-based staff to teach students with significant disabilities the necessary skills to communicate with those around them. This book shows readers how to analyze environments for their communicative value, assess students' communication skills, teach specific skills such as gaining attention and requesting, make informed choices about augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and guide peers and adults in supporting students with disabilities"
The A to Z of Special Needs "The A to Z of special needs : a practical resource for early childhood and primary teachers"

Websites

Association For Children With a Disability Students with disability have the right to enrol in a school on the same basis as students without disability, and schools must make reasonable adjustments so that students with disability can participate on the same basis as other students. This information will help you support your child’s education.
Children with Special Educational Needs "We are committed to ensuring every child, including those with special education needs, has access to a high-quality education."
Down Syndrome Australia - Education Our education resources provide up-to-date advice about how to support people with Down syndrome in schools and education.
Down Syndrome - Education Resources Our education resources provide up-to-date advice about how to support people with Down syndrome in schools and education.
Down Syndrome - Education Toolkit These resources have been developed for educators and teachers, families and people with Down syndrome and the general community to promote better understanding of inclusive education and what adjustments, both academic and social, can be made to support the participation of all.
iPad Apps for Learners with Dyscalculia/ Numeracy Difficulties A list of apps that will help to embed numerical learning and to give opportunities for repeated practice of concepts that cause difficulty.
Khan Academy: A personalized learning resource for all ages Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom.
SPELD SA SPELD SA have created free resources, sourced useful websites, and provided links to other free resources for you to use when teaching literacy and numeracy for those working or living with specific learning difficulties.
Twinkl The trusted home of teacher-created planning and assessment materials and teaching resources aligned to the Australian Curriculum! Includes Primary levels EYLF, F-2, Years 3-4, Years 5-6; and includes Secondary levels Years 7-8 and Years 9-10.