As one school year ends and we prepare for a new one, join DSQ’s Support Services Team as they discuss the frequently asked questions received from families throughout 2022 in relation to education.
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The United Nations Convention on the Rights of persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) provides for the inclusion of students with disabilities in accessing education on an equal basis:
https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities/article-24-education.html
Australia’s Disability Discrimination Act 1992 supports the implementation of Australia’s international human rights obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
In relation to education, this covers enrolling or studying in a course at a government or non-government school, or a public or private college, registered training provider, or university – though there are some exceptions.
You can read more at the following links:
https://www.education.gov.au/swd/resources/f7act-sheet-1-disability-discrimination-act-1992
https://www.education.gov.au/disability-standards-education-2005/students/english
The Disability Standards for Education 2005 explains two things: the rights of students with disability; and what education providers have to do to help students with disability to access their rights.
The Standards also further explain the exceptions to these rights being accessed. These standards cover schools and preschools, as well as higher education facilities. They do not currently cover childcare facilities or outside school hours care providers.
For a comprehensive breakdown of inclusive education in Queensland schools (public, private or independent), the booklet below is an excellent read:
https://cru.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/QPPD-I-choose-Inclusion-Booklet.pdf
You can also read more about the Queensland Department of Education’s inclusive education policy here:
https://education.qld.gov.au/students/students-with-disability
Community Resource Unit (CRU) is a great community organization that has a range of training and resources related to inclusive education:
https://cru.org.au/our-work/inclusive-education/resources/
The Queensland Collective for Inclusive Education is a parent / peer led group working to ensure all students across Queensland are included in their chosen education settings:
https://www.qcie.org/
This podcast is a production of Down Syndrome Queensland.
If you have a question, would like more information on any of our episodes, or have suggestions for future topics, send us an email - engagement@downsyndrome.qld.org.au.
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