DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING Review of Criteria for EAP Disability Categories of: Autism Spectrum Disorder Intellectual Impairment and Speech-Language Impairment Introduction

Education Adjustment Program Educators identify and respond to the learning needs of ALL students Education adjustments are typically made as early as possible after identifying that the student is experiencing difficulties: –accessing the curriculum, –achieving curriculum outcomes and –participating in school life These are professional and legislative obligations Setting the Context

Education Adjustment Program Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Commonwealth) Disability, in relation to a person, means: (a) total or partial loss of the person’s bodily or mental functions; or (b) total or partial loss of a part of the body; or (c) the presence in the body of organisms causing disease or illness; or (d) the presence in the body of organisms capable of causing disease or illness; or (e) the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of the person’s body; or (f) a disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning differently from a person without the disorder or malfunction; or (g) a disorder, illness or disease that affects a person’s thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgment or that results in disturbed behaviour; and includes a disability that: (h) presently exists; or (i) previously existed but no longer exists; or (j) may exist in the future; or is imputed to a person. Definition of Disability

Education Adjustment Program Disability Definitions The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) definition of disability applies to a greater number of students than those identified through the Education Adjustment Program.

Education Adjustment Program Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Hearing Impairment (HI) Intellectual Impairment (II) Physical Impairment (PI) Speech-Language Impairment (SLI) Vision Impairment (VI) EAP Disability Categories

Education Adjustment Program The Education Adjustment Program (EAP) commenced in Education Adjustment Program

Identification Obtain & record parent permission to start process Diagnosis / Specialist Assessment Verification of Disability Register student on database (AIMS) EAP Profile/s completed and submitted Validation Step 1 Quality Assurance Points Recognised Specialists Statewide Verifiers Principal authorises accuracy Validation process Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Adjustments EAP Process

Education Adjustment Program Centralised verification in 2006 Revised criteria for HI, PI and VI in 2007 verification cycle Revised criteria for ASD, II and SLI in Semester Verification

Education Adjustment Program Purpose of Reviews To review existing criteria in terms of: Current best practice in education Current definitions of disability Procedural consistency Conceptual clarity

Education Adjustment Program Reference group Working parties Reports and recommendations Approval Implementation Review Process

Education Adjustment Program Outcome of Reviews Definition of category Criteria Consistency of forms

Education Adjustment Program Outcome of Reviews The changes are not anticipated to impact on the cohort of students identified in the disability categories of ASD, II or SLI.

Education Adjustment Program All disability categories have two criteria: –Criterion 1 relating to impairment –Criterion 2 relating to activity limitations and participation restrictions for the student at school resulting from the impairment Criteria

Education Adjustment Program Revised Criteria (from 29 June 2009) Criterion 1 Impairment + Criterion 2 Activity limitations/ participation restrictions = Disability Adapted from: World Health Organisation ’ s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) (WHO, 2001)

Education Adjustment Program Revised Criteria (from 29 June 2009) Criterion 1: The impairment (medical condition or other impairment in structure or function) is diagnosed by an authorised specialist: o external to the department e.g. paediatrician or o internal to the department e.g. speech- language pathologist or guidance officer 15

Education Adjustment Program Revised Criteria (from 29 June 2009) Criterion 2: The activity limitations and participation restrictions result from the impairment Teachers and specialists should be involved in determining how the impairment affects delivery of the student’s educational program

Education Adjustment Program Verification Forms The information collected in ASD, II and SLI for criterion 2 will be in a similar format This will aid schools in understanding the student’s needs arising from the impairment

Education Adjustment Program Implementation Timeline Existing criteria for ASD, II and SLI current for Semester Information sessions and training during Terms 1 and Handbook for the Education Adjustment Program Website updated Term Implementation of revised criteria from 29 June 2009

Education Adjustment Program Further Information EAP Website Gateway to Educational Adjustments and Programming Gateway Registration Information