The NSW government must create a system across the public, independent and Catholic sectors to ensure more students with a disability can access mainstream schools and teachers are better equipped to meet the learning needs of all students, a parliamentary inquiry has found. The findings of the inquiry into disability education also called for an increase in funding for distance education as data shows demand for places in the public system for children with disabilities has been steadily growing over the past decade. Valentina Borbone and her daughter Angelique, who attends the support unit at Moss Vale High.
Credit: James Brickwood Accreditation of initial teacher education courses should also be expanded to ensure educators are better equipped to meet the learning needs of students with disability, particularly students with autism spectrum disorder, the inquiry found. NSW Greens MP Abigail Boyd, who chaired the inquiry, said that disability education is a “false choice” for parents who must choose between an unfit mainstream setting, or a “segregated” setting. “It is clear that the current education system in NSW is not working for people with disability .
.. Every child has the right to quality accessible education,” she said.
“Students with disability are increasingly being channelled into segregated schools and classes because our mainstream education system is not equipped to provide the necessary supports and resources that children with disability need..