Back in 2015, 18% of Australian students were receiving an adjustment for disability at school. Fast forward to today, and new data shows this has increased to 27.2%. Educational adjustments are provided to students with disabilities to help them participate in the same way as those without disabilities.
These adjustments can be as simple as allowing students to have rest breaks during class or being provided with noise-cancelling headphones. Adjustments can also be tools, like voice-to-text software or extra support staff. This will depend on the level of adjustment of a student; currently, there are four:
- Quality differentiated teaching practice
- Supplementary adjustments
- Substantial adjustments
- Extensive adjustments
One of the main suspected reasons why there is an uptick in disability adjustments in school stems from 2020. The COVID-19 lockdowns have impacted the well-being, mental health, and overall readiness for school of children.
Another possible reason is the disability loadings. The first level of adjustment does not give schools additional funding; however, the next 3 levels can add $6000, $21,000, and $45,000, respectively, for each student.
To learn more about disability adjustments, head to newsreel.com.au.