Outcome Area 5 - Education and Learning
People with disability achieve their full potential through education and learning.
Action 23
State education and training sectors to support inclusive education culture and practice.
The Department for Education and TAFE SA lead this action.
This action is in progress.
Progress throughout 2023
Throughout 2023, the Department for Education developed several professional learning and training programs, including those specific to improving the experiences of Autistic children in preschools and schools. These programs have been specifically developed to complement the Autism Inclusion Teacher initiative and include training specific to managing environmental factors to decrease students’ anxiety, understanding professional reports (from Allied Health professionals) and ways to support recommendations.
Two other programs of work under the Capability Building in Schools project are also being delivered. One has a focus on supporting educational leaders to maximise the effectiveness of support staff in working as classroom support for children and students with disability, and the other has a focus on building the expertise of educators working in settings that are dedicated to children and students with intellectual disability.
The Children and Students with Disability policy (PDF 195 KB) aims to ensure that department preschools, children's centres, schools, programs and services are inclusive of children and students with disability.
TAFE SA’s educator support programs, learning platforms, and accessibility tools promote inclusive education. Student support services provide reasonable adjustments and assistance for students with disability. The Lumitt training platform hosts an Accessibility, Usability, and Inclusive Design Information Hub and LEARN-ED Ally Resources quality validation processes includes accessibility checks for all learning materials.
Action 24
State education and training sectors to work in partnership with children, students, parents/carers, industries and the community, to provide curriculum and learning opportunities that are personalised and tailored to the individual and prepare students for life beyond school.
The Department for Education and TAFE SA lead this action.
This action is in progress.
Progress throughout 2023
A Disability Pathways team within the Department for Education was established to support the identification and strengthening of student pathways and post-school transitions. This included the piloting of a Transition Program for students with disability. The Transition Program connects students, parents/carers, industry stakeholders and the community through a career education program with activities providing personalised and tailored support to transition students from school to employment, further education, or training.
The Career Education and Pathways Strategy, released in June 2023, includes an initiative to expand the established Transition Program for students with disability from 2024 so that more students with disability can access the services and receive the support they need.
This has included working with the training sector, students, parents/carers, community, and industry to commence the planning to pilot six pathway programs that include curriculum and learning opportunities that are personalised and tailored to the individual, and prepare students for life beyond school. The Department for Education identified locations for the pilot programs in Adelaide City, Charles Campbell College, Clare, Adelaide Hills, Whyalla, and the Riverland.
TAFE SA offers targeted pre-enrolment support planning for secondary students with identified support needs through the VET Readiness Orientation (VETRO) initiative. This includes student centred planning and decision making and raising awareness of supports and services available. TAFE SA student services team has engaged with 887 individual secondary school students, their parents/caregivers and schools since VETRO was implemented.
Action 25
Improve access to pathway options and transition support from school to tertiary education and/or employment for people with disability.
The Department for Education and TAFE SA lead this action.
This action is in progress.
Progress throughout 2023
The Department for Education’s Career Education and Pathways Strategy includes an initiative on Schools Support Service which expanded the number of Disability Transition Advisors available to schools with secondary enrolments. In 2023, an initiative to expand the Transition Programs for students with disability commenced.
Disability Transition Advisors developed industry and employer immersion activities with industry and employer partners and career education activities to support the transition from school to employment, further education, or training.
A Transition Program was implemented in metropolitan Adelaide, Noarlunga, and Elizabeth. A total of 78 students enrolled in the Transition Program in 2023. Work has continued across metropolitan Adelaide to improve access to and promotion of the Transition Program with the addition of more program days.
TAFE SA is collaborating with Australian Apprenticeship Support Network providers, and industry groups to support apprentices and trainees with disability to connect to services, careers, jobs and employers. This includes delivery of events with industry and delivery of the TAFE SA Jobs Board.
TAFE SA continues to share information and best practice in Universal Design for Learning in the Tertiary Education Community of Practice, to improve transition support and employment outcomes for students with disability.
Action 26
Determine data required to measure and track the percentage of people living with disability participating and achieving in education and training.
The Department of Human Services, Department for Education and TAFE SA lead this action.
This action is in progress.
Progress throughout 2023
The Department of Human Services led the National Disability Data Asset South Australian pilot test case - Education to Employment in 2021, capturing and analysing data related to the pathways from education into employment for students with disability. The pilot produced important information about pathways into further education and employment for young people with disability and identified supports required to improve outcomes of people with disability in educational settings.
Work to support improved data capturing will be considered further when the new State Disability Inclusion Plan is developed, along with other disability-related policies and initiatives.
TAFE SA utilises the National Centre for Vocational Education Research data reporting to monitor participation, satisfaction, completion and employment outcomes and trends for students with disability.
In 2023, TAFE SA:
- introduced fee-free TAFE courses, including 1,014 new enrolments of students with disability.
- updated reporting dashboards for fee-free TAFE and enrolment to include participation of people with disability.
- collected data in Staff Exit Surveys, the People at Work Survey, and the ongoing People Matters Survey to understand staff experiences with disability.
Education census data on school students is an existing data source. A relevant preschool data set is still to be explored by the Department for Education.
Action 27
State authorities to facilitate meaningful volunteering opportunities for people living with disability and to identify clear pathways to transition from volunteering to work placement.
All State Government agencies and local councils lead this action.
This action is in progress.
- 23% completed and ongoing
- 47% in progress
- 30% not yet started.
Progress throughout 2023
The Department for Education staff have supported people with disability to apply for volunteer roles in schools, preschools and children's centres.
In addition, the department continues to chair the Public Sector Volunteer Policy Network and has provided members with information to support their volunteer programs to be more inclusive of people with disability.
The Department for Environment and Water has identified broader opportunities for volunteering across parks, promoted suitable volunteering opportunities across supported volunteering groups, and met with organisations, such as Autism SA, to identify suitable volunteer options.
South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission continues to facilitate meaningful volunteering opportunities for people with disability.
State Emergency Service (SES) conducted targeted and inclusive volunteer recruitment campaigns actively encouraging people with disability to join the SES. A range of volunteer roles were created, and adaptive training programs have been developed to accommodate varying abilities, ensuring volunteers with disability receive necessary skills and training, including accessible materials, specialised equipment, and tailored instructions.
Country Fire Service (CFS) implemented a Volunteer to Career initiative which includes training and assistance for volunteers seeking to obtain work placements with the agency and SA Public Sector. The CFS held workshops for volunteers to provide information and support on how to apply for jobs in the public sector/CFS. Additionally, the CFS created a casual administration and operational officer pool as a stepping-stone to public sector careers for volunteers.