Your written assignment of no more than 2000 words is a response to careful reading of the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Commonwealth of Australia) and addresses the following points:

· Demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the rights and responsibilities of all stakeholders under the Disability Standards. In doing this you will need to describe a broad range of strategies for involving parents/carers in the educative process (APST 3.7) in an effective, sensitive and confidential way (APST 7.3). You will also need to demonstrate an understanding of the need for continued professional learning and how this impacts on student learning (APST 6.4).

· Define each of the following key terms used in the Standards: “on the same basis”, “consultation”, “unjustifiable hardship” and “reasonable adjustment” and provide an example of each key term. In this explanation you will need to show your understanding of not only this legislative act, but have your examples refer to the administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers (APST 7.2). This may be depicted as a table.

· Describe the obligations of teachers under the Standards, focussing particularly on your knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities (APST 1.6).

· Describe how the Disability Standards legislation works to overcome barriers to inclusion. You will need to provide practical examples of strategies that support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities (APST 4.1).

Please include a brief introduction that outlines how you will be addressing these points, as well as a summary statement at the end of the written response.

Weighting: 50%
APST Descriptors demonstrated: 1.6, 3.7, 4.1, 6.4, 7.2, 7.3

Assessment will be marked against the following criteria:

·  Understanding of potential issues related to the rights and responsibilities of all stakeholders that explicitly relates to effective, sensitive and confidential parent engagement in the educative process and the need for continued professional learning (APST 3.7, 6.4 & 7.3). 

· Knowledge and understanding of specific key concepts relating to the Disability Standards legislation and how they relate to administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers according to school stage (APST 7.2).

· Knowledge and understanding of the obligations of teachers under the Disability Standards legislation and of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities (APST 1.6).

· Understanding of how the Disability Standards legislation also works to ensure that schools implement strategies that support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities (APST 4.1).

· Standard of academic writing and use of academic materials.

This task involves developing a case study of one student for the purposes of providing detailed information in relation to the child, catering for their educational and social needs, to another teacher who will be teaching this student in the future. You are to choose a student with specific needs from the broad groupings covered this term.

In this case study you will discuss your student in relation to the following aspects:

• Personal details such as age, gender, socio-economic status, ethnic background, language, family background and context and geographical details (but not a specific address) (APST 1.1).

• Any medical history (APST 1.1).

• Description of the specific need/condition (APST 1.1).

• A review of current literature related to the education of students with that specific need in general and your student's disability in particular, with reference to where you can access appropriate professional learning (APST 6.2).

• The potential impact (both positive and negative) of your student's specific need on learning, access to and participation in a mainstream classroom (APST 1.1 & 4.1).

• Recommendations for communication strategies for consulting with the student, other students in the classroom, parents/ carers, specialist and community support services that form the student's support network (APST 3.7, 7.3 & 7.4).

• Recommendations for the use of technological aides and accommodations and modifications to learning, assessment and the learning environment to promote your student’s learning, social participation and well-being, safety, health and personal care in a mainstream educational setting that would be used by the next teacher in this student's educational journey (APST 1.5, 2.6, 4.1,4.3, 4.4 & 6.2).

Ensure that your Appendix contains any learning and behavioural/engagement plans for your student (APST 4.3 & 4.4).

Weighting: 50%
APST Descriptors demonstrated: 1.1, 1.5, 2.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 6.2, 7.3, 7.4

Assessment will be marked against the following criteria:

· Knowledge of case study development for the purpose of understanding how physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students may affect learning (APST 1.1).

· Knowledge of specific need/condition and where to access appropriate professional learning (APST 6.2).

· Understanding of the impacts of specific needs on learning and social participation for the student (APST 1.1 & 4.1).

· Understanding of accommodations and modification to learning, assessment and participation for students with specific needs (APST 1.5, 2.6, 4.1, 4.3 & 4.4).

· Knowledge and understanding of relevant technology aids and other resources to promote learning, engagement and social participation (APST 2.6 & 6.2).

· Application of communication strategies with all stakeholders in effective, sensitive and confidential ways, and with an understanding of how these interactions can also broaden a teacher’s professional knowledge and practice (APST 3.7, 7.3 & 7.4).

· Standard of academic writing and use of academic materials.