Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
Nil
Incompatible
EDIP601 Contextual Issues for Inclusive Practice , EDIP609 Implementing Differentiated Provision
Unit rationale, description and aim
Educators play a vital role in advocating for and supporting the educational and social development of all students, particularly those with complex needs, unique attributes and challenging behaviours. All professionals in their work with children and young people play a significant role in advocating on their behalf, assuring their safety and supporting their educational and social development
This unit will identify best practice for creating inclusive curriculum, instruction, and assessment, aimed at ensuring that all students have access to learning experiences that are meaningful and engaging. It will also examine the social and emotional needs of students and how to create positive and supportive classroom environments. By exploring legal and ethical considerations, students will gain a deeper understanding of their responsibilities as educators and the impact of their actions on their students.
Students will explore the responsibilities of professionals to advocate for children and provide inclusive education informed by policy and contemporary research. Principles of social justice and equity, which form the foundation of inclusive practices, will be discussed in the context of international agreements, national legislation, local policies, and procedures, as well as current research and practice. Key contemporary issues that affect inclusive practices will also be analysed from a social justice and equity perspective.
The aim of this unit is to provide educators with the tools and knowledge necessary to address the social and emotional needs of all students and to develop strategies for creating positive and supportive classroom environments.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Critically review and analyse policies and practices related to inclusive education and advocate for the rights and needs of students with diverse needs (APST (Lead) 1.2, 1.6, 4.4, 7.2) | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11 |
| LO2 | Identify strategies and best practices for creating inclusive learning environments and supporting students with diverse needs in the classroom (APST (HA) 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 4.2; APST (Lead) 1.1, 1.3) | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC11 |
| LO3 | Analyse the social, cultural and political factors that shape inclusive education policies and practices, and the implications of these factors for students, teachers and schools (APST (HA) 2.1 6.3; APST (Lead) 1.3, 3.7, 4.4, 7.2) | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11 |
| LO4 | Apply critical analysis, problem-solving and decision-making to address contemporary issues in inclusive education and create equitable learning environments for all students (APST (HA) 2.1, 2.2, 6.3, 7.1, 7.3; APST (Lead) 3.7, 4.4) | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11 |
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED
On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards:
2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area Support colleagues using current and comprehensive knowledge of content and teaching strategies to develop and implement engaging learning and teaching programs. |
2.2 Content selection and organisation Exhibit innovative practice in the selection and organisation of content and delivery of learning and teaching programs. |
2.3 Curriculum, assessment and reporting Support colleagues to plan and implement learning and teaching programs using contemporary knowledge and understanding of curriculum, assessment and reporting requirements. |
3.3 Use teaching strategies Support colleagues to select and apply effective teaching strategies to develop knowledge, skills, problem solving and critical and creative thinking. |
4.2 Manage classroom activities Model and share with colleagues a flexible repertoire of strategies for classroom management to ensure all students are engaged in purposeful activities. |
6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice Initiate and engage in professional discussions with colleagues in a range of forums to evaluate practice directed at improving professional knowledge and practice, and the educational outcomes of students |
7.1 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities Support colleagues to review and interpret legislative, administrative, and organisational requirements, policies and processes. |
7.3 Engage with the parents/carers Demonstrate responsiveness in all communications with parents/carers about their children’s learning and wellbeing. |
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - LEAD
On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards:
1.1 Physical, Social and intellectual development and characteristics of students Lead colleagues to select and develop teaching strategies to improve student learning using knowledge of the physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students. |
1.2 Understand how students learn Lead processes to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching programs using research and workplace knowledge about how students learn. |
1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds Evaluate and revise school learning and teaching programs, using expert and community knowledge and experience, to meet the needs of students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds. |
1.6 Strategies to support full participation of students with disability Initiate and lead the review of school policies to support the engagement and full participation of students with disability and ensure compliance with legislative and/or system policies. |
3.7 Engage parents/carers in the educative process Initiate contextually relevant processes to establish programs that involve parents/ carers in the education of their children and broader school priorities and activities. |
4.4 Maintain student safety Evaluate the effectiveness of student wellbeing policies and safe working practices using current school and/ or system, curriculum and legislative requirements and assist colleagues to update their practices. |
7.2 Comply with legislative, administrative and organisational requirements Initiate, develop and implement relevant policies and processes to support colleagues’ compliance with and understanding of existing and new legislative, administrative, organizational and professional responsibilities. |
Content
Topics will include:
- Current policies and priorities relevant to the promotion of inclusion in local schools and education systems and communities
- Key Rights Treaties – United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Critique of international, national, and local frameworks/models for teaching diverse student populations with a focus on Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)
- Developing a pedagogical framework responsive to policy priorities and objectives
- Understanding the legal and policy frameworks for inclusive education, including the rights of students with disabilities and the importance of inclusive education for all students
- Examining research on inclusive education practices and their effectiveness in promoting student learning and wellbeing
- Exploring the role of teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders in creating and implementing inclusive education policies and practices
- Current challenges and opportunities facing inclusive education,
- Working with and for Parents,
- Contemporary perspectives relevant to social competence - attachment, temperament, self-concept, self-regulation, pro-social behaviours, atypical development and behaviours, social and emotional literacy
- The role of Peer relations in inclusive practice – Beyond bullying.
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit is offered fully online and uses an active learning approach to support students in the exploration of the essential knowledge associated with the enactment of a rights respecting framework for supporting children and young people in inclusive settings. Students will explore key issues and develop a deeper contextualised understanding of the impact of policy and regulatory frameworks on practice through online asynchronous activities. Other activities may include recorded lectures and reading, self-directed learning, participant critical reflection against relevant professional standards with particular reference to case studies, engagement with the literature, dialogue and interrogation of concepts, theories and practices, and the application in professional contexts.
This is a 10 credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the teaching period, comprising directed tasks and self-study.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment strategy used allows students to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes and professional standards consistent with University assessment requirements.
The assessment relates directly to the achievement of the learning outcomes. Some flexibility may be exercised in the assessment task to align with the needs of the students; for example, some students may be working in schools or other educational contexts, in an administrative role or currently on leave from teaching in a school. In order to pass this unit, students are required to successfully complete both assessment tasks and achieve an overall score of 50% or above.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1 Policy Analysis Analyse the common elements of and differences between key international, national and local policy frameworks guiding inclusive education in your school context. | 50% | LO1, LO3, LO4 |
Assessment Task 2 Exploration of one contemporary issue relevant to current professional duties. | 50% | LO1, LO2, LO3 |
Representative texts and references
Boyle, C., & Anderson, J. (2020). The justification for inclusive education in Australia. Prospects, 49(3), 203–217. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-020-09494-x
Graham, L. J., Medhurst, M., Malaquias, C., Tancredi, H., de Bruin, C., Gillett-Swan, J., Poed, S., Spandagou, I., Carrington, S., & Cologon, K. (2020). Beyond Salamanca: a citation analysis of the CRPD/GC4 relative to the Salamanca Statement in inclusive and special education research. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 1–23.https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2020.1831627
Haug, P. (2017). Understanding inclusive education: Ideals and reality. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 19(3), 206–217. https://doi.org/10.1080/15017419.2016.1224778
Mangiaracina, A., Kefallinou, A., Kyriazopoulou, M., & Watkins, A. (2021). Learners’ voices in inclusive education policy debates. Education Sciences, 11(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11100599
Nevill, T., & Savage, G. C. (2022). The changing rationalities of Australian federal and national inclusive education policies. The Australian Educational Researcher 2022, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/S13384-022-00555-Y
Poed, S., Cologon, K., & Jackson, R. (2022). Gatekeeping and restrictive practices by Australian mainstream schools: results of a national survey. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 26(8), 766–779. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2020.1726512
Richards, S., Clark, J., & Boggis, A. (2015). The Rights of Participation and the Realities of Inclusion. In Ethical Research with Children (pp. 62–77). Palgrave Macmillan UK. http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-137-35131-9_4
Round, P. N., Subban, P. K., & Sharma, U. (2016). “I don’t have time to be this busy.” Exploring the concerns of secondary school teachers towards inclusive education. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 20(2), 185–198. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2015.1079271
Schley, S., & Marchetti, C. C. (2022). Moving From Access to Inclusion by Making Communication a Priority. The Journal of Educational Innovation, Partnership and Change, 8(2), 2022. https://journals.studentengagement.org.uk/index.php/studentchangeagents/article/view/1133
Scorgie, K., & Sobsey, D. (Eds.). (2017). Working with families for inclusive education: Navigating identity, opportunity and belonging. Vol. 10, International perspectives on inclusive education. Bingley, UK: Emerald Insight. (e-book)