Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit supports preservice teachers preparing for specialist and inclusive education roles through a structured professional experience that centres on high‑quality teaching for students with disabilities. It addresses the need for teachers who understand the legislative, ethical and pedagogical foundations of inclusion, and who can collaborate effectively with learners, families and colleagues. Through immersion in authentic school settings, preservice teachers develop confidence in applying evidence‑based approaches that enhance access, participation and achievement for students with diverse learning needs.
Across 30 days of placement in a special education context, preservice teachers will observe, plan and implement differentiated and adjusted teaching episodes, supported by mentor teachers. On‑campus and online learning experiences introduce core concepts such as universal design for learning, data‑informed decision‑making, communication strategies, personalised planning and positive behaviour support. Activities promote professional reflection, ethical practice and collaboration with paraprofessionals and allied health practitioners.
This unit aims to develop preservice teachers’ specialised knowledge, skills and professional dispositions for working with students with disability in inclusive and special education settings, and to support their progress toward the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at Graduate level.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.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.
Analyse the functional impact of disability on lea...
Learning Outcome 01
Design and justify individualised teaching and lea...
Learning Outcome 02
Apply ethical, legislative, and policy frameworks ...
Learning Outcome 03
Communicate and collaborate professionally with fa...
Learning Outcome 04
Complete a successful professional experience in a...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Working as an educator within a specialist school for a specific purpose or setting
- Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD), including specific examples of the defined levels of adjustment
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) relating to the delivery of services, including specialised support for students with a disability
- Developing personalised support for students with disabilities, including plans for student learning, communication, behaviour, health care and transition
- Educational implications for students with intellectual disabilities
- Educational implications for students with a medical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder (CD), Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD)
- Trauma-informed practice, social emotional wellbeing and mental health for students with disability
- Curriculum design for students with complex learning needs, including K–12 Life Skills course options in each curriculum area
- Universal design for learning, differentiating the curriculum to meet the diverse needs of students with disabilities
- Data use for developing and implementing individual student profiles in their personal and cultural context to inform learning and support needs
- Evidence-based strategies for teaching and assessing students with disabilities, including the development of supplementary, substantial, and extensive adjustments
- Evidence-based strategies and data analysis for assessing and reporting on achievement for students with disability
- Evidence-based strategies for communication and management of learners and learning environments, including positive behaviour support, functional assessment, management of challenging behaviour, student safety, and cultural safety
- Collaboration and consultation to support learning, working with students, parents and carers, teaching staff, paraprofessional staff, specialist staff, consulting professionals
- Reflecting on practice as an inclusive and special education teacher
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment strategy for this unit is designed to progressively build preservice teachers’ knowledge, skills, and professional judgement for working with students with complex learning needs. Assessments are sequenced to support the integration of theoretical learning with practical application and to ensure preservice students meet the unit learning outcomes, Graduate Standards, and professional experience requirements. Ethical and appropriate use of generative AI is scaffolded across tasks, emphasising critical evaluation, academic integrity, and the primacy of the student’s own professional reasoning.
Two hurdle tasks ensure readiness for placement and verify satisfactory completion of the Professional Experience Placement. Task 1 requires preservice teachers to collaboratively design a scope and sequence for a diverse class and individually develop a detailed differentiated lesson plan demonstrating curriculum adjustments, assessment approaches, and peer evaluation skills. Task 2 involves a critical reflection on learning and professional growth during placement, drawing on academic literature and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to analyse developing professional capabilities.
To pass this unit, preservice teachers are required to submit all assessment tasks, receive a passing standard for the placement, and achieve a minimum overall passing grade of 50%.
Overview of assessments
Hurdle Task Preparation for Professional Experie...
Hurdle Task
Preparation for Professional Experience
Prior to commencing placement, you must finalise a logbook of actions to prepare for engaging in a school context. This includes: (1) obtaining a Working with Children Check or Police Check, where mandated; (2) completing a ‘fitness to teach’ review; (3) any mandatory requirements specified by your state/territory; and (4) attaining a score of 95% or better in each online preparation module in the relevant calendar year.
Complete/
Incomplete
Hurdle Task Professional Experience Placement&nb...
Hurdle Task
Professional Experience Placement
Submit your (1) Professional Experience Assessment Report as completed by an experienced educator in your placement school context, and (2) Attendance Record.
Pass/Fail
Assessment Task 1 Differentiated Planning for Le...
Assessment Task 1
Differentiated Planning for Learning
Collaborate in groups to develop a scope and sequence for a class of students who present with complex learning needs. Demonstrate how curriculum content is organised and adjusted over time to support access, participation, and progression for students with complex learner profiles. Individually, plan a sequence of teaching, learning, and assessment from within the group scope and sequence, and develop a differentiated lesson plan that clearly identifies learning goals, intended outcomes, teaching strategies, content adjustments, assessment approaches, and learning materials. Undertake peer assessment, including critical evaluation of a lesson developed by another member of their group.
50%
Assessment Task 2 Critical Reflection on Profess...
Assessment Task 2
Critical Reflection on Professional Experience
Write a critical reflection examining your learning and professional development over the Professional Experience Placement in a special or inclusive education setting with reference to contemporary academic and professional literature. Undertake a structured analysis of your current capabilities against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate level) and critically evaluate how their practice aligns with, or is developing towards, these standards.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit is designed to engage adult learners through active, collaborative and practice‑centred approaches that connect university learning with professional experience. Workshops, readings, case studies, and online modules introduce key concepts and scaffold preparation for placement, enabling preservice teachers to build foundational understanding before applying learning in classrooms. Strategies such as modelling, guided practice, peer discussion and structured reflection support deep engagement and allow preservice teachers to link theory with lived professional experience.
During the 30‑day placement, preservice teachers learn through supervised teaching, observation, co‑planning and feedback conversations. Emphasis is placed on developing professional judgement, responsive communication and ethical practice. Critical reflection is embedded throughout the unit to help preservice teachers analyse their impact on learners and refine their differentiated teaching practices.
Learning activities are designed to be inclusive and accessible, following principles of universal design for learning. Where tasks may present challenges for students with disability, flexible modes of engagement, clear guidance and alternative participation pathways are provided. The combined on‑campus, online and school‑based learning model ensures preservice teachers experience an integrated and supportive developmental trajectory toward graduate‑level practice.
Representative texts and references
Recommended texts and documents
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) (2016). Student Diversity. http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/student-diversity.
Commonwealth Government, Department of Education and Training Education (1992). Disability Discrimination Act. https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2004A04426/2016-07-01/text
Commonwealth Government, Department of Education and Training Education (2005). The Disability Standards for Education. https://docs.education.gov.au.
Education Council (2019). NCCD. Nationally consistent collection of data on school students with a disability. 2019 Guidelines. https://www.nccd.edu.au/sites/default/files/2019_nccd_guidelines.pdf.
United Nations (2016). General Comment No. 4. Article 24: Right to inclusive education. Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c977e34.html.
Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO). (2024). Engaging with families of children with disability (p. 8). AERO. https://www.edresearch.edu.au/sites/default/files/2022-11/family-engagement-disability-guide-schools-aa.pdfLinks to an external site.
NSW Department of Education. (2020). Trauma-informed practice in schools: an explainer (pp. 2-). NSW DOE. https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/education-data-and-research/cese/publications/research-reports/trauma-informed-practice-in-schools
Recommended references
Carrington, S., & MacArthur, J. (2012). Teaching in inclusive school communities. John Wiley & Sons Australia.
Chambers, D. (Ed.). (2015). Working with teaching assistants and other support staff for inclusive education. Vol. 4, International perspectives on inclusive education. Bingley, UK: Emerald Insight. (e-book)
Dempsey, I., & Dally, K. (2014). Professional Standards for Australian special education teachers. Australasian Journal of Special Education, 38(1), 1–. https://doi.org/10.1017/jse.2014.1
Deppeler, J., Loreman, T., Smith, R., & Florian, L. Eds. (2015). Inclusive pedagogy across the curriculum. Vol. 7, International perspectives on inclusive education. Bingley, UK: Emerald Insight. (e-book)
Dixon, R., Woodcock, S., Tanner, K., Woodley, L., & Webster, A. (2017). Teaching in inclusive school environments. Macksville, David Barlow Publishing.
De Bruin, K. (2019). The impact of inclusive education reforms on students with disability: an international comparison. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 23(7-8), 811-826.
Forlin, C., & Loreman, T. (Eds.). (2014). Measuring inclusive education. Emerald.
Graham, L. J. (2020). Inclusive education for the 21st century: Theory, policy and practice. Allen & Unwin.
Sailor, W. (2017). Equity as a basis for inclusive educational systems change. Australasian Journal of Special Education, 41(1), 1–. https://doi.org/10.1017/jse.2016.12
Scorgie, K., & Sobsey, R. (2017). Working with families for inclusive education: Navigating identity, opportunity and belonging. Emerald.