The Australian Education Union survey has found that only 11% of principals feel they have sufficient resources to support the educational needs of students with disabilities.The Australian Education Union survey has found that only 11% of principals feel they have sufficient resources to support the educational needs of students with disabilities.
Almost 20% of the principals surveyed in the Australian Education Union survey said they lacked “appropriate hygiene facilities”, while about half said they did not have appropriate learning spaces to accommodate children with disabilities.The average amount of funding that principals are reallocating from other areas to support students with a disability is $158,000 this year, a 20% increase in the past 12 months. This equates to almost $1bn when averaged out across 89% of Australian schools.
“He is a safety risk to himself when not monitored closely by giving time to this child we take from others who need it,” the survey was told. Inclusive education requires schools and teachers to make “reasonable adjustments” for their disabilities to enable this to happen. Teachers listed needs such as assistive technology, more time, more professional support, smaller class sizes, and greater access to teacher’s aides as among the most pressing.