The School Years AT A GLANCE Background One of the key issues of this Inquiry has been the experience of students with ASD in the Victorian school system. Parents raised the following issues: a lack of information and guidance on establishing the best school for the enrolment of their child; schools that refuse to enrol their child with ASD; the limitations of the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD); a lack of understanding and knowledge in the school sector of ASD; a lack of appropriate learning environments, including appropriate sensory spaces; poor or nonexistent training of teachers in ASD; and a lack of opportunity for academic achievement. Chapter overview Currently mainstream schools are not commonly providing an inclusive model of education that would encourage parents of children with ASD to enrol their child. The Committee is aware that many parents are choosing special or specialist schools or home schooling for their child over mainstream school enrolment. This chapter examines the school experiences of students with ASD and families living with ASD, the Program for Students with Disabilities and its Review, the Special Needs Plan and other programs that support inclusion, the issue of schools denying ASD students entry, and how to build a more inclusive school culture for students with ASD. This chapter relates primarily to the following terms of reference: (b) the availability and adequacy of services provided by the Commonwealth, State and local governments across health, education, disability, housing, sport and employment services; and (c) the adequacy of services to be provided under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). One of the central issues raised by families living with ASD and people with ASD in this Inquiry has been their experiences of the Victorian school system. Many parents reported to the Committee their struggles in attempting to find appropriate schooling for their child, and their often negative experiences of the school system. While the criticism of schools was broad in scope, much of the commentary rested on failures within the mainstream Victorian state school system.
The School Years AT A GLANCE Background One of the key issues of this Inquiry has been the experience of students with ASD in the Victorian school system. Parents raised the following issues: a lack of information and guidance on establishing the best school for the enrolment of their child; schools that refuse to enrol their child with ASD; the limitations of the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD); a lack of understanding and knowledge in the school sector of ASD; a lack of appropriate learning environments, including appropriate sensory spaces; poor or nonexistent training of teachers in ASD; and a lack of opportunity for academic achievement. Chapter overview Currently mainstream schools are not commonly providing an inclusive model of education that would encourage parents of children with ASD to enrol their child. The Committee is aware that many parents are choosing special or specialist schools or home schooling for their child over mainstream school enrolment. This chapter examines the school experiences of students with ASD and families living with ASD, the Program for Students with Disabilities and its Review, the Special Needs Plan and other programs that support inclusion, the issue of schools denying ASD students entry, and how to build a more inclusive school culture for students with ASD. This chapter relates primarily to the following terms of reference: (b) the availability and adequacy of services provided by the Commonwealth, State and local governments across health, education, disability, housing, sport and employment services; and (c) the adequacy of services to be provided under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). One of the central issues raised by families living with ASD and people with ASD in this Inquiry has been their experiences of the Victorian school system. Many parents reported to the Committee their struggles in attempting to find appropriate schooling for their child, and their often negative experiences of the school system. While the criticism of schools was broad in scope, much of the commentary rested on failures within the mainstream Victorian state school system.
FCDC_58-03_Autism_report.docx