EDUCATION

ENSURING EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES IN EDUCATION

How does having a neuromuscular condition affect my education experience?
Having muscular dystrophy or another neuromuscular condition may affect a student’s education experience. For example, the student may fatigue easily, may require their classrooms and any excursions to be wheel-chair accessible, may need assistance carrying bags or books and may have trouble writing quickly. The experience is likely to be different for every child.

Under the Disability Standards for Education, students with disability must be able to seek admission to and apply for enrolment on the same basis as a prospective student without a disability. Schools must also ensure that students with disability are able to participate in courses and programs and use the same facilities and services as other students. Additionally, the school is obliged to provide specialised support services if that is required for the student with disability to participate in the activities for which they are enrolled.

What is in place to help?
The school that a child attends is responsible for their care during schooling hours. It is important that there is open communication between yourself and the school as to how to best meet the care requirements of the student.

The school may ask for a consultation as part of a collaborative documented planning process to determine student and teacher needs, and agreed school processes.

You may want to talk to the school about topics such as:

• Creating a Document Plan/Individual Education Plan/Individual Transition Plan – a plan put in place to support the learning and engagement of the student. This will often contain goals, and strategies for dealing with particular situations.

• Arranging an education assistant

• Allowing the student to use a computer or tablet for assessments and other class activities as an alternative to handwriting

• Arranging extra time for assessments or exams (including the WACE exams)

• Safely facilitating active engagement in physical education

Further information can be found at: https://www.education.wa.edu.au/children-with-special-learning-needs

Where can I find more resources?

In conjunction with Children and Young People with Disability Australia, the Australian Government co-designed information resources to help students with disability and their families understand their rights.

The topics covered by these resources include:

• Explaining the Disability Standards for Education 2005,

• Milestones and transitions,

• Advocating with and for your child: A workbook for parents and carers,

• The Disability Standards for Education 2005 in practice: Action plan,

• Working together: moving through secondary school,

• Respect at School,

• Advocating for your child: the early years, and

• Our stories: personal experiences of students with disability in the education system.

Each toolkit is available in a range of languages, easy read and Auslan.

To access these, visit: Information resources for students with disability and their caregivers - Department of Education, Australian Government

Post-Secondary Education

Universities and TAFE’s provide support for students with disabilities to engage with learning at their institution.

To read about post-secondary education and find more information, visit the Loop Community’s website at: theloopcommunity.org/living-life/post-school