As demand for public school places for children with disabilities has steadily grown over the past ten years, the findings of the recent New South Wales inquiry into disability education call for increased funding for distance education.
The parliamentary inquiry shows the NSW government’s response across the public, independent and Catholic education sectors must create an improved system that enables more students with a disability to access mainstream schools.
To support that access, accreditation of initial teacher education courses should also expand to better equip educators to meet the unique learning needs of students with disability, particularly students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
NSW Greens MP Abigail Boyd chaired the inquiry and says that disability education offers parents a “false choice” between a segregated setting, or an unfit mainstream setting
“It is clear that the current education system in NSW is not working for people with disability … Every child has the right to quality accessible education,” Boyd says.
“Students with disability are increasingly being channelled into segregated schools and classes because our mainstream education system is not equipped to provide the necessary supports and resources that children with disability need.”
Across NSW, demand for school places for places for children with special needs has climbed by more than 20 per cent over the past decade as the NSW Department of Education adds more classes and teachers. This is despite the recommendation by some members of the disability royal commission that segregated ‘special needs’ schools be phased out.
Enrolments in schools for specific purposes (SSPs) have risen by 51.4 per cent in the past two decades. To manage this growth, the NSW Department of Education has hired more than 350 teachers to the SSPs since 2005 and made a commitment to open 12 new classrooms across the state in 2024.
The schools offer higher level support for students with behavioural issues, intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health issues. Some classes are delivered within children’s hospitals and juvenile detention centres.
Currently, 206,000 students with disabilities are enrolled in NSW public schools, with a majority of these students learning in a mainstream class environment.
Sector needs more qualified educators
Jennifer Stephenson is a researcher with the Institute of Special Educators and says a lack of qualified teachers is impacting the sector.
“The main issue is the lack of qualified teachers and the lack of interest by education systems to insist that those working in special education and support roles in both mainstream and special schools either have qualifications or must be enrolled in a special education course in order to work in such a role,” says Stephenson.
In 2024, the department increased the number of support classes across NSW by 243 across NSW – to a total of 4500. This 10 per cent increase will grow further to accommodate 1500 more students with a disability.
“All students with disability have the right to access and fully participate in learning in a NSW public school,” says a NSW Department of Education spokesperson.
“However, there is no one-size-fits-all model for improving outcomes and experiences for students with disability and their families.”
