^{CASE STUDY} Jane, Extensive, Physical

Year level: Primary

Educational setting: Mainstream school

Level of adjustment: Extensive

Category of disability: Physical

Included in data collection: Yes

Jane's story

Jane is a 6-year-old girl with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy and intellectual disability. Jane also experiences epilepsy seizures, which are mostly controlled with medication. She has just commenced Foundation (‘Prep’) at her local mainstream primary school.

Jane is non-verbal and has not yet developed a consistent form of communication. Jane uses a wheelchair for mobility and requires an adult to push her, and to transfer in and out of her chair when she is fully supported in a standing frame for a period of time each day. Jane is fully dependent on others for all of her self-care activities, including toileting, dressing, bathing and feeding.

After selecting a mainstream setting for Jane to commence her formal schooling, Jane’s parents began transition planning with the school very early in her kindergarten pre-school year. Since birth, Jane has received significant early intervention support from a wide range of medical and allied health professionals and agencies. These professionals were able to support Jane’s transition planning by providing the school with information to help understand Jane’s ongoing medical, physical, cognitive, language and social–emotional needs.

At the start of the school year, Jane’s school Student Support Group (SSG) developed a highly individualised educational plan taking into account the information provided by her family and supporting professionals. On commencing at school, her teacher completed a range of observational and functional assessments, including the Abilities Based Learning and Education Support (ABLES) assessment linking Towards Level 1 of the Australian Curriculum in Victoria (AusVELS).

Current personalised learning plan goals for Jane include:

recognising and showing response to a range of sounds
fixating on objects and moving her head or eyes as the object is moved
reaching towards an object
showing recognition of her favourite toys, objects, and familiar people
responding to changes in position
exploring different materials and textures through touching, rubbing, tearing, scrunching, rolling
anticipating and cooperating with her carer when eating and drinking
responding to visual and auditory stimulation from an ICT device
operating, with assistance, an ‘on/off’ input device using a switch.

Information that supports inclusion in the NCCD What's this?

Step 1 Is there an adjustment to address disability? Yes
Do you have evidence? Yes
Step 2 What is the level of adjustment? Extensive
Step 3 What is the category of disability? Physical
Step 4 Record and submit the data Yes _{(Student is included)}

Step 1. Is there an adjustment to address disability? Yes
- Yes, adjustments are provided to enable a student with disability to access education on the same basis as other students.
- As defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, Jane has a malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of her body, and total or partial loss of her bodily or mental functions.
Do you have evidence? Yes
- Reports and support schedules from medical and allied health professionals and agencies
- Notes of meetings / records of written communication with Jane’s parents
- Observational and functional assessments
- Personalised learning plan
- Staff training calendars
- Notes of conversations between Jane’s teacher and support staff
- SSG meeting notes
Step 2. What is the level of adjustment? Extensive
- Intensive adult supervision and assistance with all self-care activities, all of the time
- Teacher support and teacher assistance most of the time
- Frequent assistance with mobility, most of the day
- Intensive individualised instruction
- Highly adjusted individual educational plan
- Monthly consultation with visiting specialist education teacher
- Intensive support from a range of medical and allied health professionals
- Use of highly specialised assistive technology
Step 3. What is the category of disability? Physical
- Jane has a physical and an intellectual disability (more than one disability).
- If a student has multiple disabilities, the school team will select whichever disability category has the greatest impact, based on their professional judgement, and specialist advice, on the student’s education and is the main driver of adjustments to support their access and participation.
- The category of disability therefore is physical in the form of cerebral palsy with intellectual disability.
Step 4. Record and submit the data Yes _{(Student is included)}

^{CASE STUDY} Jane, Extensive, Physical

Jane's story

Information that supports inclusion in the NCCD What's this?

Step 1. Is there an adjustment to address disability? Yes

Do you have evidence? Yes

Step 2. What is the level of adjustment? Extensive

Step 3. What is the category of disability? Physical

Step 4. Record and submit the data Yes _{(Student is included)}

CASE STUDY Jane, Extensive, Physical

Jane's story

Information that supports inclusion in the NCCD What's this?

Step 1. Is there an adjustment to address disability? Yes

Do you have evidence? Yes

Step 2. What is the level of adjustment? Extensive

Step 3. What is the category of disability? Physical

Step 4. Record and submit the data Yes (Student is included)

^{CASE STUDY} Jane, Extensive, Physical

Step 4. Record and submit the data Yes _{(Student is included)}