What evidence is the NCCD based upon?

Schools are encouraged to consider and discuss the types of evidence available to support their judgements about the inclusion of students in the NCCD. Discussion and reflection on evidence of adjustments to meet the learning and support needs of students with disability will also help schools to determine the level of adjustment being provided for a student and their broad category of disability.

In keeping with best practice, schools should retain relevant evidence of their provisions for students at the school. Schools are not required to create new or additional evidence for the purposes of NCCD. School principals are responsible for verifying or confirming that there is evidence at the school to support the inclusion of a student in the NCCD.

Each school’s evidence will be contextual and reflect individual student needs and strengths and the school’s learning and support processes and practices. This includes evidence in four general areas:

• assessed individual needs of the student
• adjustments being provided to the student to address their assessed needs associated with disability – this includes support provided within quality differentiated practice
• ongoing monitoring and review of the adjustments
• consultation and collaboration with the student and/or parents, guardians or carers, or associates.

The evidence listed below is not an exhaustive list. Some evidence may cover more than one element of the process, while others may only address one aspect.

Evidence of assessed individual needs of the student

This evidence demonstrates that the student’s needs for adjustment have been identified and arise from a disability. Evidence of this aspect can include:

• results of diagnostic or summative school and/or standardised assessments over time, documenting an ongoing learning or socio-emotional need arising from a disability; for example, continued and high level behaviour incidents, reading assessments or end of unit assessments
• documentation of ongoing learning needs that have a limited response to targeted intervention over time and cannot be attributed to external factors, such as English as an additional language or dialect, socio-economic or other non-disability related causes
• parental report of disability in conjunction with evidence of an assessed individual need
• specialist diagnosis or reports; for example, by a medical practitioner (such as a paediatrician) or a specialist (such as a guidance counsellor, speech pathologist or audiologist)
• profiles or assessment reports that identify the functional needs of a student with disability.

Evidence that adjustments are being provided to the student to address their individual needs based on their disability

Teachers document adjustments in a number of ways. Evidence of the provision, frequency and intensity of adjustments can include:

• adjustments to teaching noted on teacher unit, weekly or term planning
• adjusted timetable/staff timetables
• record of educational and/or social-emotional interventions provided
• individualised/personalised learning planning; for example, individual education plan, individual learning plan, individual curriculum plan, communication plan, behaviour plans, transition plans, goals and strategies in program planning
• therapy or disability-specific programs in place with an educational focus; for example, orientation and mobility program
• records of meetings to plan for adjustments with specialist staff; for example, advisory visiting teachers, guidance officers/counsellors, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, physiotherapists
• records of advice sought or conversations with the student or their parents, guardians or carers
• adjustments or supports required in assessment settings
• adjustments to learning materials; for example, alternate format, adjusted worksheets, reworded tasks
• manual handling/personal care/health plans
• specific resources developed to support individualised learning; for example, visual supports, augmentative and alternative communication supports, accessible materials
• personalised organisational devices; for example, diary use, pictorial sequences
• documentation of environmental adjustments beyond those already in place in the school; for example, personalised learning spaces, soundfield amplification systems
• risk management plans for curriculum activities and for emergency situations; for example, fire drills.

Evidence that adjustments provided to the student have been monitored and reviewed

Documentation that may support school judgements about the monitoring and review of adjustments can include:

• records of meetings to review adjustments with parents, guardians or carers and specialist staff, where appropriate
• student progress data which may include both formative and summative assessments
• progress or file notes by teacher, specialist staff or paraprofessionals
• behaviour monitoring data
• evidence of interventions provided over time, with monitoring of the effectiveness of the intervention and changes to intervention occurring as required
• health plan, provided by a medical specialist, that is reviewed regularly.

Evidence of consultation and collaboration with the student and/or parents, guardians or carers, or associates

Documentation that may support school judgement that consultation and collaboration in the provision of adjustments has occurred can include:

• meeting minutes or notes
• documented meetings
• records of phone calls, conversations or meetings with parents, guardians or carers
• documented student plans signed by parents, guardians or carers and/or student
• record of parent–teacher interviews
• parent–teacher communication books
• email communication with student and/or parents, guardians or carers or associates.