EDUC9514 Teaching Learners with Complex Support Needs

This topic focuses on the characteristics of learners with complex support needs who may require substantial or extensive adjustments to support their learning. The topic is focused on teaching and adjustments for learners who have more than one disability including intellectual, physical and sensory disabilities and other health impairments. Specialised health care needs, policies, and procedures for working with students with complex disabilities and methods of instructional, environmental and curricular adjustments are addressed, including the use of assistive technology and adaptive equipment.

This topic aims to:

• Provide contemporary knowledge of local, national and international policy, legislation, research perspectives, issues and evidence-informed practices associated with the education of children and young people with complex disabilities
• Enable graduates to develop expertise in the teaching and learning of children and young people with complex disabilities who require personalised and family-centred programming
• Develop graduates’ knowledge, skills and understandings about inclusive and specialised education that will enable them to design, implement and evaluate programs and services which improve the learning and wellbeing for children and young people with complex disabilities

1. Describe physical, cognitive, communication, sensory and health conditions and the effects of impairments on development and learning
2. Explain policy and services available to support the learning of people with complex support needs and their families and the implications for educators
3. Apply knowledge of service provider roles, responsibilities and issues when supporting people with special health care needs and complex disabilities
4. Design a personalised program for a learner with complex disabilities who requires substantial or extensive adjustments to participate and progress through academic and other personalised curricula (e.g, communication, self-care and health management)
5. Design an instructional program for a learner with complex disabilities that includes the use of assistive, adaptive and/or educational technology for instructional and/or environmental adjustment within their personalised educational program
6. Evaluate the extent to which the adjustments in the instructional program have improved participation and learning