Submission 106 — Association of Catholic Special School Services — Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability

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A· ·o iation of atholic

Special School Services

Promoting Inclusion Issues Paper Submission

Association of Catholic Special School Services (ACSSS)

1. Catholic schools have been an integral part of Australia’s education landscape for 200 years. Today, Catholic schools educate one in five children and encompass a mosaic of different mainstream and specialist settings offering choice to families seeking a Catholic education for their children.

2. The Association of Catholic Special School Services (ACSSS) is a representative body for Catholic special schools and special assistance centres in NSW. There are currently thirteen (13) member schools within the ACSSS all of which are either Catholic systemic or Catholic Independent schools.

a. Six (6) settings meet the criteria of a special school under the Australian Education Act 2013, whereby the school is recognised by the state or territory minister as a special school providing education under special programs, or special activities, designed specifically for students with disabilities.

b. Seven (7) settings meet the criteria of a special assistance school under the Australian Education Act 2013 where the school is recognised by the state or territory minister as a special assistance school and primarily caters for students with social, emotional or behavioural difficulties.

3. The Association fosters networking, collaboration and advocacy on their member schools’ behalf. ACSSS welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the Commissioner in response to the Promoting Inclusion Issue Paper released in December 2020. ACSSS has prepared this submission to advocate and give agency for specialist settings to affirm their place in the educational landscape matrix of settings available to students and their families

4. ACSSS welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the Disability Royal Commission. This submission is informed by feedback from the various Catholic special school and centres in NSW. ACSSS notes that some of these member bodies may also choose to provide their own submission to the Commission.

What is Inclusion?

5. Our Catholic tradition demands that educators see every child and young person (including those with disability), as equal, inherently sacred, and worthy of dignity and respect. Each of our member schools’ relevant charisms forms the basis of our school culture, community and mission and vision. These charisms provide a strong faith framework which also align closely with educational and pedagogical perspectives that are expressed within relevant Professional Teaching Standards.

6. ACSSS acknowledges that The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (“CRPD”) is an international treaty that identifies the rights of persons with disabilities as well as the obligations on signatory states to promote, protect and ensure those rights. Article 24(1) to the CRPD provides that: States Parties recognise the rights of persons with disabilities to education. With a view to realising this

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right without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity, States Parties shall ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and lifelong learning is directed to:

a. The full development of human potential and sense of dignity and self-worth, and the strengthening of respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and human diversity;

b. The development by persons with disabilities of their personality, talents and creativity, as well as their mental and physical abilities, to their fullest potential;

c. Enabling persons with disabilities to participate effectively in a free society. 7. Similarly, the Disability Standards for Education (2005) states that “a student with disability must have the opportunities and choices which are comparable with those offered to students without disability.” This applies to admission and enrolment, participation in courses or programs, and use of facilities and services, reaffirming the key principles of the CRPD. The provision of these basic human rights is central to educational inclusion.

8. The provision of a truly inclusive educational environment is a complex endeavour. True inclusion requires an acknowledgement of the diverse needs of students with disability. The ideology of inclusion is not always represented in real world experience. This submission will reflect upon some of the ways that specialist educational environments attempt to promote inclusion, somewhat paradoxically in a context often characterised by segregated educational settings.

Why special schools and specialist settings are important

9. Special schools and specialist settings exist to meet the specific needs of students and their families. While inclusion is the responsibility of all educators, whether mainstream or specialist, students with disability often have particular preferences or needs that exceed the provision offered in integrated mainstream environments. There is more to “inclusion” than simply being “included”. True inclusion is about connection; physically, socially, culturally and spiritually.

10. A common criticism of specialist settings is that they promote segregation and do not reflect real world experiences of social diversity. On the face of it, special schools might appear to encourage “exclusion” rather than “inclusion” by segregating students with disability from their mainstream peers.

11. Research continues to support multiple contexts in which students with disability engage in high quality instruction and learning (Browder, Wood, Thompson, Ribuffo, 2014; Anastasiou, Kauffman and Di Nuovo, 2015). Special schools often provide opportunities for students with disability to experience more meaningful engagement with education and to establish deeper and more sincere social connections with peers whose life experiences, abilities and personal context is more relatable to their own.

12. The focus of high-quality education for students with disability and access to grade/age level curriculum has more recently shifted from where a student receives his or her educational program, to what and how the student is taught (Kurth et al., 2015). Specialist settings allow teachers to provide an educational program that is more tailored to the needs of individual students. The concentration of students with similar or overlapping needs as well as modifications to typical class structures and staffing provisions promotes higher levels of targeted support.

13. Key to the debate about specialist disability settings in education in the need for student/family voice and choice. This is particularly relevant in a non-government special school or centre where parents seek to enrol their child or young person with disability. Parents of children enrolled in specialist settings often

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report that their children thrive in an environment where they don’t “feel different”. In some instances, parental choice favouring special school settings may be seen as a concession to the mainstream choice, however, continual increasing enrolment numbers and parent satisfaction surveys of each our member settings indicates that parents do not see this as a concession perspective.

14. Despite the rhetoric supporting inclusion, as a concept and in practice, it is recognised there are challenges in the enactment of inclusive education in Australia. The ARACY report “Inclusive Education for Students with Disability” (2013), finds that the inclusion of students with disability is emphasised through regional and national policies in Australia. Mainstream settings however, present a number of inherent barriers to achieving true inclusion. This may be as simple as the size of school making it challenging for all teachers to know all students. Similarly, the level of noise, movement, sensory stimuli and distractors can all present challenges for students with disability. Child protection and safety considerations for students who require support with toileting etc can often be catered for more sensitively and appropriately in specialized settings.The Education and Learning Issues Paper prepared for the hearings in November 2019 outlined the following key issues in education and learning for students with disabilities:

a. Lack of reasonable adjustments b. Lack of individualised supports and planning c. Inflexible curricula d. Lack of culturally responsive teaching e. Workforce capability issues f. Behaviour Management 15. It should be noted that while there seems to be a relatively large international research knowledge base regarding best-practice in catering for students with disability in regular classroom settings, there may be a disconnect between the research and the reality in the classroom (Grima-Farrell, Bain & McDonagh, 2011). This disconnect may have adverse effects on the implementation of inclusive practices in Australian schools. While the holy grail of high-quality differentiated teaching practice should be the goal of every mainstream classroom, it is a simple reality that teachers find it difficult to consistently offer differentiated instruction to large cohorts of diverse learners.

16. During the COVID 19 pandemic, our member schools also have become highly important sources of specialised support and inclusion when other disability support services were interrupted or ceased. Each member school remained open to vulnerable families during extended lockdown periods in NSW in 2020 and throughout 2021 and were often the only way students and their families were able to access consistent, high quality support care - often beyond the teaching and learning within the classroom. Our member special schools and centres became even more of a critical link for inclusion of our families and students as many other aspects of society and community became inaccessible.

What does inclusion look like in each ACSSS member school/centre context?

17. ACSSS Schools are characterised by a commitment to supporting students who require specialist support in order to reach their personal and academic potential. Below are some examples of how ACSSS schools promote inclusion for students with disabilities.

18. Redfern Jarjum College a. Redfern Jarjum College’s mission is to educate, empower and support urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and provide expert guidance to alleviate their educational, social,

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emotional, behavioural and health disadvantages. We prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and partnership.

b. There are 22 students currently enrolled at Redfern Jarjum College. All of the students at Jarjum identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and range in age from 4 years to 13 years. The majority of students at Jarjum commenced their education at a mainstream school but were referred to Jarjum after a period of non-attendance, disengagement or behavioural disruption. Of the 22 students enrolled, 19 have a diagnosed disability

c. Often, when students enrol at Jarjum, they cite a lack of connectedness with their previous school community as the reason for leaving. The compounding pressures of disability, trauma and social disadvantage create barriers to education that can be overcome in this unique school setting. Some parents feel that their child’s specific needs were not met in a mainstream school, or that their child’s inability to access appropriate supports (academically, culturally, socially) led to a feeling of exclusion.

d. Jarjum promotes inclusion by removing barriers. Families that have been unable to access health services for their children can see a paediatrician, speech therapist and counsellor at Jarjum. The College also facilitates access to dental and optical specialists, provides students with uniforms, meals and transport. Children who were able to fly under the radar in mainstream classrooms are offered close academic support with a teacher-to-student ratio of one-to-four. Jarjum’s cultural program encourages families to feel welcome and connected at school, which facilitates more consistent positive partnerships between school and home. It is Jarjum’s commitment to relationship and connectedness through cultural partnership which promotes inclusion for students. As a specialist setting, Redfern Jarjum College is able to advocate for families, coordinate targeted services, develop specialist knowledge and expertise and provide access to social and community networks that alleviate the disadvantage faced by First Nations families in Redfern.

e. “Jarjum has helped my kids feel safe. They never felt like they belonged at their old school but here it feels like family. They don’t feel different anymore, they feel like everyone knows who they are and everyone knows what they need.” -Jarjum grandparent, 2021

19. St Luke’s Arrunga School, Marsden Park a. Catholic Education Office Diocese of Parramatta is committed to providing an inclusive education for students and recognises that some students with a moderate intellectual disability may need additional support. St Luke’s Arrunga School is located on the grounds of St Luke’s Catholic College, Marsden Park providing students with an alternate platform for learning.

b. St Luke’s Arrunga School opened in 2021 and is Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta’s newest high support needs setting. Arrunga currently has 13 students enrolled from Kindergarten to Year 6 in 2021 and will be expanded to serve students from Kindergarten to Year 12 in future years. Students enrolled at Arrunga have a diagnosis of moderate intellectual disability as a primary disability and low adaptive functioning. Most of our students have multiple disabilities which impacts significantly on their capacity to learn.

c. Arrunga is a purpose-built specialised learning environment which promotes a personalised approach to the needs and adjustments that students with a moderate intellectual disability and low adaptive functioning require. The learning for students enrolled in the high support needs classes recognises the individual ability of each student and the pace at which they learn. We

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work in partnership with families to deliver a personalised and engaging learning program for every student that recognises their abilities, their interests, and their skills.

d. At Arrunga, our focus is on the Functional Academics or living skills, explicitly teaching the students about how to access and participate in their world through real life learning situations and opportunities. The focus is developing students’ capacity to be independent. Learning routines are a high priority to ensure students engage in the curriculum and optimise their learning.

e. A key part of the education program is to establish a Personalised Plan for students with disability, who require ongoing adjustments to learning. The Personalised Planning process ensures collaboration between parents/caregivers, teachers, Specialist Support teachers and other support personnel in setting individual goals for students for the school year. Through this process the teachers will design the curriculum to ensure the individual needs are met.

f. St Luke’s Catholic College Marsden Park embraces St Luke’s Arrunga School as part of the broader college community. Students and families where appropriate will have access to learning experiences, activities, and events within the mainstream college. An inclusive approach supports the individual needs of each student. It’s all about building confidence, independence and belonging.

20. St Dominic’s Centre, Mayfield a. The Diocese of Maitland- Newcastle seeks to develop the student’s spirit, mind, body and character with a Catholic worldview so that they become confident and responsible global citizens. In partnership with parents, staff work with students to nurture and cultivate Gospel values that support lives filled with joy, endeavour and hope in the future. With this responsibility the Maitland - Newcastle Diocese recognise that some students have more complex needs, which requires a more specialised service. St Dominic’s Centre, Mayfield is a Kindergarten to Year 10 school that provides an education of excellence for children with a range of disabilities including hearing impairment, autism spectrum disorder and/ or cognitive disability.

b. The school’s educational philosophy is to provide a holistic education for each student that enables them to lead a fulfilling life in a post-school world. The school’s specialist staff and purpose-built environment allows students to achieve success through a focus on communication, literacy, numeracy and social skills.

c. The school achieves its mission by providing each student with a Personalised Plan which promotes the development of social emotional, language and academic skills, and positive social outcomes.

d. Our classes support each student’s educational needs in addition to their language, social and sensory needs and aims to prepare students for either a smooth transition into a mainstream setting or the continuance of learning in a specialised setting.

e. The primary program at St Dominic’s enrols students from Kindergarten to Year 6 and allows students to experience individual instruction, small group learning and spend time integrated into social and pastoral integration with our mainstream campus.

f. The secondary students of St Dominic’s follow individual programs based on Life Skills outcomes and content. This involves community participation, living and independence skills. Our students access discrete life skills classes to meet their personalised plans, focusing on individual goals. However, our students have the opportunity to attend assemblies, liturgies, sports carnivals or other events with their mainstream high school peers.

g. To facilitate the goal of success, St Dominic’s has partnership agreements with St Columban’s Primary School and San Clemente High School in Mayfield. The schools are situated on the same campus and work closely together in a positive and collaborative way to ensure that students with complex needs are educated in, and have full access to, a rich learning environment.

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h. Students enrolled at St Dominic’s are also eligible for Assisted Travel which includes transport to and from school every day if necessary.

21. St Lucy’s School, Wahroonga a. St Lucy’s School is a Catholic specialist Years K-9 school for students with diagnosed disabilities situated across 4 campuses. St Lucy’s will be a Years K-12 school by 2024. The main campus is in Wahroonga with 5 satellite classes located at Prouille Catholic Primary School, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and St John’s Catholic Primary School. Students in the primary years have a diagnosis of a cognitive disability and/or autism spectrum disorder. Students in the high school years have a diagnosis of an intellectual disability. Most students across primary and high school also have additional disability diagnoses.

b. St Lucy’s is a community not ‘just’ a school. Our vision/mission is ‘A community enriched by difference; inspiring learning for a life of purpose’. The focus is building on a student’s capacity to be able to participate in the community to their greatest potential. There is also a focus on engaging and educating the wider community about the potential of people with disabilities and in removing the barriers that can sometimes exist for them and their families.

c. The Curriculum is designed to give students a breadth of learning while also having the flexibility to meet individual abilities, needs and strengths. Our specialist teachers and aides, Creative Artists and BEST (Behaviour, Engagement, Social and Emotional Learning and Therapy) Team all seek to build on student capacity and voice so that students have agency over their current and future interests and endeavours.

d. St Lucy’s supports students to engage in the most inclusive school setting possible. This includes supporting students to transition to other settings including mainstream settings when they are ready, working with the student and the family’s goals. St Lucy’s satellite class programs are specifically designed to support a transition to a ‘mainstream’ school following the program. St Lucy’s also has a focus on post-school pathways including for work, social, educational, and recreational opportunities supported by a VET/Work Education Coordinator, a Transition to Post­ School Officer and a Recreation Officer. We want our students to live the richest life possible.

e. We build community between our families and support families in creating networks in the community for their young person and the wider family. We have a full time Family Support Worker dedicated to supporting families to participate in services and initiatives in their local community including NDIS services. Our BEST Team comprising of Psychologists, Positive

Behaviour Support Specialists, Occupational Therapists and Speech Pathologists, offer workshops

to parents and the wider community.

f. St Lucy’s School also promotes inclusion by welcoming people to our school through a range of programs/initiatives including students from neighbouring schools (Knox Prep and Prouille) for Buddy and play programs, local school students in the capacity of student volunteers through which they support students in class, on the playground and at special events such as carnivals. We also have over 100 dedicated volunteers who come to St Lucy’s each week and support student learning and engagement. All great ambassadors for the school but also for people living with a disability in general.

22. Mater Dei, Camden a. Mater Dei School is a coeducational setting for students from Kindergarten to Year 12 with a Mild to Moderate Intellectual Disability. As a Catholic, independent school, we are a proud member of

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Good Samaritan Education. We currently have 146 students enrolled across the school and are committed to the provision of contemporary and innovative education for students with specific needs. All classrooms are supported by a Full Time Teacher and Full Time Teachers’ Assistant and additional supports are also allocated based on need. Students in Kindergarten to Year 6 access universally designed teaching and learning programs aligned to the NSW syllabus. Our secondary students all currently access the life skills curriculum in Years 7-12.

b. Mater Dei School operates as one program across the larger organisational banner of Mater Dei. These additional programs support families in Assessment and Therapy, Early Childhood Education, and continuous learning for young adults through our NextPath Program.

c. Mater Dei School has created a place of opportunity to develop their unique gifts and talents in a way that will enable them to become fully participating members of their respective communities. The school is active in the Catholic Faith and espouses the values of the Benedictine Traditions.

d. We work collaboratively with parents, guardians and advocates of the students entrusted into our care thus providing a student-centred community at Mater Dei. In this way it is our hope that students will live as independently as possible in the least restrictive and most stimulating environment in the wider community.

e. As a Catholic and Good Samaritan Education School in the Benedictine tradition, Mater Dei respects the dignity of individuals and their unique contribution to our school community. We are committed to providing a holistic education for students that builds capacity to become fully, participating members of their community and dignifies their giftedness. We strive to work with Parents/Carers to empower students to live enriched, independent lives.

23. St Edmund’s College, Wahroonga - “Inspiring Independence, Transforming lives” a. St Edmund’s is an independent, co-educational, Catholic secondary school catering for students with an intellectual disability in the mild to moderate range, sensory impairment, and Autism. The College has a proud history of providing special education for over 70 years and there are currently 120 students across Years 7-12. The College was founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers and is now governed by Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA).

b. The College operates like a mainstream high school, following the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Life Skills curriculum. Units of work are differentiated and tailored specifically for each student. Students study subjects such as Literacy, English, Maths, Science, Sport, Art, Music, CAFS and Work Education. We also provide access to additional support with our own Speech Pathologist and Occupational Therapist, and we work in partnership with families to ensure their child’s learning and communication needs are being met in and outside the classroom.

c. St Edmund’s College provides a unique educational experience through the Liberate Framework, which includes differentiated and personalised learning paths and blended online learning, with student wellbeing at the centre. This approach emphasises the critical skills needed beyond Year 12 and into the workplace: Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking and Cooperation. Our focus is always the preparation of our students for life beyond school.

d. The College also has strong links in the local community which further provide opportunities for students to develop their vocational skills. Year 12 students undertake weekly work experience at various supported workplaces. Work experience is a strong part of our Senior Program as it builds on the skills students have gained across the junior years. This program is designed to

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encourage workplace skills, communication and social skills and independence, ultimately providing the necessary skills for success post school. This is our vision and hope for all students as they graduate in Year 12 - to enrich the hearts and minds of our young people for active and rightful participation in their community

24. St Gabriel’s School, Castle Hill - “Nurturing Independence, Transforming lives” a. St Gabriel’s is an independent, co-educational, Catholic K-12 school catering for students with an intellectual disability in the mild to moderate range, sensory impairment, and Autism. In 2019 the School extended its program to include secondary education and will be a fully operating K-12 school by 2024 with close to 200 students.

b. The School was founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers and is now governed by Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA), providing a Catholic education in the tradition of

Blessed Edmund Rice. St Gabriel’s School and St Edmund’s College form part of Edmund Rice

Special Education Services (ERSES).

c. Working in partnership with families, our aim is to prepare our students for life beyond school and to develop them as contributing individuals in their communities. The school follows a regular school model which provides students with a wealth of experiences across a rich and diverse curriculum, delivered by specialist teachers and with the support of a Speech Pathologist and Occupational Therapist. As a result, St Gabriel’s students develop independence and confidence. St Gabriel’s, while catering for school children with a wide range of disabilities, is about everything but disability. The students are acknowledged for their gifts and talents and consequently they are highly motivated to achieve.

d. St Gabriel’s K-6 program encompasses all areas of curriculum as set out by NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). Teachers’ programs are designed to meet the NESA outcomes as well as the specific needs of each student as they are articulated in their Personalised Plan. Secondary students study the NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority) Life Skills Curriculum. There is a strong focus on Vocational Educational Training (VET) electives such as Food Technology, Workshop Practices, VET Hospitality and Work Placement in Stage 6 (Years 11 and 12). Students will have the opportunity to gain certification in various VET courses enabling them to gain employment in either the retail and hospitality industry.

e. The School has strong links in the local community and is working to provide opportunities to develop students’ vocational skills by undertaking work experience on a regular basis. Our Senior program is designed to encourage workplace skills, communication and social skills and independence, ultimately providing the necessary skills for success post school. Our vision and hope at St Gabriel’s and St Edmund’s College is for all students as they graduate in Year 12 to have enriched the hearts and minds of our young people for active and rightful participation in their community.

25. Dunlea Centre, Engadine a. Dun lea Centre (DC) is located in South of Sydney. It is a Catholic (Salesians of Don Bosco) agency managed by lay persons. It is the original Australian Boys’ Town. Dunlea Centre is a comprehensive service for adolescent children and their families who are at risk of family breakdown, but who want to restore their relationships. It provides family and individual therapy, academic and life skills education as well as residential care for both boys and girls. In recent years the Centre has introduced programs for upskilling parents as well as the

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introduction of an After Care Service. Behaviour change and educational gain are the prime objectives of the Dun lea Centre program with a “Place for Change” the mantra.

b. Dun lea Centre is also an out of home care service and students live-in from Monday to Friday, thus allowing the children and their family some space to bring about necessary changes. The Centre introduced TFM (Teaching Family Model) into its operation under the guidance of trainers from Boys Town Omaha in late 2018/19. BTO trainers have attended Dunlea for training and in­ service purposes in addition to providing assistance in program development including observations and evaluations and feedback. In 2021 the Centre applied to the TFA (Teaching Family Association) for accreditation and has been placed onto a developing site status with certification to occur in late 2022.

c. Boys Town Omaha trainers have returned to Dunlea Centre on several occasions since 2018. This has been to continue upskilling existing staff and personnel as well as support program development and maintenance of program fidelity. Additionally, a cohort of highly skilled Dunlea staff were selected for the TTT program, which has enabled the Centre to have regular internal on-site training and development occur in the absence of BTO trainers.

d. A BTO program called Common Sense Parenting was introduced in February of 2020. It focuses upon parents and their respective parenting skills, which includes parenting confidence, ability to remain calm when distressed as well as increasing quality time spent with their child. The goal is to decrease problematic behaviours and increase desirable behaviours.

e. At the commencement of 2021, several Youth Workers completed training and observations and transitioned into new roles titled - Behaviour Interventionist. In addition to these changes, a newly created Senior Behaviour Interventionist position was filled in December of 2020. This person will lead the team of Bi’s in 2021. In 2021 Dunlea Centre (Clinical Team) also introduced ‘The Way Forward’ Program. The Way Forward is intensive outreach support, ensuring young people maintain behavioural and academic gains made in the program. It offers structured after­ care support for successful graduates of the program for 12 months. The overall inclusive approach of DC is to involve the family and VP through all aspects of the program. The “voice” of the VP is encouraged and embedded into program development as they are the main drivers in their own program & destiny. The staff walk alongside the VP and parents, accompanying them on their journey.

26. The John Berne School, Lewisham a. The John Berne School exists to fill a gap in the education system: the education of young people in Years 7 to 10 who find themselves excluded from mainstream education. Our co-educational school provides a secure, safe, enriching, and challenging educational environment which gives students in difficulty a second chance, outreaching to their families and wider social networks.

b. Berne is for students who specifically need time out to improve their literacy, numeracy, and social skills in a flexible learning environment. Students are given more individual attention than in mainstream schools and are actively encouraged to move beyond what holds them back.

c. If not for an opportunity to attend a school like Berne, these students would not achieve their Year 10 RoSA and would find it very difficult to enter the workplace or achieve milestones recognised by the larger community.

d. The school’s motto: Hope always, reflects the fundamental belief that intervention in the lives of troubled people-especially when they are young-is always worthwhile and is very often

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successful. The school usually has up to 45 enrolled students and employs highly trained, professional staff. This low student-to-staff ratio is essential to the success of the program.

e. Curriculum teaching and learning at The John Berne School is future-focused.We aim to present the curriculum in a deeply engaging, innovative and authentic manner in order to develop the skills and knowledge each individual student needs to support their future goals and dreams.

f. The John Berne School is strongly committed to achieving the best possible outcomes in teaching and learning through high levels of collaboration, effective evaluation, and evidence-informed practice to support student growth and development. Curriculum at The John Berne School is in compliance with the requirements of The Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES). Students learn from all curriculum areas as they would in mainstream schools.

g. A unique and integral part of The John Berne School is our counselling program. Each student is allocated a counsellor who works with them during their time at our school. This supportive partnership allows the student to work on the issues that affected their ability to cope in the mainstream educational environment and to resolve them.

h. The school counsellor assesses each student’s specific needs and develops a program to support their educational, behavioural, social, and emotional needs. Our ultimate objective is that they leave The John Berne School as well-adjusted young men and women who will make a positive contribution to our society.

References

ARACY report “Inclusive Education for Students with Disability” (2013),

Anastasiou, D., Kaufmann, J.M., Di Nuovo, S. (2015). Inclusive Education in Italy: description and reflections on full inclusion. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 30 (4), 429-443.

Browder, D. M., Wood, L., Thompson, J., & Ribuffo, C. (2014). Evidence-based practices for students with severe disabilities (Document No. IC-3). Retrieved from University of Florida, Collaboration for Effective Educator, Development, Accountability, and Reform Center website: http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/tools/innovation­ configurations/

Courtade, G., Spooner, F., Browder, D., & Jimenez, B. (2012). Seven reasons to promote standards-based instruction for students with severe disabilities: A reply to Ayres, Lowrey, Douglas, & Sievers (2011). Education and Training in Autism and Development Disabilities, 47, 3-13.

Grima-Farrell, C. R., Bain, A., & McDonagh, S. H. (2011). Bridging the research-to-practice gap: A review of the literature focusing on inclusive education. Australasian Journal of Special Education, 35(2), 117-136. DOl:10.1375/ajse.35.2.117.

Kurth, J. A., Lyon, K. J., & Shogren, K. (2015). Supports provided to students with severe disabilities in inclusive schools: Lessons learned from schools implementing inclusive practices. Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 40, 261-274. doi:10.1177/1540796915594160

Lindsay, G. (2007). Educational Psychology and the effectiveness of inclusive education/mainstreaming. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 77 (1), 1-24.

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The United Nations. 2006. “Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.” Treaty Series 2515 (December): 3

Waddington, E. M. & Reed, R. (2016). Comparison of the effects of mainstream and special school on National Curriculum outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder: an archive-based analysis. Journal of Research in Special Education Needs, 17 (2), 77-151.