01 - Department of Education and Communities - NSW Government

A FAIR GO FOR ALLposters were distributed to a widerange of community agencies andto schools throughout the State.Ten Early Learning ProgramCoordinators supported theimplementation of these guidelinesby providing advice, training anddevelopment.Health Care Support forStudents withDisabilitiesIn 1997, the Department tooksteps to bring about increasedcoordination and cohesion to thehealth care support required inschools for students with healthcare needs.The DSE with the Public ServiceAssociation of NSW and the NSWNurses’ Association developed ajoint statement of role boundariesto clarify issues relating to theprovision of support at school forstudents requiring health care.Schools were asked to prepare plansfor students requiring health careprocedures. These plans weredeveloped in consultation withparents, care givers, the individualstudent’s medical practitioner andother local health professionals.Support Provision forStudents with VisionImpairmentDuring 1997, the Departmentproduced and distributed to everygovernment school in NSWthe resource document, VisionImpairment: A Reference forSchools.The new manual provides importantinformation about visionimpairment and its educationalimplications. The manual promotesawareness and provides advice toschools in supporting students withvision impairment. The manual isalso designed to provide schoolpersonnel with the informationneeded for effective communicationand collaboration when working aspart of a trans-disciplinary team.Braille and large print servicesaround the State which are linkedwith the State Braille and LargePrint Service were upgraded withimproved technology. This willenable more effective production ofBraille and large print materialswhich are needed by students on adaily basis.Support for teachers undertakingpost graduate study in visionimpairment was provided throughthe cadetship training anddevelopment program.Transport Services forStudents withDisabilitiesThe Department providedappropriate special transportfor students with disabilities,learning difficulties and behaviourdisorders.Special transport serviceimprovements were introducedincluding:• technology enhancementswhich streamlined theallocation and operation ofspecial transport services• revision of transport routes tominimise the time studentsspend in vehicles travelling toand from school• advertising of opportunities toprovide these transportservices in the local press• contact with the SpecialTransport Unit in Wollongongmade for the cost of a local call• 40 special educationconsultants in district officesto assist parents and principalswith the special transportneeds of students.Students Receiving SpecialEducation Assistance1997State Integration 3976Itinerant Support• hearing 1351• vision 719Early Intervention 1045Support Classes(excluding IEC)• primary 5759• secondary 4181Special Schools(excluding JJ/CC) 3390Example of Excellence in SpecialEducationWilloughby Public School andCromehurst SSP received a Director-General’s School Achievement Award fortheir outstanding integration program}The program provides shared lessons andprograms involving students from bothschools on and beyond both schoolcampuses. It fosters an appreciation ofstudents’ strengths and individual qualitieswithin the school communities.~DSE Annual Report 1997 83