Schools Guide to Disability Provisios Advice to school cousellors, Year advisers, career advisers, STLA/support teachers ad school staff resposible for submittig applicatios for disability provisios for the HSC examiatios
Schools Guide to Disability Provisios What are Disability Provisios? Disability provisios provide studets who have special eeds with practical support i the Higher School Certificate examiatios. Studets special examiatio eeds may iclude learig, medical, visio or hearig difficulties. Examples of provisios available iclude: braille or large-prit papers, use of a writer ad/or reader, use of a oral iterpreter, extesio of test time, rest breaks, separate examiatio supervisio ad permissio to take medicatio. For more iformatio, refer to Sectio 10 of the Assessmet, Certificatio ad Examiatio (ACE) Maual which ca be dowloaded from the Board s website at http://www.boardofstudies.sw.edu.au /mauals/acemaual.html Schools resposibilities uder the Disabilities Discrimiatio Act All schools must be sure that studets with disabilities, icludig learig difficulties, are able to access ad participate i educatio o the same basis as studets without disability. Schools should assess ad accommodate their studets disability provisios eeds, ad, whe ecessary, submit applicatios for the HSC examiatios o their behalf. The Disability Stadards for Educatio, issued uder the Commowealth Disabilities Discrimiatio Act, outlie the obligatios of educatio ad traiig providers. There is a lik to the Stadards o the Board s website. Idetifyig studets who may be eligible for disability provisios May of the studets who are eligible for disability provisios will already be kow to school staff through ogoig support programs ad discussios with parets. However, some studets, particularly those with a learig difficulty, might ot always be easily idetified. A studet s results i the school-admiistered spellig (South Australia Spellig Test), readig (Neale or Woodcock) ad timed writig (words per miute) tests should give schools a idicatio of whether a studet could apply for disability provisios. This fuctioal evidece ca the be submitted with the applicatio. Disability provisios for school-based assessmet tasks Schools are resposible for determiig ad approvig disability provisios for all school-based assessmet tasks. The Board oly determies disability provisios for the Higher School Certificate examiatios. Studets ad parets should be advised that there is o guaratee the Board will grat the same provisios as those give at school. Schools must cosider their disability program carefully. Not offerig provisios that studets are likely to be grated for the HSC could be discrimiatory uder the Act. Allowig studets provisios they are ulikely to be approved for the HSC may ufairly raise expectatios. For more iformatio, see Sectios 10.1 ad 10.3 of the Assessmet, Certificatio ad Examiatio (ACE) Maual. Applyig for disability provisios The Disability Provisios olie applicatio form is available to schools from Schools Olie for studets i Year 12 who ited to sit for the Higher School Certificate examiatios i that year. O Schools Olie select Disability Provisios uder the headig Data Collectio. Click the How to Apply Olie documet for further iformatio. A ID ad PIN/Password is eeded for Schools Olie: if you are a pricipal call Records ad Strategic Busiess Systems Brach o (02) 9367 8275. if you are a staff member your pricipal ca set up a accout for you usig Schools Olie. Most schools omiate a Disability Provisios Coordiator. Ofte this is the Year adviser, school cousellor or support teacher but it could be aother teacher omiated by the pricipal. All applicatios for disability provisios must be submitted ad processed electroically. Please refer to the documet How to Apply Olie for Disability Provisios uder Dowload Memos ad Documets o Schools Olie. 2
Schools Guide to Disability Provisios How to apply for disability provisios for the HSC examiatios Studet/paret idetifies possible eed for disability provisios Aswers to frequetly asked questios ca be foud o the Board s website http://studetsolie.bos.sw.edu.au/ go/help/faq/disabilityprovisios/ School discusses disability provisios applicatio process ad eligibility requiremets with studet All applicatios must be processed ad submitted electroically through Schools Olie. Schools must: complete studet details School idetifies studet as possible disability provisios cadidate Medical, hearig or visio coditios collect supportig documets, eg medical reports that cofirm diagosis of a particular coditio; hearig ad visio tests; timed essays NB: Supportig documetatio should be less tha 12 moths old except where a existig medical coditio/ diagosis will ot chage with time, eg permaet visio loss, diabetes. Phoe Studet Support Services Brach* for late ijury or illess applicatios immediately before ad durig the examiatio period. idicate provisios sought collect detailed teacher commets o studet s difficulty ad eeds complete studet ad pricipal declaratio. The school submits the applicatio electroically through Schools Olie. NB: Provisios may be sought i multiple categories Learig difficulty coduct ad record results of stadardised readig ad spellig tests; supply timed essays Timed essays must be exteded resposes from a examiatio/ assessmet. Schools may fid it useful to keep copies of studets Year 11 ed-of-year Eglish examiatios for this purpose. Neale, Woodcock readig tests; South Australia Spellig Test Applicatios for studets with kow/existig coditios should be submitted by the ed of Term 1. Pricipal receives decisio letter electroically through Schools Olie listig the provisios grated ad declied, with studet copy. Schools may appeal the Board s decisio by submittig ew/further evidece through Schools Olie. Appeals are reviewed by a idepedet specialist ad a decisio letter is provided electroically through Schools Olie for both the pricipal ad studet. Appeals should be submitted withi 14 days of receipt of BOS decisio letter. * Studet Support Services Brach T: (02) 9367 8325 or 9367 8117 F: (02) 9367 8087 E: studetsupport@bos.sw.edu.au 3
Schools Guide to Disability Provisios Applicatios for kow cases must be submitted by the due date. This allows time for the applicatio to be processed ad gives studets a reasoable legth of time to practise with their provisios before the HSC. The due date is always the last day of Term 1, except for applicatios based o chroic fatigue sydrome, post-viral sydrome, Ross River fever or gladular fever. These should be submitted i July of the examiatio year, with teacher commets ad medical documetatio also dated July. Provisios for emergecies (eg a broke arm) may be sought up to the day of the examiatio. If all the ecessary iformatio is ot provided, some requested provisios may be declied due to isufficiet evidece. How does the process work? The Board of Studies has a Pael of Specialists which icludes medical practitioers, educatioal psychologists ad cosultats for the visually or hearig impaired. The category of the disability ad the evidece preseted will determie who reviews the file. Whe a decisio is made, a decisio letter listig the approved ad/or declied provisios is published through Schools Olie, with a copy for both the pricipal ad the studet. Appeal procedures Studets ca appeal the decisio to declie a provisio. Appeals eed to be submitted through the school withi 14 days of receivig the disability provisios decisio letter. The appeal must state why the decisio is cosidered uacceptable, with referece to the evidece supplied i the origial applicatio. The appeal also eeds to iclude ew supportive evidece, such as a further medical report, which clearly states why the studet eeds the provisio, or additioal readig, writig or spellig test results. The Board of Studies will the coduct a idepedet review ad a decisio will be made withi 21 days. The outcome of the appeal will be advised to the school electroically through Schools Olie with a letter for the studet. Providig evidece to support a applicatio All applicatios must iclude teacher commets which idicate how the provisio requested will actually address the difficulty a studet has i readig ad/or respodig to the examiatio paper. The, depedig o the category of disability, other evidece required is usually oe of, or a combiatio of, the followig: results of school-admiistered tests for readig ad spellig. The school cousellor or STLA/support teacher is able to admiister these tests timed essays/exteded respose (at least oe of which must be a assessmet task) report from GP or other health professioal visio or hearig test. The evidece should be less tha 12 moths old at the commecemet of the test/exams. Discussig applicatios with studets ad parets It s importat to discuss each studet s disability provisios applicatio with the studet ad to advise their parets. However, the applicatio must be submitted electroically by the school, through Schools Olie, as it requires specific iformatio about the difficulties the studet experieces i class or examiatios. Use of a computer i the HSC examiatios The HSC is a timed, had-writte examiatio so the use of a computer is grated oly uder very striget coditios where there is o appropriate alterative provisio. Some studets, eve those with had ijuries, ca type at a much faster rate tha most studets ca write. Allowig these studets to use a computer would give a ufair advatage. Istead, studets are geerally offered either regular short rest breaks or the optio of dictatig their aswers to a writer. 4
Schools Guide to Disability Provisios Support for schools The Board s Studet Support Services Brach ca provide detailed advice to schools that would like further iformatio o the disability provisios program or assistace completig a applicatio. Frequetly Asked Questios The parets of a Year 11 studet at my school are isistig their daughter eeds to use a computer to complete her school examiatios but I m ot sure she will be grated this provisio for the HSC. Ca the Board advise whether the studet should be allowed to use a computer? Schools are required to determie the disability provisios that will be allowed i school-based examiatios. The Board oly determies disability provisios for the Higher School Certificate examiatios. Studets ad parets should be advised that there is o guaratee the Board will grat the same provisios as those give at school. Oe of the Year 12 studets at my school ijured their back i a car accidet at the start of the year. I m ot sure if they will still eed disability provisios by the time the HSC exams start but I do t wat them to miss out. Hold the applicatio util July ad the sed updated medical ad teacher commets. As the studet s coditio may improve with time it s importat that provisios are based o the studet s eeds durig the examiatio period ad ot their coditio earlier i the year. A studet has supplied me with a copy of a recet medical report. Do I still eed to ask the doctor to fill out the medical provisios page i the applicatio form? No. Medical reports do t have to be o the Board s form, but they must provide similar iformatio to what is requested o the Board s form. This helps the Board to determie what provisios are most appropriate ad allows cosistet applicatio of the guidelies. I have a studet who suffers from frequet, debilitatig migraies, resultig i him missig a lot of school ad ofte impairig his examiatio performace. What disability provisios ca he apply for? Where a studet has a coditio that may or may ot occur durig a examiatio, such as migraies or asthma, the occurrece of a episode durig a examiatio is covered by illess/ misadveture appeals, ot disability provisios. Also, disability provisios caot compesate studets for difficulties i udertakig a course or for lost preparatio time. However, if there are idetifiable factors kow to cotribute to or trigger a particular coditio, a applicatio ca be submitted o this basis; for example, separate supervisio i a room with atural light if bright lightig frequetly results i a migraie. Cotact the Studet Support Services Brach for further advice. 5
Schools Guide to Disability Provisios Case Studies Learig difficulty Year 12 teacher commets o Alex s applicatio idicate he struggles to uderstad ew cocepts i class, eedig extra time to process his thoughts ad aswers. His bookwork suggests he has trouble orgaisig ad plaig his work ad he ofte becomes overwhelmed by the rushed feelig he experieces durig examiatios. Alex has difficulty with the questios i examiatios, takig loger to read material tha the rest of the class. He ofte respods well orally i class but has trouble writig his resposes dow. Alex s school has provided readig test results which show his readig comprehesio is well below his peers, ad two timed essays (at least oe of which is a assessmet task), which demostrate that his writig ability is outside the typical rage for his age group. Provisios approved* Separate supervisio, reader, extra time (at the rate of five miutes per half hour of examiatio time), writer (at the rate of five miutes per half hour of examiatio time to allow for the dictatio process) OR extra time to write (at the rate of two ad a half miutes per half hour of examiatio time). Asperger s sydrome Riley was diagosed with Asperger s sydrome i primary school. His teachers commets idicate he has difficulty cocetratig ad fids it hard to remai focused o a task. He struggles with writig exteded resposes ad experieces axiety i exam situatios; however, o timed tasks he maages to fiish his aswers. A medical report from his GP cofirms Riley s diagosis ad its affect o his ability to cocetrate i a exam situatio. Provisios approved* Exam supervisio i a small group ad extra time to rest (at the rate of five miutes per half hour of examiatio time). Back ijury Isabella ijured her back i a car accidet i February. Her teachers report that she is experiecig pai whe seated for exteded periods ad request extra time to rest ad a padded chair/pillow. Her GP s report cofirms Isabella s ijury ad idicates full recovery is expected withi three moths of ijury. Studet Support Services Brach requests updated medical report be supplied closer to the examiatios, i September. The updated medical report idicates Isabella is still experiecig sigificat pai which affects her cocetratio ad ability to sit for exteded periods. Provisios approved* Extra time to rest (at the rate of five miutes per half hour of examiatio time), padded chair/pillow, seatig at the back of the examiatio room, permissio to move (eg stad up, stretch). 6
Schools Guide to Disability Provisios Psychological depressio Commets from Raia s Year 12 teachers idicate she ofte disegages durig class ad eeds assistace to stay focused. Raia is ofte axious ad worried; she is frequetly abset ad at times lacks iterest i her work. Her applicatio icludes a report from her cliical psychologist statig she has bee diagosed with depressio. Provisios approved* Small group supervisio ad extra time to rest (at the rate of five miutes per half hour of examiatio time). Chicke pox just before the examiatios Ali cotracted chicke pox just before the start of the HSC ad was uable to atted his first examiatios. His school telephoed the Studet Support Services Brach for advice. Provisios approved* Separate supervisio or home supervisio grated over the telephoe, subject to receipt of a doctor s certificate cofirmig the diagosis ad that he is o loger cotagious. His school was also advised that if Ali s illess affects his examiatio performace he may eed to lodge a illess/misadveture appeal. Cerebral palsy Courtey has cerebral palsy ad is cofied to a wheelchair. Commets from her teachers idicate Courtey has extremely limited movemet ad uses a computer to udertake all her classwork, which is a very time-cosumig process. Courtey also has severe difficulty speakig ad tires quickly. Her school has supplied a medical report detailig Courtey s diagosis ad timed typed assessmet tasks. Provisios approved* Use of a computer (studet uable to dictate to writer), extra time to type (at the rate of two ad a half miutes per half hour of examiatio time), extra time to work (at the rate of five miutes per half hour of examiatio time), extra time to rest (at the rate of five miutes per half hour of examiatio time). Give the severity of Courtey s coditio, the Studet Support Services Brach will also cotact the school to discuss the eed for further idividual arragemets. *Provisios approved o the basis of idividual evidece meetig the Board s established guidelies. 7
Cotact Details Studet Support Services Brach Telephoe: (02) 9367 8325 (02) 9367 8117 Fax: (02) 9367 8087 Email: studetsupport@bos.sw.edu.au Address: Office of the Board of Studies NSW GPO Box 5300 SYDNEY NSW 2001 Visit the disability provisios sectio of the Board s website at: www.boardofstudies.sw.edu.au/disability-provisios Read the Disability Stadards for Educatio at www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.sf/page/humarightsadatidiscrimiatio_disabilitystadardsforeducatio Cover by Eri Morga, All Saits College Bathurst, 2008 HSC Visual Arts Major Work. 20120420