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How do Educators of Students With Disabilities in Specialist Settings Understand and Apply the Australian Curriculum Framework?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 August 2018

Peter M. Walker ,
Karyn L. Carson ,
Jane M. Jarvis ,
Julie M. McMillan ,
Anna G. Noble ,
David J. Armstrong ,
Kerry A. Bissaker  and
Carolyn D. Palmer
Peter M. Walker
Affiliation:
Flinders University, Australia
Karyn L. Carson
Affiliation:
Flinders University, Australia
Jane M. Jarvis
Affiliation:
Flinders University, Australia
Julie M. McMillan*
Affiliation:
Flinders University, Australia
Anna G. Noble
Affiliation:
Flinders University, Australia
David J. Armstrong
Affiliation:
Flinders University, Australia
Kerry A. Bissaker
Affiliation:
Flinders University, Australia
Carolyn D. Palmer
Affiliation:
Flinders University, Australia
*
Correspondence: Julie McMillan, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. Email: julie.mcmillan@flinders.edu.au
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Abstract

Despite aspirations to be a world-class national curriculum, the Australian Curriculum (AC) has been criticised as ‘manifestly deficient’ (Australian Government Department of Education and Training, 2014 p. 5) as an inclusive curriculum, failing to meet the needs of all students with disabilities (SWD) and their teachers. There is a need for research into the daily attempts of educators to navigate the tension between a ‘top-down’ system-wide curriculum and a ‘bottom-up’ regard for individual student needs, with a view to informing both policy and practice. This article is the first of two research papers in which we report the findings from a national online Research in Special Education (RISE) Australian Curriculum Survey of special educators in special schools, classes, and units regarding their experience using the AC to plan for and teach SWD. Survey results indicated (a) inconsistent use of the AC as the primary basis for developing learning objectives and designing learning experiences, (b) infrequent use of the achievement standards to support assessment and reporting, and (c) considerable supplementation of the AC from other resources when educating SWD. Overall, participants expressed a lack of confidence in translating the AC framework into a meaningful curriculum for SWD. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are discussed.

Keywords

curriculum adjustmentspecial educationstudents with disabilities
Type
Original Articles
Information
Australasian Journal of Special and Inclusive Education , Volume 42 , Issue 2 , December 2018 , pp. 111 - 126
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2018 

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Footnotes

*This manuscript was accepted under the Editorship of Umesh Sharma.

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