The Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs Program includes the Special Education Component and Students with Disabilities and Impairments components.

Downloads

• Student Services 2010 Professional Development Seminars
• AISV Students with Disabilities Handbook 2010
• Students with Disabilities - Application Forms 2010
• Disabilities Funding Fact Sheet
• Independent Special Schools List 2009
• AISV's Response to the Productivity Commission's Draft Report of the Disability Discrimination Act Inquiry
• AISV Submission to the Productivity Commission's Disability Discrimination Act Inquiry

Special education

The Australian Government supports programs to improve participation in schooling and educational outcomes for students with disabilities. Independent schools in Victoria can apply to AISV for funding.

Independent schools are strongly committed to providing quality education for students with disabilities. In 2006 the Australian Government’s Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs Program provided funding for more than 1,800 students in 165 independent schools. There are nine AISV member special schools in Victoria that provide programs for students with a range of disabilities.  

To be funded, students must be assessed as eligible in one of the following categories of disability:

• intellectual disability
• severe language disorder
• physical disability
• severe emotional disorder
• autism spectrum disorder
• vision impairment
• hearing impairment.

Funds are also available for eligible students with physical disabilities for physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

Students with learning difficulties are not eligible for funding under this program.

Minor capital works and equipment

Up to $30,000 is available for minor capital works to provide disabled students with access to the school. These funds cannot be used as part of a larger building or renovation project.

Funds are also available to purchase equipment for the disabled student to participate in curriculum and other school activities.

Assessments

Schools can apply for limited funds to subsidise assessments of students’ learning by psychologists and speech pathologists.  Funds are available where there is a demonstrated need and where the family requires financial support.

Process

Applications are reviewed by an eligibility panel that include a psychologist, speech therapist, hearing expert, occupational therapist and other experts. Applications for students with vision impairment are reviewed in consultation with the Education Vision Assessment Clinic. 

A Special Education Committee, comprising AISV Board Members and representatives from schools who have expertise in disability, makes recommendations to the AISV Board about the allocation of funds.

Australian Government funding also supports schools and their programs with staff professional development programs.

Click here for additional information relating to meeting the needs of students with disabilities.

Special Education – Per Capita

AISV administers Special Education – Per Capita funding on behalf of the Australian Government. Schools receive additional funding for every child identified on the Australian Government’s annual Census of Non-Government Schools as having a Commonwealth-defined disability. Commonwealth-defined disabilities are those disabilities for which students can receive funding under the Special Education element of the Australian Government’s Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs Program. In 2006, schools received $778 per eligible student.

Special Education – Per Capita funding is a form of general recurrent funding and can be used by schools for any aspect of recurrent expenditure. Funding is automatically allocated to schools following completion of the Census.

Government Programs

Country areas

ESL – new arrivals

Funding application deadlines

Languages

Literacy & numeracy

Student wellbeing

Special education

State support services

AGQTP

VET

VIS BGA