The efficacy of models for educational service delivery for students with autism spectrum disorders. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of two models of support (Satellite Class and Consultative model) for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in regular schools. This research has significant potential to provide insight into the best ways of supporting children with ASD and improving their educational outcomes.
How schools make decisions about supporting students with disability. How schools make decisions about supporting students with disability. This project aims to examine how schools decide about adjustments for students with disability. More students with disability are enrolled in mainstream schools, and schools take decisions about resourcing to support them. Little is known about how schools make these decisions and data suggest an over-reliance on teacher assistants. This project will develop ....How schools make decisions about supporting students with disability. How schools make decisions about supporting students with disability. This project aims to examine how schools decide about adjustments for students with disability. More students with disability are enrolled in mainstream schools, and schools take decisions about resourcing to support them. Little is known about how schools make these decisions and data suggest an over-reliance on teacher assistants. This project will develop and evaluate a pilot professional learning package to support schools to make better decisions will be developed and evaluated. A better understanding of decision-making processes is expected to help schools make optimal, cost-effective decisions that personalise learning and support.Read moreRead less
Improving academic outcomes by moderating anxiety in children with autism. The project aims to investigate links between anxiety and academic enablers for children with autism. As a group, these children are currently achieving at lower rates than their peers, with implications for their future social and economic wellbeing. Effective interventions to improve educational outcomes are lacking. This project will investigate how anxiety, a commonly occurring condition in autism, impacts attitudes a ....Improving academic outcomes by moderating anxiety in children with autism. The project aims to investigate links between anxiety and academic enablers for children with autism. As a group, these children are currently achieving at lower rates than their peers, with implications for their future social and economic wellbeing. Effective interventions to improve educational outcomes are lacking. This project will investigate how anxiety, a commonly occurring condition in autism, impacts attitudes and behaviours that facilitate students’ participation in and ability to benefit from academic instruction in the classroom. Findings are intended to provide an evidence base for the development of an intervention suitable for use by service providers to increase academic achievement in children with autism.Read moreRead less
Investigating and promoting resilience in children with intellectual disabilities. Disability is a significant risk factor that threatens health and well-being. For the estimated 4% of 0-14 year old children with diagnosed intellectual disabilities in Australia, early intervention is crucial for promoting resilience and preventing an accumulation of risk. By promoting resilience and thereby reducing the cost of lifelong support, evidence-based interventions produce huge social and economic benef ....Investigating and promoting resilience in children with intellectual disabilities. Disability is a significant risk factor that threatens health and well-being. For the estimated 4% of 0-14 year old children with diagnosed intellectual disabilities in Australia, early intervention is crucial for promoting resilience and preventing an accumulation of risk. By promoting resilience and thereby reducing the cost of lifelong support, evidence-based interventions produce huge social and economic benefits for the nation, as well as for individuals, families and communities.Read moreRead less
Constructing futures: an investigation of the aspirations of young adults with an intellectual disability and their parents. This project aims to develop a better understanding of the aspirations for adult life held by young adults with an intellectual disability and their parents. Organisations that provide services to this vulnerable group will use the results to examine current, and guide future, service provision.
School non-attendance in students with intellectual disability. This project aims to develop a better understanding of school non-attendance among children and adolescents with intellectual disability. School non-attendance is a major societal problem – school outcomes are affected by high rates of school non-attendance – and a current national and international priority. In particular, school non-attendance in students with intellectual disability is a common but poorly understood problem. This ....School non-attendance in students with intellectual disability. This project aims to develop a better understanding of school non-attendance among children and adolescents with intellectual disability. School non-attendance is a major societal problem – school outcomes are affected by high rates of school non-attendance – and a current national and international priority. In particular, school non-attendance in students with intellectual disability is a common but poorly understood problem. This project aims to understand the types and rates of school non-attendance problems in students with intellectual disability and the factors that influence non-attendance. Improved understanding of the pathways to non-attendance would facilitate the development of specific interventions to provide much-needed improvements in attendance in this disadvantaged group.Read moreRead less
Does binocular vision training enhance literacy among primary school children with poor reading? One in ten Australian children can not read well despite adequate intelligence and opportunity. This project aims to find out the extent that these reading problems reflect poor binocular vision (the eyes not working well together) and evaluate new treatments.
"I think; therefore I am": Loneliness and neurodevelopmental disorders. This project aims to develop a 3-D animated program for adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) that alters the automatic biases arising from their everyday social communication difficulties (including via social media), which result in negative thought patterns and loneliness. Negative thought patterns, which are arguably the hallmarks of, and causal in, the development of emotional dysfunction are amplified by ...."I think; therefore I am": Loneliness and neurodevelopmental disorders. This project aims to develop a 3-D animated program for adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) that alters the automatic biases arising from their everyday social communication difficulties (including via social media), which result in negative thought patterns and loneliness. Negative thought patterns, which are arguably the hallmarks of, and causal in, the development of emotional dysfunction are amplified by loneliness, and adolescents with NDDs experience significantly greater levels of loneliness. Altering these negative thought patterns via an engaging 3-D animated program offers great potential to improve educational and social-emotional outcomes along with generating economic benefits nationally and internationally.Read moreRead less
Building the numeracy and information and communication technology capability of students with intellectual disabilities. This project investigates strategies to build numeracy and information and communication technology capability among students with intellectual disabilities. It aims to support teachers in mainstream and special education schools as they plan and monitor personalised instruction for their students. The research combines disciplines of special schools, the state Education Depa ....Building the numeracy and information and communication technology capability of students with intellectual disabilities. This project investigates strategies to build numeracy and information and communication technology capability among students with intellectual disabilities. It aims to support teachers in mainstream and special education schools as they plan and monitor personalised instruction for their students. The research combines disciplines of special schools, the state Education Department’s Student Inclusion and Wellbeing Division, and the Assessment Research Centre. The expected outcome is an integrated program of assessment, reporting, curriculum, and instructional advice that promotes inclusive educational practices and seeks to ensure all children have improved opportunities to participate in a technology driven, emerging knowledge economy.Read moreRead less
Comparison of interventions for families from rural communities who have a child with an intellectual disability and problem behaviour. The project comprises two studies. The first aims at evaluating the relative effectiveness of two modes of supporting families from rural areas who have a child with an intellectual disability and problem behaviour. Both modes involve providing the families with written and videotape materials containing advice about how to manage the problem behaviour, but one ....Comparison of interventions for families from rural communities who have a child with an intellectual disability and problem behaviour. The project comprises two studies. The first aims at evaluating the relative effectiveness of two modes of supporting families from rural areas who have a child with an intellectual disability and problem behaviour. Both modes involve providing the families with written and videotape materials containing advice about how to manage the problem behaviour, but one mode also includes the addition of regular telephone calls. The second study focuses on examining the child, parent, practitioner, and contextual variables associated with families being able to benefit from support through the use of the written and videotape materials.Read moreRead less