Every Day Matters: Reducing School Non-Attendance in Autistic Students. Autistic children miss one day a week of school, three times more than their peers. This significantly impacts their learning, wellbeing and later, their vocational outcomes. This project aims to identify the factors that put autistic children at increased risk of missing school and map the supports and interventions used to reduce school non-attendance. Expected outcomes include an autism-specific model of the how and why s ....Every Day Matters: Reducing School Non-Attendance in Autistic Students. Autistic children miss one day a week of school, three times more than their peers. This significantly impacts their learning, wellbeing and later, their vocational outcomes. This project aims to identify the factors that put autistic children at increased risk of missing school and map the supports and interventions used to reduce school non-attendance. Expected outcomes include an autism-specific model of the how and why school non-attendance is elevated for autistic students. It is anticipated that this model make the important step of enabling teachers and professionals to identify which autistic children are most at risk of absenteeism and select the best strategies to support a positive and beneficial return to school.Read moreRead less
3D Printed Food for People with Swallowing Disability. This project aims to identify ways that 3D food printing (additive manufacturing using real food in a device like a ink-jet printer) could be used to improve the visual appeal of puree meals for people with swallowing difficulty, who make up ~8% of the world's population. This study will be the first to include people with swallowing disability (e.g., related to cerebral palsy, stroke, older age) and their supporters in examining the views a ....3D Printed Food for People with Swallowing Disability. This project aims to identify ways that 3D food printing (additive manufacturing using real food in a device like a ink-jet printer) could be used to improve the visual appeal of puree meals for people with swallowing difficulty, who make up ~8% of the world's population. This study will be the first to include people with swallowing disability (e.g., related to cerebral palsy, stroke, older age) and their supporters in examining the views and experiences of stakeholders on the impact of 3D food printing on quality of life, enjoyment, participation, and safety. Outcomes include new knowledge on factors affecting the implementation of 3D food printing in disability and aged care services, to inform policy, practice, and future research.Read moreRead less
Social outcomes, behaviour and emotional well-being of adults with autism. It is recognised that autism results in substantial life-long disability. Severe emotional and behavioural problems are likely to be a key factor in precluding adults with autism from work, independent living, social contact, and undermine their quality of life, thus increasing support needs. This project aims to address a major gap in our current knowledge - the association between severe emotional and behavioural proble ....Social outcomes, behaviour and emotional well-being of adults with autism. It is recognised that autism results in substantial life-long disability. Severe emotional and behavioural problems are likely to be a key factor in precluding adults with autism from work, independent living, social contact, and undermine their quality of life, thus increasing support needs. This project aims to address a major gap in our current knowledge - the association between severe emotional and behavioural problems in adults with autism and social outcomes. Identification of markers of adult outcomes aims to lead to an improved understanding of the pathways to better social outcomes, facilitating the development of specific interventions to provide much needed improvements in outcomes for adults with autism.Read moreRead less
Engaging Outsiders in Sport: Transforming Sport Event Legacy Planning . The project aims to investigate intersectional inequities in sport participation for girls, women and non-binary people in Queensland by working with them to envision legacies for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Using a co-creation approach this project expects to identify how and what benefits can be achieved through legacy planning that engages with end-users who have historically been marginalised in sport. In doin ....Engaging Outsiders in Sport: Transforming Sport Event Legacy Planning . The project aims to investigate intersectional inequities in sport participation for girls, women and non-binary people in Queensland by working with them to envision legacies for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Using a co-creation approach this project expects to identify how and what benefits can be achieved through legacy planning that engages with end-users who have historically been marginalised in sport. In doing so, the expected outcomes of the project include the development of evidence-based resources to improve engagement in sport and to build capacity and sustain meaningful change for communities and organisations.Read moreRead less
Biodegradable magnesium alloy scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. This project aims to develop a class of porous, biocompatible, biofunctional and biodegradable magnesium alloy scaffolds with designed pore architecture and mechanical properties mimicking those of natural bone for tissue engineering applications. These magnesium alloy scaffolds will be biocompatible, able to bear loads, and will be gradually replaced by natural bone. The outcomes are expected to benefit the ageing population a ....Biodegradable magnesium alloy scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. This project aims to develop a class of porous, biocompatible, biofunctional and biodegradable magnesium alloy scaffolds with designed pore architecture and mechanical properties mimicking those of natural bone for tissue engineering applications. These magnesium alloy scaffolds will be biocompatible, able to bear loads, and will be gradually replaced by natural bone. The outcomes are expected to benefit the ageing population and people with bone abnormalities.Read moreRead less
Realising an 'ordinary life' for people with intellectual disabilities: Developing a theoretical framework for group home outcomes. Explaining why group homes produce variable outcomes for people with intellectual disabilities will make it more likely they live healthy, productive and fulfilling lives. Such outcomes are central to policies of inclusion and fundamental to human rights. The Australian community will be enriched by the inclusion of all people with disabilities and become a more jus ....Realising an 'ordinary life' for people with intellectual disabilities: Developing a theoretical framework for group home outcomes. Explaining why group homes produce variable outcomes for people with intellectual disabilities will make it more likely they live healthy, productive and fulfilling lives. Such outcomes are central to policies of inclusion and fundamental to human rights. The Australian community will be enriched by the inclusion of all people with disabilities and become a more just society. The research will support the translation of social policy into practice and adoption of good management practices. It will enable more effective use of the $2 billion spent on disability accommodation, and will bolster the arguments for community rather than institutional living, demonstrating investment in community services is a sound use of public moneyRead moreRead less
The effect of acquiring a disability in adulthood. This project aims to analyse the effect the acquisition of a disability in adulthood has on subsequent socio-economic circumstances (employment, housing, education, income, social capital, wealth) and wellbeing. Researchers from epidemiology, econometrics and statistics will use longitudinal data to model the patterns of disability and subsequent socio-economic and health circumstances over time. The methods aim to make causal statements and pro ....The effect of acquiring a disability in adulthood. This project aims to analyse the effect the acquisition of a disability in adulthood has on subsequent socio-economic circumstances (employment, housing, education, income, social capital, wealth) and wellbeing. Researchers from epidemiology, econometrics and statistics will use longitudinal data to model the patterns of disability and subsequent socio-economic and health circumstances over time. The methods aim to make causal statements and provide a template for research and evaluation in this field. Outcomes are expected to set priorities for action to improve socio-economic conditions, productivity and health for people with disabilities.Read moreRead less
Left to right is front to back: attentional distortions in near and far space for healthy and clinical populations. We are investigating a perceptual bias that makes people think objects right in front of them are actually slightly to the right but objects far away are slightly to the left. This project will help understand why this happens, to help reduce traffic collisions and help people with brain damage that causes similar perceptual biases.
Developing a disability policy model to target the prevention or reduction of limitations on functioning and wellbeing. With the ageing of Australian society the challenge for public health is shifting from preventing death and disease onset to supporting healthy and productive ageing. The disability policy model will allow cost-effective targeting of interventions to reduce or prevent onset of disability or reduce its severity particularly among older Australians.
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