All students must have opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge, skill and learning outcomes. Provisions that are made for students with disability or special need are underpinned by the Disability Discrimination ACT (1992) and the Disability Standards for Education (2005).
The Disability Discrimination Act
(1992) defines disability to include: physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, neurological or learning disabilities and special needs. It includes physical disfigurement, the presence in the body of a disease-causing organism (eg the HIV virus) and any other chronic or short term illness.
The Disability standards for Education (2005) aim to ensure that: students with disability are able to access and participate in education and training free from discrimination, and on the same basis as other students.
Other special needs may be due to time-limited situations, such sickness, an accident or event in a student’s life (e.g., bereavement, natural disaster, family violence, house fire).
Reasonable adjustments are measures that the education provider may implement to enable a student with a disability or impairment to have comparable learning experiences (including the assessment and certification requirements) of the course or program, and any relevant supplementary course or program, as a student without a disability.
The ACT Senior Secondary Certificate is a qualification that allows the bearer to present themselves as having particular knowledge, experience, and expertise. Note that in Years 11 and 12, reasonable adjustments are only made where the adjustment does not change the academic requirements of a course, and does not omit components that are inherent in, or essential to, the nature of the course. For more information, see the Disability Standards for Education (2005) 3.4.3.
Students, in consultation with their school, may consider a course option that is appropriate to their needs and allows participation. Options available to students include:
- Studying a Modified (M) course if a student has a diagnosed intellectual disability.
- Completing a course of study over 3-5 years; this allows students to reduce the workload across any given semester.
Special consideration may apply to situations where a student's ability to demonstrate achievement is impaired by a circumstance of a short term or temporary basis. In these situations a student could be entitled to one or more of the following:
- alternative assessments
- extensions on submission of work
- sitting assessments at times different to other students
- extra time allowed for assessment items
- an estimated assessment item score for an individual item; 50% or less of the unit can be estimated
- Status grade for a semester or half-semester unit if a student has demonstrated understanding of the unit goals, but due to misadventure has been unable to complete sufficient assessment
In these circumstances a student needs to apply for Special Consideration and must supply appropriate and current documentation to the college.
Where a student's need impacts significantly on their ability to complete assessment items or tasks required as per the unit outline, the student may apply to the college for Special Provisions. This process formally records the circumstance and decision making in accordance with BSSS guidelines.
Examples of special provisions which may be used to support students include (the list below is not exhaustive):
- Technology – use of laptop for writing tasks, voice activated software for students whose disability precludes writing/typing, screen reader or other text-to-voice technology
- Alternative assessment formats – practical tests, oral presentations, electronic forms of presentations, all allow demonstration of knowledge for students who have difficulty in writing
- Assessment conditions - extra time for reading and completing examination papers, extension of assignment due date, use of a separate room for tests
- Assessment supports - signing interpreters, scribe/note taker, built in relief breaks
Note that where a provision or adjustment would omit an essential skill assessed in the course, or present a different academic standard/requirement, this is not a reasonable adjustment.
Alternative assessment is any alteration to the standard form of assessment (examinations and/or assignments) or conditions relating to the assessment.
Alternative assessment seeks to provide equity, not advantage. The same requirements and standards apply to all students; however, it is reasonable that assessment items are adjusted, in a timely fashion, to meet the learning needs of the student.
The purpose of a special provision is to minimise the impact of a student’s disability, illness or misadventure upon their assessment performance. Special provision arrangements should not reduce the validity and reliability of the assessment and must not compromise the integrity of the AST. A special provision must not give one candidate an unfair advantage over other candidates. All students are expected to undertake all components of the AST.
Students should contact the AST Coordinator at their school for information about applying for special provisions.
Students should discuss their needs and eligibility for assistance with the school counsellor and/or the inclusion support team and the AST Coordinator no later than the beginning of the year they will be sitting the AST.
Special provisions application forms comprise of a student application; a confidential college report requiring the principal’s support based on recommendations from the school counsellor or special needs team; and a confidential medical report from the student's health professional with relevant and current documentation.
In some cases, further functional evidence may be required (e.g. a recent handwritten essay). This application MUST be submitted by the due date. (Check this with your AST co-ordinator).
Note: All decisions regarding eligibility for Special Provisions in the AST or eligibility for the Second Sitting are the sole responsibility of the Office of the Board of Senior Secondary Studies and because of the nature of the AST some support given for college assessment may not be relevant/granted for the AST.