Disability Coordination Office ACT - Negotiating the Maze

CIT and ACT Department of Education and Training (DET) staff can now access each institution's library collections free of charge. This provides access to increased specialist resources for both CIT and Government school teachers, supporting all ACT teachers in their goal to improve learning outcomes for students.

The DET Library is both the Departmental library and the teaching resources centre for schools in the ACT.  There are currently in excess of 22,000 items in the collection available for loan. The CIT Library & Learning Centre collection holds in excess of 65,000 hard copy titles and 300 electronic databases and journals.

For further information about the agreement, please contact, Lynn Fletcher, Institute Librarian (CIT) on 62073378 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

This website has been designed to help students with a disability, their associates and education providers understand important parts of the Disability Discrimination Act Education Standards.

The information is provided in three different ways.

• Plain English
• AUSLAN (Quicktime & Windows Media Player formats)
• Audio format (MP3)

The Auslan and audio versions are also available for podcasting (audio) and vodcasting (video). This is an automated process through which the files are transferred to your computer then into your MP3 player (iPod or other device) for listening and viewing at a later time. 

Visit the website: www.ddaedustandards.info

Download the 16 page A4 booklet  Your right to an education (470.7 KB)

Lyn Loger with Stuart Robins, Damien Tinker and Andrew Skinner

Reaching High tells the story of 14 years’ work in north central Victoria around an innovative approach to literacy. Student participatory approaches are central to a program that caters for students with learning differences, with an annual student-run three-day regional camp as the culmination of that program. This camp brings in adult role models who have, or have had, learning differences, to act as mentors for students. Past student participants now also act as leaders, adult role models and assistants.

The book was launched in December 2006. The book outlines both the theory and community links behind the program as well as how the program's built on the active and strength-based participation of students.

For further information, contact Roger Holdsworth, (03) 9489 9052 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

or visit http://www.geocities.com/rogermhold/Connect/RH.html

A report for the NSW Department of Aging, Disability and Home Care. University of Western Sydney.

Beatriz Cardona, Sharon Chalmers and Brett Neilson / Centre for Cultural Research

Diverse Strategies for Diverse Carers presents the findings of cultural research into the everyday experiences of carers from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and Anglo-Australian backgrounds. The purpose of the study was to increase awareness and understanding of the diversity of caring experiences and the inter-relationship of cultural, socio-economic and gender issues in shaping these experiences.

To read to full report (PDF 196 KB), please visit: http://www.uws.edu.au/download.php?file_id=18052&filename=FINAL_REPORT_JULY.pdf&mimetype=application/pdf

Source: APO Weekly Briefing 17 January 2007 (www.apo.org.au)

Anne Daly / National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling

This paper reviews the literature in three key areas covered by an Australian Research Council grant.

A risk of social exclusion arises when children suffer from multiple disadvantages that make it difficult for them to actively participate in society. While the causes are complex, research suggests that demographic factors such as the age of the parents and family structure, labour market factors including the unemployment rate, and the tax and transfer system are important determinants of the level of child poverty.

To read to full report (PDF 227 KB): http://www.natsem.canberra.edu.au/publications/papers/dps/dp62/dp62.pdf

Source: APO Weekly Briefing 17 January 2007 (www.apo.org.au)

www.dest.gov.au/sectors/training_skills/publications_resources/profiles/
Training_Package_Development_Handbook.htm

The Training Package Development Handbook from the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) has been updated. The Handbook includes information on skill sets and statements of attainment. The November 2006 edition replaces the 2004 Handbook for Training Package Development.

Source: VTE and ACE e-News: Issue 22, 6 - 19 December 2006

edna Groups offers a free space in which not-for-profit and non-commercial organisations involved in the education and training sector and registered training organisations (RTOs) can use a range of tools to facilitate communication and collaboration.

In addition to Groups, education.au has released a new service:

edna Sandpit http://sandpit.edna.edu.au/

The edna sandpit is a place to road-test new and emerging technologies and evaluate their potential to deliver value for education. The sandpit is a free space for anyone in the Australian education and training community to join as a member and create a sandpit Group to further explore applications such as web conferencing, myspace-like social networking applications and podcasting

For more information on the edna Sandpit, go to: http://sandpit.edna.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=270

For more information on edna Groups, go to: www.groups.edna.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=475

Source: VTE and ACE e-News: Issue 22, 6 - 19 December 2006

http://creativecommunity.flexiblelearning.net.au/

This resource kit provides information to assist community organisations with engaging communities through e-learning. The kit includes activities and case studies as well as resources to assist with planning and developing e-learning initiatives and programs in communities and regions.

Source: VTE and ACE e-News: Issue 22, 6 - 19 December 2006

http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1717.html

This guide provides good practice strategies for the establishment of effective partnerships between Adult and Community Education (ACE) and Vocational and Technical Education (VTE) organisations.

Source: VTE and ACE e-News: Issue 22, 6 - 19 December 2006