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Disability Education and Employment News:Vol 2 No 21 - Friday, 22nd December 2006 |
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Enhancing post secondary education, training and employment opportunities for people with a disability RDLO & DCOs National Website |
Compiled by Timothy Hart DCO for Northern, Central and Southern Sydney |
To return to the DCO Disability Newsletter Archive Page go to http://www.cdds.med.usyd.edu.au/dco/newsletter or click here
Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for 2007
In this the final Disability Education and Employment News for 2006 there are items on the new Education Standards Website, the new Mature Study Resource Website, two new Scholarships, new conferences for 2007 and a range of new resources. Plus information on a heap of New Resources, Conferences and Workshops, News articles and other information for the Disability Education and Employment Sectors.
Please distribute the Newsletter to those that you think would be interested in it.
If you have a Resource, a Scholarship, Workshop, Conference, an Event or any other information that is Disability Education or Employment related and you wish to promote it here please e-mail me at thart@med.usyd.edu.au
For information on subscribing, please go to the end of the newsletter.
Calls for Expressions of Interest and Input
Education News:
Labor's chance to fix flaws
Gavin Moodie December 20, 2006
NEW federal Labor leader Kevin Rudd and Stephen Smith, the Opposition spokesman on education and training, are keen to make their mark in higher education. They are fortunate in being able to build on Labor's substantial white paper on higher education, research and innovation, which was generally well received when it was issued by former education spokeswoman Jenny Macklin last July.
As well, Rudd's interest in new federalism opens up an opportunity to address some longstanding problems in education and training, a portfolio that is probably second only to health in terms of the quantity, size and complexity of tangled federal-state relations. Broadly, the federal government subsidises private schools while the states are left with most of the responsibility for funding public schools, where the commonwealth is seeking increasing involvement.
The states provide almost three-quarters of government funding for vocational education and training but the commonwealth allocates them 100 per cent of the blame for claimed deficiencies while seeking to lever its minority funding into majority control over the sector.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20953286-12332,00.html
Students face fee hike in review
Samantha Maiden, Political correspondent December 20, 2006
STUDENTS could be forced to pay more for degrees in physiotherapy, teaching and nursing following a new commonwealth review of university funding.
As vice-chancellors warned that the federal Government must consider removing the cap on students' university HECS fees if it failed to boost taxpayer funding in the May budget, Education Minister Julie Bishop yesterday unveiled a review of the sector.
It will examine changes introduced by Ms Bishop's predecessor, Brendan Nelson, in 2003 which fund university degrees by subject groupings.
There have been complaints that the system leaves degrees such as physiotherapy, nursing and education underfunded.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20955656-2702,00.html
Funding shakeout now inevitable
Dorothy Illing December 20, 2006
A SHAKEOUT of the system for allocating more than $3 billion a year to universities is inevitable after Education Minister Julie Bishop announced a review of the Howard Government's 2003 higher education reforms.
In the traditional pre-Christmas run of announcements, she also revealed yesterday that the Government has earmarked $87million for a separate exercise, the controversial research quality framework.
The RQF announcement came as her department told universities it had brought forward the staff census date for the RQF to curb gaming behaviour by institutions. "The department has received strong anecdotal evidence that the date is causing last-minute gaming where institutions are fending off poaching raids on their academic staff," Department of Education, Science and Training branch manager Leanne Harvey said in a memo obtained by the HES.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20954291-12332,00.html
HECS generous, says Government
December 18, 2006 11:17am
THE HECS was one of the most generous in the world, Treasurer Peter Costello said today after Labor branded debt levels a national disgrace.
Mr Costello said tertiary students who had a HECS (Higher Education Contribution Scheme) place paid a quarter of the cost of their degrees, with the Government covering the rest.remainder.
"Bear in mind that the student's HECS fee is not the cost of the place," he said on ABC radio.
"I am sure if you're a student and you're looking at that fee, it looks like a big fee.
"But what I would say to you is that it's interest-free and it's only payable once you get back into the workforce."
Mr Costello said university students in the US forked out $US100,000 ($128,000) a year and had to rely on banks to lend them the money.
If you compare this system (HECS) with other systems around the world, it is a much more generous system," he said.
Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd has pledged to cut the cost of university education, saying the level of student debt is a national disgrace.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20941697-1702,00.html
Uni fees must fall: Rudd
Samantha Maiden and Jo Pritchard
December 18, 2006
KEVIN Rudd will pledge to slash university fees for students, warning that the nation's $13 billion HECS debt is "out of control".
Confirming the Labor Party will announce new measures to offer students relief from HECS fees and boost student income support, the Labor leader said yesterday he was concerned that students were being forced to take on "two or three" part-time jobs to get through university.
Labor is considering HECS relief for professions including veterinary surgeons, doctors who become specialists in regional hospitals, teachers in areas of skills shortages, including mathematics, science and technology and in schools classified as disadvantaged, remote or regional.
And one option outlined in the ALP's white paper on universities includes an across-the-board HECS cut for all students, on the grounds their contributions have risen from 20 per cent to 40 per cent of the cost of a degree over the past decade.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20943948-2702,00.html
Rudd targets HECS burden
December 17, 2006
FEDERAL Labor will look at ways to relieve HECS debts and improve income support for tertiary students as part of plans to make Australia the world's "best educated country".
After meeting vice-chancellors and chancellors at the University of Western Australia in Perth today, Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd said it was time to lift public investment in higher education.
"The rest of the world is investing more in education, skills and training, but public investment by the Howard Government is instead going backwards," Mr Rudd said.
"We need to change direction on this."
He said it was time for Australia to become a "knowledge nation" so its economy was no longer held captive to the ebb and flow of the resources sector.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20941879-12332,00.html
Poverty 'forces students into black market'
Doing it tough: Alex's study timetable allowed her no time to work, and she did not qualify for an allowance — until her parents separated.
Caught in a flawed system
Adam Morton
December 16, 2006
STUDENT poverty has an image problem. According to Educational Policy Institute director Ian Dobson, it is a battle persuading people that it exists.
"Nobody really gives a stuff about students because they are not perceived as victims," he says.
Yet the National Union of Students cites research suggesting that 60 per cent of Australian university students live below the poverty line — $17,339 a year for a single person without children.
And about 35,000 fewer students are receiving welfare than two years ago, according to the annual report of the federal Education Department.
Why? The buoyant job market is believed to have cut the number of students on Austudy — for those 25 and older — as more stay in the workforce. But no one suggests the decline in students on Youth Allowance — for 16-to-24-year-olds — is because they are suddenly swimming in cash.
For the rest of the article go to
Rudd wants more quality in education
PAUL STARICK, CHIEF REPORTER
December 15, 2006 12:15am
OPPOSITION Leader Kevin Rudd wants to give education a harder edge by introducing tougher scrutiny of quality.
In an interview with The Advertiser yesterday, Mr Rudd said a Labor government would pump more money into the education system.
That, however, would be coupled with "rigour in quality standards to make sure these funds are being properly invested with outcomes we can measure".
"I don't think people like a whole lot of money being thrown at a project, particularly an important national project like this, without having a guarantee it makes a difference at the end," Mr Rudd said.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,20929784-5006301,00.html
Private schools call for more funding for disabled students
There is renewed debate in Tasmania about how much money the state and federal governments should spend to support disabled students in private schools.
The Association of Independent Schools of Tasmania (AIST) wants the governments to provide the same amount of money for each child with a disability, regardless of where the child goes to school.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200612/s1809354.htm
Demand for uni places rebounds
Brendan O'Keefe
December 06, 2006
APPLICATIONS for university places have turned around after two years of dramatic falls during which institutions were unable to fill thousands of funded places, new figures from the Department of Education, Science and Training show.
State tertiary admissions centres have received 206,099 on-time applications for next year, a 1.5per cent increase on last year.
Applications numbered 217,077 in 2004 but fell to 208,530 in 2005 and fell again to 203,049 for 2006 places.
But the 2007 round suggests a recovery. Education Minister Julie Bishop said she was pleased with the figures, particularly by a 3.8per cent nationwide increase in applications from school-leavers.
Leading the nation was Tasmania, home of the only university not to increase HECS/HELP fees. The state enjoyed a 28.8per cent increase in demand over last year's equivalent figures, though from a smaller base than the other states.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20878131-12332,00.html
US uni open for Australian students
By Lisa Macnamara
December 02, 2006 12:00am
CASHED-UP students will be able to study at top American universities while living at home as a growing number of US institutions look to establish campuses in Australia.
A third US university will offer courses to local fee-paying students next year and experts predict more are on the way to tap into Australia's lucrative domestic market.
Christopher Hopey, vice-president at Northeastern University - the fourth largest private campus in the US - believes American education providers are also attracted to Australia's large international student base.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20854961-421,00.html
Top unis demand right to set own fees
December 1, 2006 - 6:04AM
Top universities are calling on the federal government to deregulate their fees so they can charge what they like, to stop them losing ground to private sector colleges.
"Ministers fear a public backlash should fees rise," Melbourne University vice-chancellor Professor Glyn Davis said in a lecture at Adelaide's Flinders University, Fairfax reports.
For the rest of the article go to
Academics prove disability no bar to achievement
Brendan O'Keefe
November 29, 2006
IN the 36 years since he decided to study labour law, Ron McCallum has gone to the top of the field in Australia.
He has been a teacher, an adviser to governments and world bodies, and is dean of law at the University of Sydney. And he and his wife, Sydney law faculty associate professor Mary Crock, have reared three children.
All good achievements, but they are made more remarkable by the fact that McCallum has been blind since he was only a few hours old.
Universities have accommodated disabled staff with extras such as specially adapted computers, flexible timetabling and counselling.
In the lead-up to International Day of People with a Disability on Saturday, McCallum and University of Western Sydney social science academic Meg Smith have described how their disabilities affect their outlook, family lives and careers.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20838129-12332,00.html
Handling of ADHD students criticised
Richard Sproull
November 27, 2006
SCHOOLS could be failing students suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder by treating them as backward, when a focus on their academic and social needs could wean them off their dependence on medication.
Sufferers of ADHD - the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorder among school-aged children in Australia - say teachers were often "quite condescending", treating them like toddlers or primary school students requiring remedial education.
The first study of its kind in Australia, which is to be included in Brenton Prosser's new book Seeing Red, found those students receiving traditional treatments deal with the disorder through school and adult life by relying purely on medication.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20826701-23289,00.html
Students so poor they eat own work
Harriet Alexander, Higher Education Reporter
November 25, 2006
TAFE students are so poor that students at one college ate the cakes they had been set to bake as an assessment task before the teachers could mark them, an inquiry has found.
The TAFE inquiry found that students were dropping out of courses because they could not afford the fees, accommodation and travel, at the same time Australia is facing a skills shortage.
Meanwhile, 70 per cent of TAFE teachers were not permanent, and their average age was over 50, meaning the profession will face a critical shortage within five years.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/students-so-poor-they-eat-own-work/2006/11/24/1164341400995.html
Employment News:
Skills shortages hurting industry
Philip Hopkins
December 20, 2006
LABOUR shortages are taking their toll on Victorian employers in lower productivity and by affecting the wider economy, according to the state's peak employer group.
A Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) survey found that more than half of the businesses surveyed (58 per cent) felt skills shortages were restricting productivity, with 10.7 per cent reporting a very negative impact.
The survey comes as studies show Victoria is facing a big shortage of skills. Department of Employment and Workplace Relations projections show that by 2010, Victoria will be 50,000 workers short because of the ageing population.
VECCI chief executive Neil Coulson said if workers retired at the current rate, most of the 3.7 million baby boomers in the 10.2 million workforce might retire. Labour force participation declined sharply with age.
"It is expected that baby boomer retirement patterns over the next 15 years will see the Australian workforce grow by only 57,000 per year for the whole decade of 2020," he said. "This compares with an estimated 175,000 new entrants to the workforce currently per year."
For the rest of the article go to
On the Job, Learning Disabilities Can Often Hide in Plain Sight
Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times
By EILENE ZIMMERMAN
Published: December 17, 2006
When Donna Flagg was growing up in suburban New Jersey, she struggled through reading and math in school and had trouble following directions. It was not until she took a college course from an instructor who was dyslexic — and who sensed that Ms. Flagg might also have a learning disability — that she discovered she had a form of dyslexia. The disability affects her brain’s ability to process what her eyes see.
“If I could be tested verbally, or if we could talk about the chapters I’d read, I performed well,” said Ms. Flagg, 42. “If I can put a sound to something, I’m fine. But if I read something only with my eyes, it doesn’t sufficiently register.”
When she got her first job as a sales representative for Chanel in Manhattan in the late 1980s, Ms. Flagg kept quiet about her disability. She phoned her father frequently for help with sales-related math and closed the office door to talk out loud.
Her decision to work around, rather than reveal, her disability is common. Lynda Price, an associate professor of special education at Temple University, estimates that as many as one in 10 adults may have a learning disability and that the vast majority conceals it from workplace supervisors. “They are afraid their co-workers will think they are mentally retarded or that their employer will fire them,” she said.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/17/jobs/17disabled.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Delivering employment to the disabled
By Peter Gibilisco - posted Wednesday, 22 November 2006 Sign Up for free e-mail updates!
I would like to explore what is essential for the societal inclusion and employment of people with disabilities in western societies, like Australia. What measures that can be imposed on people with disabilities to more fully deliver the basic human rights of societal inclusion and employment?
In the contemporary era, pragmatic social democracy is best represented in the Australian context by the work of Hugh Stretton. This is challenged by the emergence of neo-liberalism and the third way. Neo-liberalism is a political economic theory and practice that emerged in the 1960s, and has increased in prominence at the policy level since the 1980s.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=5140
Welfare News:
Pension rules scare disabled out of job hunt
Adele Horin
December 21, 2006
DISABILITY pensioners are too scared to look for a job because they could lose their pensions and be put on the lower unemployment benefit - contrary to government assurances - a major disability agency says.
It accused the Federal Government of having broken its promise to exempt tens of thousands of disability support pensioners from new welfare-to-work rules.
The peak body for disability employment agencies, ACE, said disability pensioners who thought they were exempt from the changes have found they are subject to automatic reviews of their pension eligibility if they volunteer to look for a job.
For the rest of the article go to
Conferences and Workshops:
INTERNATIONAL
23rd Annual Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities
March 12-14, 2007
Sheraton Waikiki Hotel & Resort
Call for Papers and Registration Now Open
Building on the overwhelmingly positive outcomes of the 22nd Annual Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities, we invite you to mark your calendar now and plan on joining us for the 23rd Annual Conference taking place March 12-13, 2007.
Please visit the website at http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu and click on the link for the Call for Papers for complete details.
Registration is also open and you can take advantage of Early Bird pricing by registering now. Visit the website at http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu and click on the link for Registration.
There are opportunities for you and your organization to Exhibit, Advertise, provide Sponsorship, and even donate to our annual Silent Auction. Check out the website at http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu for more details or contact us directly at prinfo@hawaii.edu or by phone at 808-956-7539
NATIONAL CONFERENCES
Autism Spectrum Disorders - When & Where
Royal Pines Resort - Gold Coast - 14th to 16th March 2007
The website can be found at
http://www.astmanagement.com.au/autism7/Details.htm
AACC National Conference
The Australian Association of Career Counsellors (AACC) will hold their National Conference from 11-13 April 2007 at the Sheraton Hotel Perth. The conference will focus on the theme of 'journeys' and will have four key strands: strategic leadership, policy practitioners, training cultural diversity and public policy research. For more information visit the AACC website at http://www.aacc.org.au/
Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities National Conference
Submissions of abstracts are invited for the 2007 Round Table National Conference being held from Saturday 5th May to Tuesday 8th May 2007 at the Chifley Hotel, Adelaide, South Australia.
If you are interested in presenting at the Conference you must submit an abstract of approximately 200 words by Friday, 2nd February 2007.
The conference Theme is "Print Disability: Developing Individual Lifestyles in a Technological Age."
Conference Aims
* To share information about the latest developments in research, and technology and its relationship to lifestyle choices;
* To promote the role of technology within the print disability sector;
* To showcase examples of best practice in the provision of access to technology by people with a print disability;
* To illustrate examples of improved service provision to people with print disabilities outside the traditional print disability sectors;
* To exchange ideas and enhance peer support networks;
* To think strategically about the future
The Round Table Web Site is http://www.e-bility.com/roundtable/ Follow the link under "National Conference"
To receive the Call for Papers in an alternative format or to obtain further information please contact the Conference Convenor Di Francis Tel +61 8 8223 6222 Fax +61 8 8223 7836 Email dfrancis@rsb.org.au
Doing It Better Learning Disabilities Forum
May 14th & 15th 2007,
Storey Hall at RMIT University's City Campus.
All information can be accessed via www.latrobe.edu.au/equity/LDForum.htm and the registration form can be downloaded from this site.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Colleen Ray at C.Ray@latrobe.edu.au
Please join us - and pool our concerns, experiences and ideas for 'Doing it Better'!
Conference of Aus & NZ Educators of the Deaf ‘Down Under and Leading the World’
Hobart July 6-8 2007
Hosted by National Association of Australian Teachers of the Deaf (Inc)
To submit contact details & interest in participating contact Gwen Colloff, Conference Project Officer- gcolloff@aapt.net.au
For more Information, visit our website- www.anzced2007.com.au
Inclusive Learning Technologies® Conference 2008
May 12th to 15th, 2008
Marriott Hotel in Surfers Paradise in Queensland
Keynote Presenters: Dr. Caroline Musselwhite and Kelly Fonner
What is the Inclusive Learning Technologies® Conference 2008 about?
This conference (hosted by Spectronics) focuses specifically on “inclusive learning technologies” - those technologies designed to support people with disabilities and/or learning difficulties. It includes sessions looking at these technologies in the following three different interest streams:
For more information go to http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/library.asp?article=24282
SA EVENTS
Two day presentation by Dr Isabelle Henault
Autism SA will be hosting a two day presentation by Dr Isabelle Henault in 2007. The dates are Thursday 19th and Friday 20th April 2007 and the venue is the Sunnybrae Function Centre in Regency Park. Full details will be circulated in due course.
Registrations of interest in attending may be sent to kzander@autismsa.org.au
Dr Isabelle Hénault
Dr Isabelle Hénault, is a psychologist from the University of Québec at Montréal, Canada. Her practice and studies have focused on providing diagnosis, education and support to children, adolescents, adults and couples living with Asperger's syndrome. Dr. Hénault has developed a relationships and sex education program, and works with individuals and groups to increase their understanding of sexuality, and conducts relationship counselling. She is presently collaborating on numerous international research initiatives involving socio-sexual education and interpersonal relationships. Dr. Hénault is the author of Asperger's Syndrome and Sexuality: From Adolescence through Adulthood, published by Jessica Kingsley Publisher, UK.
ACT EVENTS
ACT Post School Options Expo - Pathways for Students with a Disability
Tuesday 22 May 2007 - Please mark your calendars
The aim of the Expo is to provide Year 9-12 students with a disability, their parents, carers and teachers with appropriate and timely information and advice about transition planning, further education, employment and community participation options that are available in the ACT post school. Information will include:
Transition Planning
Advocacy and Information Services
Career Pathways
Employment Support Services
Further Education and Training
Life Skills and Community Access Services
Funding Eligibility
Please mark your calendars – more details to following in the coming months.
If you would like to be involved in planning the Expo, please contact: Liz Kinloch,
Disability Coordination Office – Canberra & region 6207-4900 dco@disabilitycoordinationoffice.com.au
NSW EVENTS
ACROD NSW Annual Conference 2007: Disability Services ~ What’s Next??
19 – 20 February 2007, Novotel Brighton-Le Sands, Sydney
What will 2007 hold for the Disability Services Sector in NSW? And how can we as a vibrant, progressive industry thrive?
Download Program & Registration Form http://www.acrodnsw.net/Conferences/2007annual/NSW07stateConference.pdf
Enquiries: Damien Anderson, Deputy Executive Officer, ACROD NSW Division
Phone: 02 9503 1602 Email: damien@acrodnsw.net
Locked Bag 535, Kingsgrove NSW 2208
Website: www.acrodnsw.net
Enhancing the Links
A Free Information Seminar for Education Staff and Disability Service Providers
Enhancing Education and Employment Opportunities for People with a Disability
Date: Thursday, 29 March 2007
Venue: Freshwater High School
Contact Timothy Hart E-mail: thart@med.usyd.edu.au or Phone: 02 8878 0514 for more information.
Including Students with Impaired Hearing: A Seminar for Mainstream Teachers
When: Friday 23 February and Friday 9 March
Presented by: staff from Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, Student Support Services
Fee: $120
For more information go to http://www.ridbc.org.au/renwick/courses/continuinged_calendar.asp#hi
New Resources:
myQuiz
myQuiz is a series of multimedia learning objects accessible from the myfuture website. The series has been developed to assist career practitioners engage young people in career development and planning. You play the myQuiz activities to help you learn about what you need to do when looking for a job or exploring your favourite career ideas.
http://www.myfuture.edu.au/articles/redirect.asp?articleID=2055
DVD: Beyond Expectations – Profiling People with a Disability in Employment
This pilot DVD was created by the TAFE NSW Disability Programs Unit and contains is a series of video profiles of people with a range of disabilities, who are making their mark in the workforce. It is available to view this online at:
https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/media/downloads/communityed/disabilityacces/beyondexpvideos/index.html
Skills for the Future
23/10/2006 - http://www.dest.gov.au/skillsforthefuture
Thinking about your future? A range of programmes and incentives are now available to help you make the right choice for your career. Visit Skills for the Future for more information.
Deaf Studies Program
Griffith University announces its Deaf Studies Program: seven videos for resources and activities, curriculum, teachers’ guide, CD-ROM of activities.
Very useful for staff development programs; especially some of the videos. A MUST for every library! J PowerPoint presentation at: http://www.griffith.edu.au//centre/casd/ and follow the links.
Enquiries: Des Power, d.power@griffith.edu.au
Available from Deafness Resources Australia in Sydney: dra@aceinfo.net.au , 1800 555 201 (Voice), 1800 555 203 (TTY), (02) 9895 2972 (Fax)
Centrelink - 'Are you ill, injured or do you have a disability?' Booklet:
This booklet provides information about payments and services you may be able to get if you have an illness, injury or disability. It contains details about qualifications for each payment, how to claim payments from Centrelink as well as other services and programs that may help you.
Download 'Are you ill, injured or do you have a disability?' Booklet [32 pages, PDF: 1280KB] from http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/filestores/id001_0607/$file/id001_0607en.pdf
Download 'Are you ill, injured or do you have a disability?' Booklet [29 pages, RTF: 210KB] from http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/filestores/id001_0607/$file/id001_0607en.rtf
New Websites:
First in the Family: Advice About College (An interesting American website)
This Web site from What Kids Can Do features straight-up, practical advice from first-generation students who have made it to college, including videos and other testimonials. The site also includes facts, tips, planning checklists, and other resources.
http://www.firstinthefamily.org/
Disability Services OHS Website Goes Live
The nation’s first website dedicated to occupational health and safety in the disability services sector is now available online.
ACROD NSW, in partnership with WorkCover NSW and the NSW Department of Ageing Disability and Home Care (DADHC) developed the site as part of the year-long Disability Services Occupational Health and Safety Project (DSOP). The website can be found at http://www.acrodnsw.net/DSOP/index.html and associated Project Report at http://www.acrodnsw.net/DSOP/papers/DSOHSPreport2006.pdf
Dyslexia – How to Win:
The definitions of dyslexia are many and varied. Some experts spend much of their time arguing over the exact definition of “dyslexia” when what is important is being able to help kids who are failing or behind in literacy.
The label “Learning Difficulty” implies impairment or disability, whereas Dawn Matthews concludes that most dyslexic children and adults are, in fact, much more able than their peers in many aspects of learning and working. It is just that dyslexics are a minority within the education system and are so often forced to learn in the same way as the majority.
You can download Dawn Matthews’ books and information on related learning difficulties from her website:
http://www.dyslexia-testing.com.au
RDLO-DCO Resources http://www.adcet.edu.au/rdco
Education Standards Website
The website has been designed to help users understand important parts of the DDA Education Standards. Whether you are a person with a disability, an associate of a person with a disability, or a person involved in the delivery of education, this website will help you understand some important parts of the DDA Education Standards. It does not cover the full detail of the DDA Education Standards, just the more important parts of the Standards.
http://www.ddaedustandards.info/
Mature Study Resource www.maturestudy.unisa.edu.au
The mature study website is designed for mature age people with disabilities and/or medical conditions considering tertiary education at TAFE, university or Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). The website provides information on all aspects of tertiary study in Australia including:
For more information go to www.maturestudy.unisa.edu.au
Low cost/no cost Adaptive Technology guide for people with disabilities
The low cost / no cost Adaptive Technology information pack was developed in conjunction with the Assistive Technology Forums held in Victoria in 2006 facilitated by the RDLO/DCO programs.
The resource can be downloaded from
http://www.adcet.edu.au/Uploads/Documents/OnlineLow_NoCostAT_Guide.doc
School to Post-School Transition Resources
http://www.adcet.edu.au/rdco/ViewFAQDetail.aspx?itemID=567 (Opens up a Word document with hyperlinks to resources).
Features information about a range of transition related resources currently in use in Australia. The majority of the resources listed here have been developed or are used by members of the national network of Regional Disability Liaison Officers and Disability Coordination Officers throughout Australia.
Transition: Supporting Students into Post-Secondary Education
http://www.adcet.edu.au/rdco/ViewFAQDetail.aspx?itemID=62
Students with disabilities in transition require everything that other students in transition need including.......
Learning Experiences of Students with a Learning Disability
http://www.adcet.edu.au/Uploads/Documents/disability-project-report.pdf [pdf: 295 kilobytes]
This study aims to increase awareness and understanding of the needs of The University of Nottingham students who have a disability. The project is a qualitative investigation using in-depth interviews, work 'shadowing', and video recordings of a 'day in the life of' a number of selected students. Interview and video data will be used (with student consent) to develop high quality, training materials for a variety of contexts.
Latest apprentice and trainee statistics released
The June 2006 quarter apprentice and trainee statistics are now available. Further information is available from the 'Australian vocational education and training statistics: Apprentices and trainees, June quarter 2006 - Summary'.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1728.html
Training relevant to jobs: National VET student survey
Almost three quarters of graduates who undertook training in 2005 reported their training was highly or somewhat relevant to their current job, according to the results of the annual Student Outcomes Survey. The Survey, published by NCVER, serves as a national report card for the outcomes from vocational education and training. Further information is available from the 'Australian vocational education and training statistics: Student outcomes 2006 - Summary'.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1719.html
Vocational education and training, health and wellbeing: Is there a relationship?
John Stanwick, Koon Ong, Tom Karmel
The relationship between education, including vocational education and training (VET), and measures of health and wellbeing is explored in this report. Previous research in the area indicates that the relationship is also influenced by intermediary variables such as income. This report uses the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics Australia (HILDA) data to examine the relationship between education and physical and mental health, and interviews with practitioners.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1716.html
Preparing Youth for Careers, Lifelong Learning, and Civic Participation: Principles and Characteristics of Six Leading U.S. Youth Development Programs (2006)
This report from the American Youth Policy Forum is designed for practitioners in both the public and non-governmental sectors who design and implement youth employment and youth development programs, the policymakers who support them, and others who wish to 1) learn more about principles and characteristics of leading youth development programs in the U.S., and 2) identify components or entire programs which may be transferable or applicable to other countries and additional communities in the U.S. Available in PDF (48 pages, 780 KB).
http://www.aypf.org/publications/PrearingYouthforCareersLifelongLearningandCivicParticipation.pdf
Calls for Expressions of Interest and Input:
Lupus Survey
You are invited to help the Lupus Association of NSW by completing this survey. The survey is based on knowledge of lupus in the general public. It is expected that the results of this study will enable the Lupus Association to promote knowledge of lupus to the public more effectively and therefore raise awareness
Although the survey is anonymous any information gathered will be kept strictly confidential and abide by the Lupus Associations privacy policy
Your help in completing this survey would be greatly appreciated
The link to the survey is:
www.webpoll.org/guest/LupusNSW.htm
Alternately if you would like a paper copy of the survey to complete please contact the Lupus Association to request a copy
For more information, contact info@lupusnsw.org.au or contact Sally on 0402 686 852
National Career Development Week
National Career Development Week will be celebrated from 4th to 10th June 2007.
The week will promote awareness of career development and emphasise the need for all Australians to develop skills to manage their own careers. National Career Development Week is expected to attract a wide range of participants including individuals, education and training providers, employers, industry associations and other relevant bodies.
DEST has funded the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) to manage and promote National Career Development Week, and to develop resources to assist local organisations and individuals to hold relevant events.
More information on National Career Development Week will be available from November 2006.
If you wish to be placed on a contact list for email updates, please contact Alison Irwin on (02) 6240 9790 or at alison.irwin@dest.gov.au Addresses on this list are collected for the sole purpose of providing updates on National Career Development Week and will not be passed to anyone else without your consent. You will be removed from the list upon request.
Call for disability journal articles/material
ANSWD is revamping/updating its website.
One of the new features of the website will be an online library. Ideally this will become a useful tool both for students and academics in disability studies. ANSWD is asking everyone who has published in journals or online - to add your work to this online library. You can forward pdfs, ms word documents, power point presentations - or simply links to valuable resources at other websites to craig.andrews@pdcnsw.org.au
Jobs:
Sign Language Interpreter
Disability Information and Support, Student Services
University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Applications are invited to apply for the position of Sign Language Interpreter - Disability Information and Support.
The position is full-time.
The Sign Language Interpreter will provide, and coordinate where appropriate, a sign language interpreting service to Deaf Students attending Otago University. The Sign Language Interpreter provides the communication link between Deaf and hearing people. Those people may include staff, students or visitors to the university.
The successful applicant would be expected to have a recognised qualification in Sign Language Interpreting, and experience of interpreting in educational settings. They should be a member of the Sign Language Interpreters Association of NZ (or equivalent), have a working knowledge of the SLIANZ Code of Ethics (or equivalent), and the ability to apply the Code of Ethics appropriately in the tertiary education environment. They will also be expected to have an awareness and understanding of Deaf culture and disability issues, a sound understanding of University structure, and excellent organisational and interpersonal skills. They would also need to be able to work flexible hours.
The successful applicant will join a team of 10 staff and a large number of casual workers.
Applications quoting reference number G06/800 close on Wednesday 10th January 2007
The full Job description and Application Information will be on the University website www.otago.ac.nz/vacancies from the 16th of December 2006.
http://www.cdds.med.usyd.edu.au/dco/Scholarships.htm
ACT Government Scholarships for students studying at CIT in 2007
ACT Government Scholarships forms are now available for CIT students who are facing severe financial hardship and would like assistance in Semester 1, 2007. Students wishing to apply need to:
· be permanent residents be enrolled in a CIT program (and have a fee invoice)
· demonstrate a commitment to study
· provide evidence of financial difficulty
Successful applicants are given assistance with their fees and/or textbooks according to their individual situation.
Forms can be collected from CITSA, Counselling and the Equity Dept in A110, Reid or downloaded at http://www.cit.act.edu.au/__data/page/866/ACT_Govt_Scholarship_Application_Form.doc (MS Word 122 KB)
For more information please contact the Counselling and the Equity Department on 6207 73138 or Annette Sharma (Migrant Coordinator & ACT Government Scholarship Coordinator) CIT on 6207 3335
Meetings to assess applications will commence on 25 January 2007. Forms may be lodged before this date only if ALL required information and documentation is attached.
Scholarships to Assist Wheelchair-users to Obtain Tertiary Education in New South Wales: The Gregory and Dolores Farrell Scholarships
The transition from adolescence to adulthood is a particularly difficult time for permanent wheelchair-users. Education is the key to this demanding time and particularly for later independence in our community. It is to be acknowledged that the disabled student has many obstacles to overcome in tertiary education, obstacles not faced by the able-bodied. Further, the costs involved are considerable and variable according to the degree of disability.
Four scholarships, up to the value of $5,000 each, are available for 2007. Go to http://www.spinecarefoundation.org/about/farrell.html for the application forms.
The closing date for applications is 2nd February, 2007. The completed application forms must be returned to The Gregory and Dolores Farrell Scholarship, C/- Northcott, PO Box 4055, Parramatta, NSW 2124, by that date.
Media Releases:
Higher Education Review: What about the Students?
Senator Natasha Stott Despoja
Democrats Senator for South Australia
Australian Democrats spokesperson for Higher Education
The review of the 2003 higher education reforms, announced today by the Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon. Julie Bishop, must examine the impact of reforms such as HECS hikes and the increase in full-fee paying places on students, according to the Australian Democrats.
To view this Press Release, follow this Link
http://www.democrats.org.au/news/index.htm?press_id=5619&display=1
ALP Higher Ed Policy: Fork in the Road?
Senator Natasha Stott Despoja
Democrats Senator for South Australia
Australian Democrats spokesperson for Higher Education
The Australian Labor Party needs a generous and fair higher education policy package to take to the next election, according to the Australian Democrats.
The Australian Democrats have welcomed the Labor Party's commitment to shortly announce new policies to complement their universities White Paper, released earlier this year.
"Labor's White Paper was a step in the right direction but did not go far enough in addressing key issues of indexation of grants to universities, fees for domestic students, and support for student services,"
Democrats Higher Education spokesperson Senator Natasha Stott Despoja said today.
"Treasurer Peter Costello's claim that the HECS is a generous scheme compared to others around the world, and using the United States as a comparison, is disingenuous.
For the rest of this media release go to
http://www.democrats.org.au/news/index.htm?press_id=5616&display=1
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If you wish to have the Disability Education and Employment News e-mail to you please e-mail me at thart@med.usyd.edu.au with “Subscribe Disability Education and Employment News” in the subject line.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the DCO for Northern, Central and Southern Sydney; The Centre for Developmental Disability Studies or The Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training.
The information contained in this newsletter is accurate to the best of our knowledge and No responsibility is taken for its accuracy.
The Disability News Archive can be found at http://www.cdds.med.usyd.edu.au/dco/newsletter/
The Regional Disability Liaison Officers and Disability Coordination Officers programmes are funded by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training.
No 21, Vol 2
Compiled by Timothy Hart the DCO for Northern, Central and Southern Sydney
To return to the DCO Disability Newsletter Archive Page go to http://www.cdds.med.usyd.edu.au/dco/newsletter or click here