The Department of Education provides an array of services to support the educational needs of school age students with disability in primary schools, secondary schools & special schools.

All primary & secondary schools in Townsville either have a special education program or are part of a cluster whereby the special education program may support a number of students across a number of schools.

A school’s special education program is dedicated to supporting the educational needs of students with disability to access, participate, & achieve at school.  The program is a cluster of resources involving specialist teachers, teacher aides, & guidance officers.

Specialist teachers work collaboratively with classroom teachers to deliver programs to students with hearing, vision, physical, intellectual, speech-language impairments of Autism Spectrum Disorder who are undertaking all or part of their study in regular classrooms.

Special Schools:

For the purpose of enrolment in State special schools, the Minister’s policy states that the person must meet the following criteria:

• The person has a disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA)
• The person has a severe disability which includes an intellectual disability
• The person is unlikely to attain the levels of development of which the person is capable unless the person receives special education
• The person’s educational program is best delivered in a special school taking into account the appropriateness of this placement for the individual concerned.

s. 165(2), Education (General Provisions) Act 2006

For further information – visit the Dept of Education website: https://education.qld.gov.au/