“The Australian Curriculum will be among the world’s first curriculum delivered online. …. importantly it will also provide the personal and life skills kids need to be active citizens and positive contributors to our community,” Mr Garrett said.
The next and final stage will involve the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) coordinating the national process where any adjustments, refinements or standards will be addressed by October 2011.
ACARA will consult state and territory authorities, educational stakeholders and the teaching profession during this time.
It is during this consultation period that the needs of students with sensory impairments can be addressed as the ACARA diversity of learners statement, which highlights students with special needs, currently makes no mention of sensory impairments.
Media Access Australia continues to develop initiatives such as the Classroom Access Project and encourages education professionals to acknowledge the importance of access for these students. This is supported by strategies to assist teachers to access captioned educational material, for example through Media Access Australia’s Accessible Education Database.
Top of page