THE GUIDE WA Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability - Dianella Heights Primary School
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THE GUIDE WA Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
Title: The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with
Disability
ISBN: 978-0-7307-4572-3
SCIS No: 1742969
© 2015 by the Department of Education
This work is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-
Commercial No-Derivatives 3.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
If you wish to reproduce this work in whole or part other than for non-commercial purposes
and without changes please contact the Department of Education.
This material is available on request in appropriate alternative formats.
Department of Education, 151 Royal Street, East Perth, Western Australia 6004
W: education.wa.edu.au
Further information:
Department of Education
You can telephone the Department’s NCCD team on 0477 741 598 or email
DisabilityServicesAndSupport.ProfessionalLearning@education.wa.edu.au
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
2
Foreword
The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) is
in its third year of implementation across Australia. The goals and outcomes of the NCCD
directly support the key elements of the Department’s focus on the four priority areas of the
new Strategic plan, High Performance – High Care: Strategic Plan for WA Public Schools
2016-2019 including, success for all students, high quality teaching and effective
leadership.
For the first time, this data collection process will provide accurate and complete
information about the distribution of school students with disability throughout Australia for
the first time while assisting schools to further develop their understanding of the Disability
Discrimination Act 1992 and implement their obligations under the Disability Standards for
Education 2005 (the Standards). This is the legislation that underpins this significant work.
The annual data collection asks teachers to make informed judgements by working with
other teachers to decide which students meet the broad definition of disability under the
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (the Act) and then use their knowledge of the students to
provide information about the reasonable adjustments being made for them. In this way
school leaders and teachers are working together collaboratively to develop quality
teaching practices.
School teams are provided with resources and information to help them correctly identify
and accurately describe the levels of adjustments they make for students to allow them to
access education on the same basis as students without disability. Resources that target
increasing teacher effectiveness and improving student learning are an integral component
of this initiative.
Information is also available for parents and carers about the role and processes schools
are using in the data collection that support the active involvement of parents/carers and
the community.
Lindsay Hale
Executive Director
Statewide Services
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
3
This Guide
This guide has been developed to support school leaders and their teams to meet the
requirements of the NCCD in schools.
It includes information on preparing, planning and implementing the data collection, with
specific sections to equip school staff to complete each of the five steps required by the
NCCD.
The guide draws on the insight of many schools that have taken part in the phased national
implementation of the NCCD, provides case studies as examples and includes links to
useful resources to help schools meet their obligations in providing quality data.
Digital versions of the templates and resources are available on:
• The Department of Education website: http://education.wa.edu.au/supportforschools and
• Connect Community – Disability Services and Support – Statewide Services.
• The National NCCD website: www.schooldisabilitydatapl.edu.au
Acronyms
The Department: Department of Education, Western Australia
DDA: Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (the Act)
DSE: Disability Standards for Education 2005 (the Standards)
NCCD: Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
BMP: Behaviour Management Plan
RMP: Risk Management Plan
IEP: Individual Education Plan
LSC: Learning Support Coordinator
NDS: National Disability Strategy
PECS: Picture Exchange Communication
SSEND: School of Special Educational Needs: Disability
SIS: Student Information System
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
4Contents:
Section One: An Overview ...................................................................................... 6
What is the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
(NCCD) and why do we need it? ....................................................................................... 6
How has the information to be collected been determined? .............................................. 6
When do we collect the data? ........................................................................................... 6
Changes to the collection model from 2015....................................................................... 7
Section Two: Clarifying the elements..................................................................... 8
The Disability Discrimination Act and definitions of disability ............................................. 8
Determining imputed disability........................................................................................... 9
Why are we using this definition? ...................................................................................... 8
The Disability Standards for Education 2005 ................................................................... 10
Disability Standards for Education: an e-Learning resource from the University of
Canberra ......................................................................................................................... 10
What constitutes an adjustment? .................................................................................... 11
Meeting your legal obligations ......................................................................................... 13
Section Three: Making it happen in your school ................................................. 17
How to adopt an effective approach to the NCCD ........................................................... 17
Timeline for Schools ........................................................................................................ 19
A School step by step guide to the data collection........................................................... 20
Appendix: ................................................................................................................ 24
APPENDIX I: NCCD Model Diagram .............................................................................. 25
APPENDIX II: Categories of Disability ............................................................................ 26
Diagnosed disabilities in school aged students ............................................................... 27
APPENDIX III: Level of Adjustment Descriptors ............................................................. 29
APPENDIX IV: Level of Adjustment Checklist Attributed to Tranby College .................... 30
APPENDIX V: Checklist – Support Provided within Quality Differentiated Teaching
Practice .......................................................................................................................... 33
APPENDIX VI: Checklist – Supplementary adjustments ................................................. 35
APPENDIX VII: Checklist – Substantial adjustments ...................................................... 37
APPENDIX VIII: Checklist – Extensive adjustments ....................................................... 39
APPENDIX IX: Case Study and Matrix ........................................................................... 41
APPENDIX X: Communication to School Community – Sample One ............................. 61
APPENDIX XI: Communication to School Community – Sample Two ............................ 62
APPENDIX XII: NCCD Data Recording Sheet 1 ............................................................. 63
APPENDIX XIII: NCCD Data Recording Sheet 2 ............................................................ 64
APPENDIX XIV: Guide to Entering NCCD data into SIS................................................. 65
APPENDIX XV: Frequently asked questions for schools ................................................ 69
APPENDIX XVI: Frequently asked questions for parents/carers ..................................... 71
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
5Section 1:
An Overview
What is the NCCD and why do we need it?
The NCCD is a count of the number of students with disability receiving educational
adjustments to support their participation in education on the same basis as students
without disability.
An accurate national data set that includes all students with disability has not previously
been available.
Comprehensive, consistent and national data is necessary to enable governments to target
support and resources in schools to help students with disabilities reach their potential and
focus on the best possible teaching strategies.
To achieve this, the Australian Government and all state and territory governments have
agreed to collect data annually about students with disability in a nationally consistent way.
The implementation has been phased in nationally in selected schools from 2013. From
2015, every school across Australia is required to take part on an annual basis.
How has the information to be collected been determined?
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (the Act) and the Disability Standards for Education
2005 (the Standards) underpin the methodology of the collection.
These two pieces of Commonwealth legislation include the definition of disability and set
out the legal obligations of all education providers and the rights of students with disability
in relation to education. Further detail on how this legislation applies can be found in
Section 2: Clarifying the elements.
When do we collect the data?
The collection takes place over a term because schools must show that adjustments or
supports have been provided for a minimum period of one school term, or at least 10
weeks, in the 12 months preceding the collection.
The date for submission of data will take place in the second semester census each year.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
6Changes to the collection model from 2016
1. Communication to parents
In previous years individual letters were sent to inform parents/carers of those students
identified for inclusion in the data collection and their right to opt-out of participation.
Schools were given template letters which needed to be provided to the parents/carers of
those students identified for inclusion in the NCCD.
From 2015, Principals need to ensure that reasonable steps have been taken to provide
information to all families within the school community. It is no longer required that
individual letters be sent to the families of identified students as consent is no longer
required from parents to collect NCCD data.
Principals can decide on a minimum of two forms of communication to families that are the
most appropriate formats for providing this information to their school community. Formats
might include one or more of the following:
a. school website
b. school newsletter
c. information sheets
d. telephone or face to face conversations
e. email or SMS
f. personalised written correspondence.
2. Entering Students Data
a. When entering the UDI field Disability Participant insert yes for every student.
b. When entering the UDI field Date of Latest Disability Ratings please enter the date in
which you are entering the data.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
7Section 2:
Clarifying the elements
The Disability Discrimination Act (1992) definition of disability
The definition of disability in the Act is necessarily broad because it is designed to provide
protection against discrimination for a wide range of people.
In addition to providing cover to an individual with disability, the Act also covers other
people, including associates of a person with a disability, people who do not have a
disability but who may face disability discrimination in the future, people who are not in fact
impaired in functioning but treated as impaired, and people with conditions such as mild
allergies or physical sensitivities.
For the purposes of the NCCD, schools should be aware that the definition of disability
being used includes a wide range of health and learning conditions.
Students with disability as defined under the Act are in mainstream or regular schools as
well as special schools and specialist support classes.
The definition includes students who:
1. have been formally diagnosed with a disability;
2. may not have a formal disability diagnosis but have impairment that requires an
adjustment, that is, an imputed disability;
3. live with intellectual, physical, sensory and social/emotional disability or difficulties in
learning.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 offers a broad definition of what constitutes a
disability:
A disorder or malfunction that results in a person learning differently from a person without
the disorder or malfunction.
The Act defines disability as:
a. total or partial loss of the person’s bodily or mental functions or
b. total or partial loss of a part of the body or
c. the presence in the body of organisms causing disease or illness or
d. the presence in the body of organisms capable of causing disease or illness or
e. the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of the person’s body or
f. a disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning differently from a person
without the disorder or malfunction or
g. a disorder, illness or disease that affects a person’s thought processes, perception of
reality, emotions or judgement or that results in disturbed behaviour.
The Act includes a disability that:
h. presently exists or
i. previously existed but no longer exists or
j. may exist in the future (including because of a genetic predisposition to that disability) or
k. is imputed to a person – see description provided on page 9.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
8The definition of disability can be found in Section 4 of the Act. Go to:
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/C2004A04426
Determining imputed disability
• An ‘imputed’ disability is something that someone believes another person has and they
have documentation to support this.
• To impute a disability the school team must have reasonable grounds to make such a
judgement. At a minimum the student’s parent/carer must have been consulted about
concerns the school has and involved in identifying reasonable adjustments to address
the identified concerns.
• An Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Behaviour Management Plan (BMP) does not
equate to a child having a disability, but may be an indicator of an imputed disability when
it documents the teaching and learning adjustments that have been made so that the
child can access the curriculum.
• Social disadvantage and/or disrupted parenting can be addressed through evidence
based quality teaching and in and of itself does not constitute a disability under the Act.
• The following situations may have educational impacts which require the provision of
adjustments for students but are not a disability under the Act: abuse/neglect,
domestic violence, out of home care, being a carer for a parent, English as an additional
language or dialect, absenteeism, transience and/or poverty.
• If there is a more reasonable explanation for students’ failure to reach their potential this
is not included in the ‘imputed disability’ category.
• A good test of your own confidence in the judgement is to ask “If we were challenged to
explain our decision would we feel we had reasonable grounds and documentation to
support our judgement?”
The definition contained in the Act was chosen because it covers a broad group of people
and incorporates the multiple definitions of disability that are used by various groups across
the country.
Because of this, it provides the national consistency required of this collection.
However, it is not the intention of this collection to count every student who is protected
from discrimination under the Act, or every student who has a health or other condition
where there is no impact on the student’s ability to participate in schooling on the same
basis as his/her peers.
For example, a student who wears glasses to correct mild vision impairment and needs no
further educational assessment, monitoring or support in relation to their eyesight, is not
included in the data collection.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
9The Disability Standards for Education 2005
The Disability Standards for Education 2005 (the Standards) came into effect on
18 August 2005. The Standards seek to ensure that students with disability can access and
participate in education on the same basis as other students.
This means that a student with disability must have opportunities and choices that are
comparable with those offered to students without disability. This applies to:
• admission or enrolment in an institution;
• participation in courses or programs; and
• use of facilities and services.
The Standards clarify the obligations of education and training providers, and the rights of
people with disability under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (the Act). The Standards
are subordinate legislation made under the Act.
Under the Standards, education providers must ensure they meet their obligations in
relation to:
• consultation,
• making reasonable adjustments and
• eliminating harassment and victimisation.
Disability Standards for Education: an e-Learning resource from
the University of Canberra
The Department has partnered with the University of Canberra to provide schools with an
e-Learning resource to enhance Disability awareness within and across school
communities.
Staff can access eight online modules containing:
• conceptual material to present relevant core concepts;
• scenario-based learning using guided experiential instructional approach to introduce
concepts, procedures, and processes;
• online assessment exercises; and
• further readings and resources.
The resource is designed so learning is self-paced and delivered at several levels to meet
the needs of individual participants, schools and systems. Upon successful completion of
the modules participants will receive a completion certificate.
Professional learning hours are counted towards your requirement for registration with the
Western Australian Teacher Registration Board. It is highly recommended that relevant
staff complete the Standards e-Learning resource that is available online at the link below.
http://dse.theeducationinstitute.edu.au/login/index.php. For the Registration key, please
telephone the NCCD team helpline on 0477 741 598 or email
DisabilityServicesAndSupport.ProfessionalLearning@education.wa.edu.au
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
10What constitutes an adjustment?
The Standards clarify the obligations of schools under the Act to provide reasonable
adjustments for students with disability where required for them to access and participate in
education on an equitable basis to their peers.
‘On the same basis’ means that students with disability are provided with opportunities and
choices that are comparable to those available to students without disability.
Adjustments enable students with disability or their parents or other associates to access
education in a comparable way to other students by:
1. applying and enrolling at a school or educational facility;
2. participating in the relevant learning activities, courses and educational programs; and
3. using services and facilities.
Depending on the circumstances, adjustments can be made to practices, services, policies
or procedures in Australian educational settings and are fundamental to ensuring that
students with disability do not experience discrimination. This directly supports the
Strategic Plan for WA Public Schools as schools strive to create a culture in which every
student experiences a sense of being known and understood as an individual and where
staff care about each student’s overall progress and wellbeing.
What is a reasonable adjustment?
Schools make adjustments every day to meet the needs of their different students. An
adjustment is reasonable for the purposes of the collection when it is the product of
consultation and seeks to balance the interests of all parties.
Reasonable adjustments to enable equitable access and participation by students with
disability can be made across any or all of the following:
• planning, including additional personnel such as tutors or aides for personal care or
mobility assistance;
• teaching and learning, including the provision of study notes or research materials in
different formats;
• curriculum;
• assessment, including modifying programs and adapting curriculum delivery and
assessment strategies;
• reporting;
• extra-curricular activities; and
• environment and infrastructure, including addressing physical barriers, such as
modifying to ensure access to buildings, facilities and services.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
11Reasonable adjustments can also include the provision of resources such as:
• specialised technology or computer software or equipment;
• on-going consultancy support or professional learning and training for staff; and
• services such as sign language interpreters, Statewide specialist services or specialist
support staff.
Examples of adjustments include:
• giving a student with low vision all necessary enrolment information in enlarged text;
• providing extra sessions teaching key words for a student with an intellectual disability;
• giving a speech-to-text device to a student with a broken arm to assist in preparing
assignments;
• providing speech pathology services for students with communication difficulties;
• allowing a student with anxiety to present her project to a small group of peers rather
than to a whole class;
• adjusting activities at the annual swimming carnival to enable participation by all
students, including those with physical disability;
• adjusting seating arrangements so a student with a wheelchair has enough space to
move independently around the classroom like other students;
• making multiple accommodations if necessary to meet a single learner’s needs. For
example, learners who require a sign-language interpreter may also need a note-taker
because watching an interpreter prevents them from taking detailed notes;
• providing high interest, low vocabulary texts for students with reading difficulties; or
• teaching the vocabulary of instruction for content areas eg: in science or mathematics.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
12Meeting your legal obligations
The Department recommends the nominated person or school team should consider the
following in their decision making:
• identify students that have a disability as described by the Act;
• consider whether reasonable adjustments have been provided to these students as a
result of a disability to support their participation in education on the same basis as
students without disability;
• ask whether these students or their parents or carers have been consulted about their
adjustments; and
• decide whether there is evidence that on-going, long-term educational adjustment/s
have been provided for a minimum of one school term (or at least 10 weeks) in the 12
months preceding the national data collection to support the student’s inclusion in the
data collection.
What evidence will need to be gathered?
Schools are not required to create new or additional evidence for the purposes of the
NCCD. The collection of data and evidence is at the core of a high performance – high
care culture where there is effective leadership in every school and high quality teaching in
every classroom. Schools will focus on the best possible teaching practices that will
achieve school-wide agreements on strategies to increase consistency in teaching quality
and practices.
Teachers and schools rely on evidence to make professional judgements about the types of
adjustments provided for students as part of their day to day practice.
The evidence gathered will reflect a wide range of practices in meeting the educational
needs of their students consistent with obligations under the Act, the Standards and best
teaching practice.
For a student to be included in the collection, the school will have evidence that on-going,
long-term educational adjustment/s have been provided for at least 10 weeks in the 12
months prior to Semester 2 census.
Principals are responsible for verifying or confirming that there is evidence at the school to
support the inclusion of a student in the NCCD.
Examples of evidence
Each school’s evidence will be contextual and reflect the individual student needs and
strengths and the school’s learning and support processes and practices.
The list below is not exhaustive but provides a guide to the range of information schools
can draw on for the NCCD.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
13Evidence demonstrating that a student’s needs for adjustment have been identified and
arise from a disability can include:
1. results of formative or summative school and/or standardised assessments over time
documenting an on-going learning or socio-emotional need arising from a disability
e.g. continued and high level behaviour incidents, reading assessments or end of unit
assessments;
2. documentation of on-going learning needs that have a limited response to targeted
intervention over time and cannot be attributed to external factors such as English as an
additional language, socio-economic or non-disability related causes; or
3. specialist diagnosis or reports.
Evidence that adjustments are being provided to the student to address individual needs
based on their disability can be found in a variety of school records.
Teachers document adjustments in a number of ways. Evidence of the provision,
frequency and intensity of adjustments can include:
• adjusted timetable/staff timetables;
• record of educational and/or social-emotional interventions provided;
• individualised/personalised learning planning e.g. documented plans, individual
education plan, communication plan, behaviour plans and transition plans and risk
management plans (RMP);
• therapy or disability-specific programs in place with an educational focus e.g. orientation
and mobility program;
• records of meetings to plan for adjustments with specialist staff e.g. Visiting Teachers,
guidance officers/counsellors, psychologists, speech-language pathologists and
physiotherapists;
• adjustments or supports required in assessment settings;
• adjustments to teaching and learning resources e.g. alternate format, adjusted
worksheets and reworded tasks; and/or
• manual handling/personal care/health plans.
Evidence that adjustments provided to the student have been monitored and reviewed can
include:
• records of meetings to review adjustments with families/carers and specialist staff,
where appropriate;
• student progress data which may include both formative and summative assessments;
• progress or file notes by teacher, specialist staff or paraprofessionals;
• behaviour monitoring data;
• evidence of interventions provided over time, with monitoring of the effectiveness of the
intervention and changes to intervention occurring as required; and
• a health plan provided by medical specialist that is reviewed regularly.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
14Consultation
Consultations with students and parent/carers considered for inclusion in the data collection
inform the type of adjustments required and explore the range of possible solutions.
The Standards require that where a student with disability needs reasonable adjustments to
ensure equitable access and participation, the school must consult the student, or their
parent/career, when determining the type of reasonable adjustment that may be needed. In
developing a high performance – high care culture within schools, the positive and respectful
relationships between school staff with students, parents and each other form part of a
caring learning environment that supports student wellbeing.
It is good practice for consultations about reasonable adjustments to consider the following
questions:
1. Are the adjustments necessary?
2. Will the adjustments enable the student to enrol, participate, or access services on the
same basis as other students?
3. Do the adjustments respond to the student’s needs, abilities and interests?
4. Is further advice required?
5. Are there other adjustments that would be as beneficial for the student but less
disruptive or intrusive for others?
6. When will the impact of the adjustments be reviewed?
It is advisable to review reasonable adjustments regularly as students’ needs change over
time.
For some students, it may be more appropriate to consult only with the students themselves
or with another associate, depending on individual circumstances.
Evidence of consultation and collaboration with the student and/or parents/carers or
associates in the provision of adjustments can include:
• meeting minutes or notes;
• documented meetings;
• notes in diary of phone calls, conversations or meetings with parent/carer;
• documented student plans signed by parent/and or student;
• parent-teacher interview records;
• parent-teacher communication books; and
• Emails between student and/or parents/carers or associates.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
15Where a student has newly enrolled in the school and has attended the school for less than
10 weeks, schools may include that student in the NCCD only if they have evidence of the
continuing need for adjustments for the student. For example, evidence from the previous
school of long-term adjustments together with evidence that similar adjustments are
required in the new school.
Schools are encouraged to consider and discuss the types of evidence available in their
setting to support their judgements about the inclusion of students in the data collection.
Discussion and reflection on evidence of reasonable adjustments to meet the learning and
support needs of students with disability will help schools to determine the level of
adjustment being provided for a student and their broad category of disability when
completing the data collection.
In keeping with best practice, schools should retain relevant evidence of their provisions for
students at the school.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
16Section Three:
Making it happen in your school
How to adopt an effective approach to the NCCD
The school principal is the facilitator of the data collection process ensuring that all staff are
aware of the process and their obligations under the Act and the Standards. This may
require making time available for staff to undertake professional learning. The data
collection process ensures that the school’s focus is on the best possible teaching practices
where schools create a more comprehensive approach to student wellbeing and support
services and provide more practical and direct specialist support and advice on instructional
practice for teacher of students with disability.
The principal may identify and nominate a team which will be responsible for driving the
data collection process.
General information
There is no standard way to gather data. Each school will devise its own processes and
ensure all staff members are aware of them.
The minimum requirements are:
1. Identify the students with disability using the definition in the Act.
2. Determine the broad category of disability under which each student best fits.
3. Determine what level of adjustment is being provided to each of these students.
4. Inform parents of the school's intention to include their child in the data collection.
5. Record and submit data in August as part of the student census.
There is no funding linked to the NCCD at present. In reflecting the Strategic Plan for WA
Schools 2016-2019, the high expectations of success held for every student in every school
is based on strong individual case management as well as assisting teachers to develop
analytical and evaluative practices to ensure expertise and confidence in diagnosing the
impact of their teaching and adapting interventions for greater success.
Most schools have taken part in the phased national implementation of the NCCD in the
last two years. Collectively, our schools have suggested that the following points have
assisted in the implementation of the collection in their schools:
1. The principal is responsible for ensuring the implementation of the collection in the
school, but a strong, strategic and effective school leadership and executive team that is
actively engaged will strengthen the implementation process, support planning, reporting
and compliance.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
172. The school leadership, executive team and team directly involved in implementing the
collection must complete the relevant professional learning. This is free and take less
than a couple of hours to complete. An understanding of the Disability Discrimination
Act 1992 (the Act) and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (the Standards) are
essential to understanding the collection model methodology. A whole school approach
to professional learning about the Act and Standards as well as regular refreshers will
help to ensure that all staff remain knowledgeable about their shared responsibilities and
accountabilities to students with disability.
3. The collection relies on the professional judgements of teachers about their students,
and requires them to make evidence-based decisions about adjustments, consistent with
obligations under the Standards. The gathering and analysis of evidence assists in
decision making about the inclusion of students in the collection, including the level of
adjustment and category of disability for each student.
4. A whole school or school team approach connecting teachers and support staff to the
collection and its processes will strengthen the quality of the data. This strategy was
used by many schools to moderate in the decision making and maximise value when
additional teacher experience, knowledge and understanding of the provision of support
for students with disability was needed. Discussing experiences and opinions can
provide assurance within a school, within multiple campuses, or within networks of
schools that interpretations or applications of the collection model don’t differ
significantly. Moderation provides an element of impartiality and ‘quality assurance’ to
the process and has the potential to afford a degree of uniformity and reliability, thus
providing a level of confidence in the outcomes of the process.
5. Planning information sessions on the NCCD model, levels of adjustment and categories
of disability with school staff and linking them to discussions about the provision of
quality differentiated teaching can reinforce the value of participation.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
18Timeline for Schools
TERM 1
• Principal nominates school team to
manage the Data collection process
• School team to access professional
learning offered in region
• Provide all teaching staff with relevant
NCCD information
• Ensure all staff have completed the
E-learning Disability Standards for
Education resource or completed the
Legislation Package
TERM 2
• School team provides two forms of
communication to the school community
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
about the data collection
• Access NCCD professional learning • School team works with teachers to
• Establish a coordinated approach identify the students to include
• Follow timeline suggestion • School team works with teachers to
• Access resources available in decide on category of disability and level
The Guide and on the Connect of teaching and learning adjustment for
Community (Disability Services and each student
• Person entering the data to familiarise
Support – Statewide Services).
themselves with the SIS Data Entry
manual
TERM 3
• School team collates all the data
• Principal verifies school data
collection
• Data is entered onto SIS prior to or
on census day
TERM 4
• Review NCCD process undertaken
in your school
• Refine processes for supporting
students with disability in relation to
the Disability Standards in
Education
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
19A School step by step guide to the data collection
The following steps are based on a model which involves the whole school identifying and
leveling the students with disability in the school. If you are confident your school already
has good identification and tracking processes for students and the staff member/s
completing the NCCD data have knowledge of the students and their adjustments, the
process can be undertaken by a smaller group or an individual. The data collection will still
be relevant regardless of the number of staff taking part.
Introduction to NCCD – Overview of NCCD: Providing staff with an overview of
NCCD and its requirements
1. Go through NCCD PowerPoint presentation with staff to ensure they have an
understanding of the reasons behind the NCCD and the process required in schools.
The NCCD team can support this.
2. Clarify staff understanding of Imputed Disability.
3. Clarify staff understanding of the four Categories of Disability (Physical, Cognitive,
Sensory and Social/Emotional).
4. Clarify staff understanding of the four levels of teaching and learning adjustments
(Quality teaching, Supplementary, Substantial and Extensive).
5. Provide a clear description of what is expected of staff in completing this process.
Supporting resources:
• NCCD Power Point Presentation – available on Connect (Disability Services and Support
– Statewide Services) and http://det.wa.edu.au/supportforschools
• Frequently asked questions for schools – Appendix XV
Step 1 – Identify all the students who are considered to have a disability under
the Act
Students should be included in the NCCD where:
1. The student’s impairment meets the Act’s broad definition of disability; and
2. The functional impact of the student’s disability results in the school actively addressing
or supporting the student’s specific individual education needs within quality
differentiated teaching practice and monitoring the student or providing a
‘supplementary’ or higher level of adjustment or support.
The definition of disability under the Act and obligations under the Standards includes those
students who are receiving individually targeted specialist education services and supports
as well as students with disability who are supported by general resources available within
the school.
Students with disability as defined under the DDA and the Standards are in mainstream or
regular schools as well as special schools and specialist support classes;
1. Review the definition of disabilities in the Act and identify students who meet this
definition.
2. Review the imputed disability description and identify students who meet these
descriptors.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
20Key points to remember:
• Students who are not learning due to factors not related to disability such as
non-attendance, lack of engagement, behavioural issues not as a result of mental health
are not recorded in the NCCD data.
• Adjustments must have been provided for a period of at least 10 weeks in the 12
months prior to Semester 2 census.
Supporting resources:
• DDA definition of Disability including Imputed Disability – Page 8, 9.
• NCCD Model Diagram – Appendix I.
Step 2 – Identify which category of disability students are in
Schools may draw on a range of evidence to support their decision about which disability
category to select, including medical and other specialist reports available to the school.
However, the selection of a disability category in this data collection does not rely on a
formal medical diagnosis but on the professional judgment of the teachers about the aspect
of the student’s learning need that has the greatest impact on their education.
The disability category selected will be the area of disability that is the main driver or focus of
the adjustments being provided for the student to support their learning.
There are four broad disability categories that are used as part of the NCCD:
1. Physical
2. Cognitive
3. Sensory
4. Social/Emotional
Multiple disabilities
If a student has multiple disabilities or does not readily fit within one category, schools
should select the disability category that requires the greatest extent of reasonable
adjustment, based on professional judgement, to support the student’s access and
participation in education.
Supporting resources:
• Categories of Disability – Appendix II.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
21Step 3 – Understanding the levels of teaching and learning adjustments and
allocating a level to each student
Decision making about the level of adjustment should be based on evidence, for example
documented plans, individual education plans, group education plans or any other way the
school decides to document its teaching and learning adjustments.
It is important that all school staff refer to the definitions and descriptors of the levels of
adjustment for national consistency.
Once it is determined that a student with disability is having their individual disability needs
actively addressed by differentiation of the curriculum, teachers and school teams use their
professional judgment to determine the level of adjustment that each student is being
provided to address the educational impact of disability.
There are four levels of adjustment:
1. Support provided within Quality Differentiated Teaching Practice
2. Supplementary Adjustments
3. Substantial Adjustments
4. Extensive Adjustments
Key points to remember:
• The ranking of teaching and learning adjustments may change year to year.
• If the student has a diagnosed disability they are recorded but may be ranked as Support
Provided within Quality Differentiated Teaching Practice.
• If the student has an imputed disability then the school must have teaching and learning
adjustments in place as their evidence that they have an imputed disability.
• A student no longer requiring teaching and learning adjustments need no longer be
recorded in the data collection.
Supporting resources:
• Level of Adjustment Descriptors – Appendix III.
• Level of Adjustment Checklist, Tranby Primary School – Appendix IV.
• Checklist - Quality Differentiated Teaching Practice – Appendix V.
• Checklist - Supplementary Adjustments – Appendix VI.
• Checklist - Substantial Adjustments – Appendix VII.
• Checklist - Extensive Adjustments – Appendix VIII.
• Case Studies and Matrix – Appendix IX.
NOTE: To obtain as accurate data as possible it is ideal to moderate between teachers and
ideally other schools in your network.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
22Step 4 – Inform the school community about the data collection process
1. Parent/carer consultation is imperative for all students identified.
Key points to remember:
• Parents/carers have been consulted about teaching and learning adjustments required.
• A minimum of two forms of communication is required.
Supporting resources:
• Sample communication to school community: Sample One – Appendix X.
• Sample communication to school community: Sample Two – Appendix XI.
• Frequently asked questions for parents/carers – Appendix XVI.
Step 5 – Record the NCCD data at Semester 2 Census.
All schools are required to participate in the data collection each year.
The Department recommends the nominated person or school team undertake the
following actions:
1. Provide the school principal with the opportunity to verify the processes undertaken
and that evidence is available to support the decisions that have been made during the
implementation of the collection;
2. Provide a collation of data for entry to the staff member entering the verified data into
SIS; and
3. Ensure that the staff member entering the verified data into SIS has been provided with
the SIS Guide for instructions on entering the NCCD data.
KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER:
It is recommended that schools keep their own records of the data they have identified.
Schools can produce reports from SIS called Disability Export Report (see Appendix XIV for
further instructions).
SUPPORTING RESOURCES:
• NCCD Recording Sheet, Waikiki Primary School – Appendix XII.
• NCCD Recording Sheet, Eaton Primary School – Appendix XIII.
• SIS Guide for entering data – Appendix XIV.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
23Appendix:
Appendix I NCCD Model Diagram
Appendix II. Categories of Disability
Appendix III. Level of Adjustment Descriptors
Appendix IV. Level of Adjustment Checklist, Rivervale P.S (Tranby P.S)
Appendix V. Checklist - Quality Differentiated Teaching Practice
Appendix VI. Checklist - Supplementary Adjustments
Appendix VII. Checklist - Substantial Adjustments
Appendix VIII. Checklist - Extensive Adjustments
Appendix IX. Case Studies and Matrix
Appendix X. Sample communication to schools: Sample One
Appendix XI. Sample communication to schools: Sample Two
Appendix XII. NCCD Recording Sheet, Waikiki Primary School
Appendix XIII. NCCD Recording Sheet, Eaton Primary School
Appendix XIV. SIS Guide for entering data
Appendix XV. Frequently Asked Questions for schools
Appendix XVI. Frequently Asked Questions for parents/carers
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
24APPENDIX I: NCCD Model Diagram
Throughout the school year, school teams use evidence, including discussions with
parents/carers, to inform decisions about the educational adjustments that they make for
students with disability.
For this data collection, you should have evidence that shows you have made adjustments
or incorporated support within quality differentiated teaching practice for each student. This
should cover a minimum period of at least 10 weeks, in the 12 months preceding the
national data collection.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
25APPENDIX II: Categories of Disability
The table below outlines the definition of disability under the Act, and broad disability
categories that are used as part of the NCCD.
AHRC
Disability
interpretation
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 categories used
of the DDA
in the NCCD
definition
total or partial loss of a part of the body
Neurological
the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a
part of the person’s body Physical
the presence in the body of organisms causing Physical Physical
disease or illness
disfigurement
the presence in the body or organisms capable of The presence in the
causing disease or illness
body of disease
causing organisms
total or partial loss of the persons bodily or mental Intellectual
functions
Cognitive
a disorder or malfunction that results in the person Learning disabilities
learning differently from a person without the disorder
or malfunction
total or partial loss of the persons bodily or mental
functions
Hearing and vision
Sensory
the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a impairments
part of the person’s body
a disorder, illness or disease that affect a person’s
thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or Psychiatric Social/Emotional
judgements or that results in disturbed behaviour
Students may have previously diagnosed conditions that would be considered disabilities
within the Act (1992).
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
26Diagnosed disabilities in school aged students
Some of the more commonly diagnosed conditions within the NCCD categories are listed
below; however this list is not intended to be exhaustive.
NCCD Category: PHYSICAL
Diagnosis
Agenesis of the Corpus Collosum Diabetes Muscular Dystrophy
Achondroplasia Ectrodachtyly Osteogenisis Imperfecta
Anaphylaxis Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Prader-Willi Syndrome
Asthma Hirschprung’s Disease Premature Birth
Cancer Juvenile Arthritis Spina Bifida
Cerebral Palsy Kawasaki Disease Stroke
Charcot Marie Tooth Disorder Klinefelter Syndrome Talipes Equinovaries
Chronic Fatigue Disorder Lupus Tuberous Sclerosis
Cri du Chat Marfan Syndrome Velo Cardio Facial Syndrome
NCCD Category: COGNITIVE
Diagnosis
ADHD Dystonia Niemann Pick Type A
Aphasia/Dyspraxia Epilepsy Nonverbal Learning Disorder
Apraxia Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Scotopic Sensitivity Disorder
Arnold Chiari Malformation Freidrich’s Ataxia Selective Mutism
Severe Language Disorder
Autism Global Developmental Delay
(SLD)
Central Auditory Processing Social Pragmatic
Intellectual Disability
Disorder Communication Disorder
Down Syndrome Lander Kleffner Specific Language Impairment
(SLI)
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
27Diagnosis
Dyscalculia Language Disorder Specific Learning Disability
Dysgraphia Lissencephaly Sturge Weber Syndrome
Dyslexia Macrocephaly Stuttering
Dysphasia Microcephaly Tourette’s/Tic Disorders
Dyspraxia Multiple Sclerosis
NCCD Category: SENSORY
Diagnosis
Amblyopia Otitis Media Sensorineural hearing loss
Cataracts Retinitis Pigmentosis Strabismus
Glaucoma Sensorineural
NCCD Category: SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL
Diagnosis
Obsessive Compulsive
Anxiety Conduct Disorder
Disorder
Oppositional Defiance
Bipolar Disorder (I, II) Depression
Disorder
Bulimia Nervosa Intermittent Explosive Disorder Reactive Attachment Disorder
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
28APPENDIX III: Level of Adjustment Descriptors
Quality teaching practice is responsive to the differential Quality differentiated teaching practice caters to the needs of The student’s identified needs do have a functional impact on
needs of all students. Some students with disability may not a diverse student population. Students in this category do not their schooling and require active monitoring. However, the
need educational adjustments beyond those that are require the sorts of adjustments that are captured in the other student is able to participate in courses and programs at the
reasonably expected as part of quality teaching or school three levels. However, their teachers are conscious of school and use the facilities and services available to all
practice to address disability related needs. the need for explicit, albeit minor, adjustments to teaching and students, on the same basis as students without a disability,
These students may have been considered for some level of school practice that enable them to access learning on the through support provided within quality differentiated teaching
active support (i.e. active monitoring or provision of same basis as their peers. This category would include practice.
adjustments). Their identified needs would be subject to close general adjustments that have been made in a school as part Examples might include:
monitoring and review. of developing or maintaining a culture of inclusion. • students with health conditions such as asthma
Examples for this category could include: and diabetes, that have a functional impact on their
If the school team, in consultation with the student, their • a differentiated approach to curriculum delivery and schooling, but whose disability related needs are being
parent or carer, has agreed that the student’s needs as a assessment that anticipates and responds to students’ addressed through quality differentiated teaching practice
result of the disability are being met through quality learning differences and active monitoring
differentiated teaching practice then these students should be • personalised learning that is implemented without drawing • a student with a mental health condition who has
counted under this level of adjustment. on additional resources strategies in place to manage the condition in consultation
• a student with a health condition or a mental health with medical professionals, that can be provided within
Changes to student needs that require changes to the level of condition that has a functional impact on their schooling quality differentiated teaching practice
adjustment would be reflected in the next data collection and requires ongoing monitoring but who does not require • a student who has been provided with a higher level
period. a higher level of support or adjustment during the period of adjustment in the past or may require a higher level of
they are being considered for the data collection adjustment in their future schooling.
• whole school professional learning for the management of The needs of all students, but in particular students with
health conditions such as asthma or diabetes. This forms disability, should be regularly monitored and reviewed to
part of a school’s general, ongoing practice to equip enable the school and teachers to respond with an appropriate
teachers and education staff with the skills and knowledge adjustment should the level of need change.
to support students’ health needs
• a facility such as building modifications, that already exists
in the school and caters for a student’s physical disability,
where no additional action is required to support the
student’s learning.
Supplementary adjustments are provided when there is an Adjustments to teaching and learning might include modified Students with disability and lower level additional support
assessed need at specific times to complement the strategies or tailored programs in some or many learning areas, modified needs access and participate in schooling on the same basis
and resources already available (for all students) within the instruction using a structured task-analysis approach, the as students without disability through the provision of some
school. These adjustments are designed to address the nature provision of course materials in accessible forms, separate personalised adjustments. Accessing the curriculum at the
and impact of the student’s disability and any associated supervision or extra time to complete assessment tasks and appropriate year level (i.e. the outcomes and content of
barriers to their learning, physical, communication or the provision of intermittent specialist teacher support. regular learning programs or courses) is often where students
participatory needs. at this level have particular learning support needs.
Adjustments might include modifications to ensure full access
to buildings and facilities, specialised technology, programs or For example, many of these students will have particular
interventions to address the student’s social/emotional needs difficulty acquiring new concepts and skills outside a highly
and support or close supervision to participate in out-of-school structured environment. The needs of other students at this
activities or the playground. These adjustments may also level may be related to their personal care, communication,
include the provision of a support service that is provided by safety, social interaction or mobility, or to physical access
the education authority or sector, or that the school has issues, any of which may limit their capacity to participate
sourced from an external agency. effectively in the full life of their mainstream school.
Substantial adjustments are provided to address the specific These adjustments are generally considerable in extent and Students with disability who have more substantial support
nature and significant impact of the student’s disability. These may include frequent (teacher directed) individual instruction needs generally access and participate in learning programs
adjustments are designed to address the more significant and regular direct support or close supervision in highly and school activities with the provision of essential measures
barriers to their engagement, learning, participation and structured situations, to enable the students to participate in and considerable adult assistance. Some students at this
achievement. school activities. They may also include adjustments to level require curriculum content at a different year level to their
delivery modes, significantly modified study materials, access same-age peers, while others will only acquire new concepts
to bridging programs, or adapted assessment procedures and skills, or access some of the outcomes and content of the
(e.g., assessment tasks that significantly adjust content, mode regular learning program, courses or subjects, when
of presentation and/or the outcomes being assessed). significant curriculum adjustments are made to address their
learning needs.
Other adjustments may be the provision on a regular basis of
additional supervision, regular visiting teacher or external Other students at this level might have limited capacity to
agency support, frequent assistance with mobility and communicate effectively, or need regular support with
personal hygiene, or access to a specialised support setting. personal hygiene and movement around the school. These
Close playground supervision may be required at all times or students may also have considerable, often associated
essential specialised support services for using technical aids, support needs, relating to their personal care, safety, self-
or alternative formats for assessment tasks, to enable these regulation or social interaction, which also impact significantly
students to demonstrate the achievement of their intended on their participation and learning.
learning outcomes.
Extensive adjustments are provided when essential specific These adjustments will generally include personalised Students with disability and very high support needs generally
measures are required at all times to address the individual modifications to all courses and programs, school activities access and participate in education with the provision of
nature and acute impact of the student’s disability and the and assessment procedures, and intensive individual extensive targeted measures, and sustained levels of
associated barriers to their learning and participation. instruction, to ensure these students can demonstrate the intensive support. The strengths, goals and learning needs of
development of skills and competencies and the achievement this small percentage of students are best addressed by highly
These adjustments are highly individualised, comprehensive of learning outcomes. individualised learning programs and courses using selected
and ongoing. curriculum content tailored to their needs.
Other adjustments might be the provision of much more
accessible and relevant curriculum options or learning Many students at this level will have been identified at a very
activities specifically designed for the student. They may young age and may have complex, associated support needs
involve the use of highly specialised assistive technology, with their personal care and hygiene, medical conditions and
alternative communication modes, the provision of highly mobility, and may also use an augmentative communication
structured approaches or technical aids to meet their particular system. Students may also have particular support needs
learning needs, and some students may receive their when presented with new concepts and skills and may be
education in highly specialised facilities. dependent on adult support to participate effectively in most
aspects of their school program.
Without highly intensive intervention, such as extensive
support from specialist staff or constant and vigilant
supervision, these students may otherwise not access or
participate effectively in schooling.
NCCD001 The Guide WA – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
© 2016 Department of Education WA
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