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<h2>Teaching aids may help educators meet their obligations for inclusive education.</h2>
<p>The path towards a truly inclusive education in Australia is one that is still being travelled.</p>
<p>Despite the best intentions of legislators and educators, experts warn that a lack of funding, resources and training are barriers to Australia meetings its obligations on the rights of the child.</p>
<p>However the rise of technology and a plethora of teaching aides and classroom resources may provide some assistance to teachers in the quest to support special needs students.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Teaching aides and resources are coming under the spotlight as effective ways to enhance the learning potential of students with a range of disabilities.</h3>
<p>Educators have an obligation under various international conventions and Commonwealth legislation to ensure students with disability are given the same access to education and the same ability to participate.</p>
<p>Australia is a signatory to the <em>United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disability 2008</em>, which outlines education as a basic right.</p>
<p>The Federal Government’s D<em>isability Standards for Education 2005</em> also sets out the obligations of educators to provide an inclusive education for students with disability.</p>
<h3>In meeting the educational needs of students with disability, individual states and territories vary in their approaches which may include:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Enrolling special needs students in mainstream classes</li>
<li>Modifying curriculum</li>
<li>Providing teacher aides</li>
<li>Holding special needs classes in mainstream schools</li>
<li>Establishing special schools</li>
</ul>
<p>Fully catering to the educational needs of students with a disability requires a rounded approach.</p>
<p>An Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth Report <em>Inclusive Education for Students with Disability</em> offer an example of best practice for classrooms which includes providing alternative and adaptive curricula, inclusive pedagogy, quality teaching and individual planning.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Technological aides also rate special mention, with emphasis placed on the learning potential enabled by such innovations.</h3>
<p>Assistive technologies – particularly those tailored to the physical and intellectual uniqueness of students – have been found to aid academic success, according to the report.</p>
<p>An issues paper by Dr Kathy Cologon, also noted “inadequate materials” as a setback to inclusive education along with a lack of planning time, inadequate education, professional development and insufficient personnel.</p>
<p>However Dr Cologon warns against placing too much emphasis on resources over other factors.</p>

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