Friday 11 July 2003
Education clearer for people with disabilities
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has applauded today’s
announcement by the Federal Minister for Education, Science and Training Dr
Brendan Nelson that the government will move unilaterally to implement Standards
under the Disability Discrimination Act in the area of education.
"These Standards will clarify entitlements for people with disabilities in the education area, as well as giving greater certainty for education providers," said Deputy Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes.
"Work has been done on the draft of this document for over seven years, involving state and private education authorities as well as people with disabilities, so it is pleasing that the Commonwealth has decided to bring this work to fruition.
“The only disappointment is that it has to be done unilaterally, rather than collaterally with state and private education authorities’ support."
The Standards provide a much clearer policy direction in the area of education for people with disabilities, setting out their entitlements in education from infants to TAFE and university level, as well as detailing their obligations to education providers.
"They will assist everyone in the education area to focus on learning outcomes rather than trying to determine in specific terms what the broad provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act mean in individual situations," Deputy Commissioner Innes said.
"The difficulty with discrimination complaints in the area of education is that while the complaint is being sorted out the person with the disability is often missing out on vital learning opportunities. In one case, while the matter progressed through conciliation to the courts, the student missed the whole of high school."
Media Contact: Paul Oliver (02) 9284 9880 or 0408
469 347
