Curriculum effectiveness for secondary-aged students with severe intellectual disabilities or profound and multiple learning difficulties in Australia: Teacher perspectives

Tess Rendoth; Jill Duncan; Judith Foggett; Kim Colyvas

doi:10.1177/17446295241228729

Curriculum effectiveness for secondary-aged students with severe intellectual disabilities or profound and multiple learning difficulties in Australia: Teacher perspectives

J Intellect Disabil. 2024 Jan 24:17446295241228729. doi: 10.1177/17446295241228729. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Tess Rendoth¹, Jill Duncan¹, Judith Foggett¹, Kim Colyvas²

Affiliations

¹ School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
² College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.

PMID: 38264952
DOI: 10.1177/17446295241228729

Abstract

The active inclusion of students within education systems relies on a curriculum that caters to all. This article presents partial findings from Australian mixed methods research examining 46 teacher perspectives on the curriculum and its ability to support their practice in supporting students aged 12-19 years with severe intellectual disability or profound and multiple learning difficulties who attend specialist school settings. Results reveal that Australian teachers see the current curriculum as insufficient in its design and content and unable to cater to their students educational and social capacities or needs. Strengths essential to the reform process are highlighted, emergent challenges discussed and recommendations for future action are presented.

Keywords: curriculum; inclusion; individual education planning; intellectual disabilities; severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties; teachers.