Inclusive education for students with disability

We're delivering an inclusive education agenda to give schools extra resources, support and guidance.

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Inclusive education for students with disability

Inclusive education means that all members of every school community are valued and supported to fully participate, learn, develop and succeed within an inclusive school culture.

The aim is to create safe and inclusive school environments for students with disability and additional needs.

To support this the department is delivering Disability Inclusion to embed inclusive education in all Victorian government schools so that students with disability can thrive at school and in life.

Inclusive education

An inclusive education system enables all students to be welcomed, accepted and engaged so that they can participate, achieve and thrive in school life.

Features of inclusive education for students with disability

Inclusive education:

  • ensures that students with disability are
    • protected from discrimination, harassment and victimisation
    • provided with reasonable adjustments so they can take part in education on the same basis as their peers
  • acknowledges and responds to the diverse needs, identities and strengths of all students
  • occurs when students with disability are treated with respect and are involved in making decisions about their education
  • benefits students of all abilities in the classroom
  • fosters positive cultural change in attitudes and beliefs about disability, in and beyond the school environment
  • contributes to positive learning, engagement and wellbeing outcomes for students
  • acknowledges communication is essential for a student’s social interaction, learning and participation
  • values all forms of student communication, including verbal, nonverbal, and augmentative and alternative communication.

Disability Inclusion

Disability Inclusion is part of the Victorian Government’s approach to inclusive education. It provides extra support for students with disability in government schools.

The Disability Inclusion reform's key components include a new tiered funding and support model, the strength’s-based Disability Inclusion Profile and a range of capability building workforce and training system initiatives.

What Victorian students have to say about inclusive education

Watch the video: What does inclusion mean to me?

View transcript

Download the poster: What inclusion means to me poster (PDF, 3.3MB)

Intersecting identities

Victoria has a strong and vibrant education system that celebrates diversity and is committed to supporting the achievement and participation of all students.

Inclusive education acknowledges that some children and young people have intersecting identities and support needs that schools may need to take into consideration.

These identities may relate to:

  • having disability or diverse learning needs
  • gender identity
  • sexual orientation
  • being an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person
  • race
  • cultural identity
  • speaking a language other than English
  • social factors
  • economic factors
  • experience of abuse, neglect or family violence.

Review of the program for students with disabilities

Disability Inclusion was implemented in government schools from 2021 to 2025 to respond to the findings and recommendations from the 2016 Review of the Program for Students with Disabilities.

The review investigated how schools can provide the best learning for children and young people with disability.

Disability Inclusion implements key recommendations from the review:

  • Develop and trial a new personalised support-profiling tool that identifies strengths and functional needs for all students with disabilities.
  • Develop a new tiered funding model based on a strength-based functional needs approach to meet the needs of all students with disability
  • Further develop and roll out existing professional learning opportunities relevant to disability and inclusive education practices at a system, school and classroom level, to build workforce capability to support all students with disabilities.

Disability Inclusion is transforming support for students with disability in Victorian government schools and strengthening inclusive education practice across the school system.

Review consultation

Consultations were run with more than 100 participants representing 24 organisations, facilitated by Dr Graeme Innes, the former Australian Disability Discrimination Commissioner.

170 submissions were received from the public and there were 1400 respondents to an online survey to determine the attitudes of key stakeholder groups towards potential policy options.

Review report and response

Download the review report and the Government's response:

Further information

For more information about Disability Inclusion and supports for students with disability in Victorian government schools, visit:

Education & training

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