Response to proposed changes to Specialist Teacher supports in Victorian schools

7 August 2023

CHARGE Syndrome Australasia strongly opposes the changes to Specialist Teacher support for students with vision and hearing impairments.

This proposal by the Department of Education Victoria shows an incredible lack of foresight by a government committed to inclusive education and ensuring students with disabilities “get the support they deserve.”

Children with CHARGE syndrome are born with dual impairments in hearing and vision, the primary sensory channels for learning. They are also multi-sensory impaired, with their ability to learn significantly hindered by vestibular dysfunction, sensory processing disorders and sensory integration/self-regulation difficulties. Children with CHARGE experience high levels of fatigue and stress and poor fine motor skills, resulting in unique and wide-ranging educational needs.

The provision of specialist visiting teachers in hearing and vision impairment is critical as it provides the only link to an expert with knowledge of sensory impairments and best practice for these learners. Specialist teachers providing regular support to schools know the unique needs of the learner based on their impairments.

Removing the support these specialist teachers provide to schools will be to the detriment of these vulnerable students and will cause stress and anxiety for them and their families. Depriving these students of the right to be educated in their mainstream schools with the support of expert practitioners will impact their ability to achieve their potential and will severely reduce their ability to access lifelong learning.

With this decision, the Department of Education Victoria is also ignoring the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), which states that all persons with disabilities have the right to access lifelong learning that facilitates the full development of human potential and a sense of dignity and self-worth.