Disability Inclusion Profile

Policy

This policy outlines the Disability Inclusion Profile (the profile) and surrounding process. The profile helps schools and families detail the strengths, functional needs, and educational adjustments schools are making for individual students. This policy applies to all Victorian government schools.

Summary

• The department is committed to embedding inclusive education in all school environments for students with disability and additional needs.
• Schools must meet their legal obligations under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic), the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth), and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Cth) to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate students with disability.
• These obligations apply to all students with disability, not just those who are eligible for support under targeted funding programs.
• Further information on the Disability Inclusion vision for inclusion can be found in the Vision for inclusive education (PPTX).
• The Disability Inclusion Profile (DOCX) (profile) is a tool and process designed to help schools and families detail the strengths, functional needs and educational adjustments schools are making for individual students.
• Schools will need to prepare for, co-ordinate, and participate in the profile process, with parents/carers, to receive Disability Inclusion Tier 3 student-level funding.
• The profile is part of the department's Disability Inclusion reform.

Details

The Disability Inclusion Profile (DOCX) and surrounding process helps schools and families detail the strengths, functional needs, and educational adjustments schools are making to assist students with disability and additional learning needs.

The profile is part of the Disability Inclusion reform, which aims to strengthen inclusive education across the school system. Refer to Disability Inclusion Funding and Support for information on the Disability Inclusion funding model and roll-out schedule. To learn more about the Disability Inclusion vision for inclusion, refer to Vision for inclusive education (PPTX).

The Disability Inclusion Profile (the profile) uses a strength and functional needs based approach that is designed to:

• highlight the student’s strengths, aspirations and goals
• help schools and families identify functional needs and adjustments for students with disability
• inform individual education plans (IEPs), student learning goals, and school-wide planning
• determine Disability Inclusion tier 3 student-level funding allocations to support schools to deliver adjustments for students with complex and high needs.

What are functional needs?

For the purpose of the Disability Inclusion Profile, functional needs are the student’s support needs across the 6 profile domains (PDF), requiring adjustments to ensure their access and participation in education on the same basis as their peers.

What is a reasonable adjustment?

An adjustment is a measure or action taken in response to a student’s needs to ensure their access and participate in education on the same basis as their peers.

Under both state and Commonwealth laws schools must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to ensure that students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as students without disability, regardless of the availability of additional funding. Adjustments include instruction, support, and interventions delivered at 3 levels:

• School-wide: Universal strategies benefiting all students
• Targeted: Small group interventions
• Personalised: Individual student supports

Refer to: Students with Disability and Supporting information guidance (DOCX).

What are levels of adjustment?

For the profile, levels of adjustment describe the degree to which school-related adjustments are implemented to ensure a student’s access and participation in education on the same basis as their peers.

Levels of adjustment for each of the profile’s 31 activities are determined based on their:

• personalisation: the extent to which adjustments are tailored in response to the student’s functional needs
• frequency: the occurrence of adjustments over time
• intensity: the amount and type of resources required to implement the adjustment, including planning and collaboration, staff support, tools, and equipment.

Disability Inclusion Profile overview

The profile and the Disability Inclusion funding model has replaced the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) and the Educational Needs Questionnaire.

The Disability Inclusion Facilitator Service (DIFS or facilitator service) administers the profile. To manage the profile process, schools use an online platform called the DIFS Portal. The DIFS Portal allows schools to register profile requests, view and upload information and engage with the facilitator service. Schools can seek access to the DIFS Portal by contacting DIFS on contact@difs.com.au. Refer to: the DIFS Portal User Guide (PDF).

Schools need to prepare for, co-ordinate and participate in the profile, with parents/carers and the student (where appropriate), to receive Disability Inclusion Tier 3 student-level funding. Refer to: Tier 3 student-level funding.

The profile is not compulsory for any student and requires consent from the student's parents/carers. The school, in partnership with the parents/carers, the student, and the Student Support Group, are responsible for deciding whether to undertake a profile. Refer to: Identifying students to undertake a Disability Inclusion Profile.

The profile is not limited to students who are eligible for Tier 3 student-level funding. It is available to and may benefit a broader group of students with disability. Refer to: Tier 3 student-level funding.

Easy English resources are available to support parents/carers understand the profile process (PDF) and the profile meeting (PDF).

Overview of the profile process

A summary of the steps involved in the profile process is provided below and in this flowchart Disability Inclusion Profile – end to end process (PDF).

More detailed guidance is provided within the Guidance tab.

End to end process

1. Identify the student to undertake a profile

The school identifies a student to undertake the profile, in partnership with their parents/carers and/or the SSG. Refer to: Identifying students to undertake a Disability Inclusion Profile.

2. Register a profile request with the facilitator service

The school submits an initial registration form on the DIFS webpage. This form captures basic student and school information and does not require uploading any documentation. Refer to: Registering and completing a Disability Inclusion Profile request and the DIFS Portal User Guide (PDF).

3. Complete the profile request

To complete the profile request, schools must:

• respond to the screening questions
• complete the profile information form
• upload supporting information in the DIFS Portal.

This demonstrates that the student meets the requirements for a profile meeting. Refer to: Registering and completing a Disability Inclusion Profile request.

Supporting information should be existing school-based documentation that demonstrates the personalisation, frequency and intensity of the adjustments in place. It is recommended that schools upload a maximum of 15 high-quality and relevant documents before the meeting, using the available categories in the DIFS Portal.

Refer to: Supporting information for the Disability Inclusion Profile.

Schools can complete the optional school-wide adjustments form (DOCX) directly in the DIFS Portal. This once-off document captures the adjustments, policies, resources, facilities and supports that are in place for all students across the school. Schools can revisit this document periodically.

Schools are encouraged to use the optional Profile Adjustments and Supporting Information Summary Tool (Profile ASIST) (DOCX) to support the collation of supporting information. For examples on how to complete the Profile ASIST, refer to the Profile Adjustment and Supporting Information Summary Tool (Profile ASIST) – Annotated Example (DOCX).

4. Schedule the profile meeting

The facilitator service will contact the school to identify the most appropriate date and time for the profile meeting. Schools are responsible for coordinating the attendance of profile meeting participants for the full duration of the meeting. Refer to: Scheduling a Disability Inclusion Profile meeting.

5. Prepare for the meeting

The school, in collaboration with the parents/carers and student, prepare for the profile meeting. Refer to: Preparing for a Disability Inclusion Profile meeting – roles and responsibilities.

A range of resources are available to support student and parent/carer participation in the profile meeting, including social scripts and Easy English resources. Refer to: Resources tab and Disability Inclusion: a new approach for students with disability.

Schools are encouraged to use the optional Disability Inclusion Profile – Teacher Identification of Personalised Strategies (Profile TIPS) (DOCX). Profile TIPS includes prompts to help teachers identify and reflect on individualised strategies to support a student, and to prepare for the profile meeting. For more information, contact your Regional Implementation Team or Disability Coordinator (DOCX).

6. Participate in the meeting

The profile meeting is led by a trained facilitator. The facilitator will review core documentation before the meeting. In the meeting, schools should talk about the supporting information and connect it to the relevant activities within the profile.

Refer to: Participating in the Disability Inclusion Profile meeting – roles and responsibilities.

7. Provide additional supporting information, if required

The facilitator service may request additional supporting information after the meeting. This should be existing information and must be provided within 5 school days of the request. Extensions will only be granted in exceptional and unforeseen circumstances, for example, where the responsible school contact has extended unplanned leave.

The facilitator service can answer questions about additional supporting information.

8. Receive finalised profile and school resource notification, if applicable via the DIFS Portal

The profile is finalised by the facilitator service.

The finalised profile informs tier 3 student-level funding allocations.

The school receives a Disability Inclusion Profile report (profile report) and a School Resource Notification, that outlines any tier 3 student-level funding allocation. Refer to: Finalising the Disability Inclusion Profile, Notification of Disability Inclusion Profile outcome and the DIFS Portal User Guide (PDF).

9. Discuss the finalised report with the SSG

The school meets with the SSG to discuss the profile report and incorporate any learnings into the student’s individual education plan.

Disability Inclusion tier 3 student-level funding will be provided via the school’s Student Resource Package (SRP). Refer to: Steps following notification of Disability Inclusion Profile outcome.

10. Adjustments and supports continue

The school continues planning, implementing and monitoring of personalised adjustments to support student learning and participation, regardless of the profile outcome.

The student support group continues to support the student’s educational, health, social, cultural and emotional wellbeing.

The Disability Inclusion Profile meeting

Undertaking a profile meeting is not compulsory for any student. Schools, in partnership with the SSG and parents/carers, determine whether to undertake the process.

The profile is completed through a structured meeting with the student’s student support group (SSG), which is led by a trained Disability Inclusion Facilitator (facilitator). Facilitators generally lead profile meetings by focusing on the student’s functional needs and adjustments at a domain level (PDF). This approach provides a holistic view of the student’s experience and needs within the school environment.

During the meeting, the facilitator supports the SSG members to work together to complete the profile. This includes agreeing on the indicative levels of adjustment needed for the student’s participation and learning at school. Indicative levels of adjustment are subject to change to ensure the profile’s levels of adjustments match the adjustments in place as demonstrated in supporting information. Moderation and quality assurance processes are in place to ensure the profile outcome is accurate and consistent across the state. Refer to: Moderation and quality assurance of the Disability Inclusion Profile.

The Disability Inclusion Profile (DOCX) structures this discussion.

The video below provides an example of how the profile meeting works, and the roles and responsibilities of attendees. A shorter version of this video for parents/carers is available at Disability Inclusion: a new approach for students with disability.

The Guidance tab provides more information on roles and responsibilities of profile meeting attendees.

Building school staff capability with the profile process

Schools are encouraged to:

• review the content in the guidance tab of this policy page
• speak with your regional implementation team (RIT), disability coordinator, health wellbeing or student support services key contact
• access professional learning on Disability Inclusion, refer to: Arc and Arc regional pages
• complete the Disability Inclusion eLearning modules. These can be found by searching ‘Disability Inclusion’ in LearnED/edupay.

Registering a profile for a student enrolled in a specialist school

For students enrolled in specialist schools, the timing of profile meetings should take into consideration when a student is scheduled for an enrolment review.

It is recommended that the enrolment review occur prior to the completion of a Disability Inclusion Profile to ensure the profile is undertaken in the correct setting.

For more information about reviewing enrolment for students in specialist settings, refer to: Enrolment in specialist schools and other specialist education settings.

Related policies

• Behaviour – Students
• Decision Making Responsibilities for Students
• Disability Inclusion Funding and Support
• Education Support Staff Working in Classroom Support Roles
• Enrolment
• Individual Education Plans
• Interpreting and Translation Services
• Koorie Education
• LGBTIQA+ Student Support
• NDIS Funded Therapy in Schools
• Parent Payments
• Privacy and Information Sharing
• Student Support Groups
• Student Support Services
• Students with Disability
• Team Around the Learner (TAL)

Relevant legislation

• Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic)
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
• Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Cth)
• Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic)
• Health Records Act 2001 (Vic)
• Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic)

Contacts

For general queries about Disability Inclusion, contact: disability.inclusion@education.vic.gov.au

For queries relating to the profile process, requesting and scheduling profiles, and the status of existing profile requests, please contact the facilitator service:

• Phone: 1800 951 430 (9 am to 5 pm business days)
• Email address: contact@difs.com.au
• Schools can submit a new profile request at: Disability Inclusion Facilitator Service

For queries relating to profile outcomes, including the profile report and School Resource Notification and tier 3 funding allocations, timelines, or processes, contact: disability.inclusion.outcomes@education.vic.gov.au

For support with transitioning to the profile, contact your regional implementation team:

• North Eastern Victoria Region: NEVR.disability.inclusion@education.vic.gov.au
• South Western Victoria Region: SWVR.disability.inclusion@education.vic.gov.au
• South Eastern Victoria Region: SEVR.disability.inclusion@education.vic.gov.au
• North Western Victoria Region: NWVR.disability.inclusion@education.vic.gov.au

For queries relating to profiles for individual students, regional contacts include:

• disability coordinator
• health and wellbeing key contact
• student support services key contact.

Feedback

The department is continually looking to improve and refine policies and processes. Should you have any feedback on the Disability Inclusion Profile or process please provide it to: disability.inclusion@education.vic.gov.au

To provide feedback on a specific facilitator or profile meeting, please contact the facilitator service: contact@difs.com.au

A comprehensive complaints and feedback management process is in place to manage feedback about profile meetings. Schools are encouraged to use this formal complaints and feedback process to raise concerns about facilitator practice or profile meetings. Feedback from schools will be handled objectively and in line with agreed processes and will not impact future profile meetings or funding. Feedback helps improve the profile meeting and process for schools, families, and students.