As one of the initiatives in the Special Needs Plan, the Government committed that all newly built government schools, or schools undertaking major building projects, would accommodate the needs of students with disabilities and additional needs. This is part of establishing Victoria as the Education State, where every child is given the education they need for their future.
The New Schools Public Private Partnership Project (the Project), which draws on an inclusive design approach, is helping to deliver on the Special Needs Plan commitment by delivering 15 new schools across many of Victoria’s fastest-growing metropolitan and regional communities through an inclusive design approach.
To embed the the Project’s approach of inclusive design into the Department’s ongoing practices, new Provision Planning Guidelines for Students with Disabilities(Guidelines) have also been developed to enable planners, regions and school communities to forecast demand and plan how best to provide school environments and facilities for students with disabilities. Additionally, the Building Quality Standards Handbook (Handbook) used by architects and builders working on all school building projects has also been updated to feature more building design elementsthatsupport theinclusion of all students.
Together these resources provide a comprehensive approach to delivering inclusive new schools in the future.
Inclusion in the new schools
The 15 new schools being deliveredthrough the Public Private PartnershipProject will be inclusive, accessible and flexible in order to support the needs of learners of all abilities. Education and Universal Design Principles have driven a design emphasis on removing barriers to inclusion and promoting equality. The design features of the 15 schools will support inclusion and accessibility through:
- contemporary and flexible spaces which can be reconfigured to cater for diverse learning needs
- Learning Communities with a diverse range of learning settings for varying group sizes which will allow teachers to provide tailored learning and support
- innovative acoustics including acoustically contained areas and acoustic treatments in louder areas to absorb sound and diminish the impact of loud activities
- inclusive furniture and fixturesthat promote ease of access, including disability compliant toilets, height adjustable bench-tops and counters,and taps and handles which are easy to operate and without sharp edges
- tactile sensory stimulation on corridor walls and learning spaces.
Inclusion in Greater Geelong
The new Armstrong Creek Education Precinct and North Geelong Special Developmental School will complement the existing education provision for students with disabilities and their families in the Greater Geelong area. This will enhance the community’s options by providing access to a Special School and a Special Developmental School in both the north and south of Geelong by 2018.
Armstrong Creek Education Precinct
Armstrong Creek will be a unique Precinct offering education for Prep – Year 6 students and Prep – Year 12 students with low – moderate intellectual and/or physical disabilities. The innovative and highly inclusive model will provide children with access to integrated facilities and grounds with unique design features that support students with disabilities, including:
- sensory gardens with winding paths, seating, bird feeders and tactile play features enabling students to interact and engage with natural settings
- acoustically treated and sensitive learning spaces which minimise disturbance from other activities
- sensory roomswhich are inclusive spaces equipped to support visual, auditory and tactile activities
- tactile sensory stimulation on corridor walls and learning spaces
- sensory pressure poles to enrich the sensory environment and provide calming support for students.
North Geelong Special Developmental School
The North Geelong Special Developmental School will provide first-class facilities for a range of learners with moderate to profound intellectual and/or physical disabilities from Prep – Year 12, offeringunique design features including:
- sensory gardens with winding paths, seating, bird feeders and tactile play features to interact and engage with natural settings
- a playground liberty swing to give students in wheelchairs the opportunity to enjoy the fun and recreation of swinging
- a hydrotherapy pool which will deliver health benefits including relaxation, strength development, sensory stimulation and physical exercise, and which can also be accessed by other special developmental schools and community groups
- dedicatedspaces for healthcare professionals so students can access services such as speech pathology, physiotherapy and occupational therapy at school
- sensory roomswhich are inclusive spaces with interactive equipment to supportvisual, auditory and tactile activities
- a gym and sports areawhich supports sensory movement, mobility and physical therapy activities for students including support beams for swings, slings and hammocks, and wall padding to minimise risk of impact
- sensory pressure poles to enrich the sensory environment and provide calming support for students.
New Guidelines and handbook
The new Guidelines support planners to forecast capacity needs and develop fit-for-purpose schools for students with disabilities. The Guidelines prioritise supported inclusion models, highlighting approaches that are designed to provide tailored support, often using specialist expertise within mainstream settings. These models include:
- Satellite Units, whichare flexible spaces located in mainstream schools that are sensitive to the needs of students with disabilities. These spaces allow mainstream schools to partner with specialist schools to provide curriculum and teaching expertise tailored for students with disabilities attending mainstream settings
- Base Rooms,whichare established by specialist schools in partnership with a mainstream host school. Base Rooms are administered by specialist schools but located in mainstream schools and allow the students access to an educational program in amainstream school.
The updated Handbook provides those involved in the design and building of schools with demonstrated best practice to be incorporated into new projects, refurbishments and maintenance works forall government school buildings.The Handbook is updated regularly and the recent changes emphasise inclusion and the seven Universal Design Principles:
1.Equitable use so the design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities
2.Flexibility in use to accommodate a wide range of individual preferences and abilities
3.Simple and Intuitive use that is easy to understand, regardless of the user’s experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level
4.Perceptible Information where necessary information is communicated effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user’s sensory abilities
5.Tolerance for error minimising hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions
6.Low Physical Effort where the design can be used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue
7.Size and Space for Approach and Use where appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation and use regardless of user’s body size, posture or mobility.
Together the Guidelines and the Handbook will ensure that schools across Victoria are planned, built and modernised to support inclusive education by creating supportive learning spaces that cater for all learners, regardless of ability.
For more information on the Public Private Partnership Project, see:
To learn more about the Special Needs Plan see:
To view the updatedHandbook and the new Guidelines see: <insert link to new Inclusive New Schools Landing Page>