CONCURRENT SESSIONS
DAY 2: 11.15 - 12.05 (Ballroom 2 + 3)
OrCam Literacy Support Wearable Trial in Queensland State Schools
Presented by: Jeff Souter
Organisation: Statewide Services, Disability and Inclusion Branch, State Schools, QLD
To ensure students have the capacity to effectively engage with content across all areas of the Australian curriculum, assistive and inclusive technologies become a fundamental component of the adjustments required for students with diverse learning needs. The OrCam is a wearable device capable of transforming written content into speech, enabling students to engage more effectively with text. In 2019, the DET's Disability and Inclusion Branch undertook a trial of OrCam devices in Queensland state schools to determine the effectiveness of the device in enhancing student engagement with written content.
This presentation will explore the OrCam device, demonstrating its use to enable students to engage with written content. The presentation will outline the results of the trial of the OrCam in 10 Queensland state school environments. It will identify the student cohort that used the devices, the curriculum targeted by schools during the trial and the observed improvement in student engagement with written content as a result of using the device.
DAY 2: 11.15 - 12.05 (Ballroom 1)
Leading Inclusive Education
Presented by: Kelly Jeppesen, Juliane Lewis, Lynette Griffiths
Organisation: Dakabin State School, QLD
Dakabin State School was the 2019 Winner of the Queensland Showcase in Education Awards for Excellence in Inclusive Education. At Dakabin State School inclusion is not a destination, a project or a program. Inclusion is a way of being, a way of thinking and a way of LEADING.
This workshop is designed for school leaders and their teams who want to take their inclusive practices to the next level. At Dakabin SS, inclusion is always a school priority. In this session we will share our school's journey to inclusion, highlight Universal Design approaches for strategic leadership of inclusion, and share practical systems and processes that support schools to establish and sustain an inclusive mindset. We will also share our Whole Child Approach to unpacking the barriers to learning for students.
DAY 2: 11.15 - 12.05 (Bastille Room)
Time efficient strategies to support students with learning disabilities
Presented by: Jemima Hutton
Organisation: Dyslexia Demystified, QLD
Four students in every classroom having a specific learning difficulty. At least two of those students are likely to be dyslexic; however, when it comes to teaching practice, 98% of teachers say they do not have enough training in identifying and supporting dyslexia (Made by Dyslexia, 2018).
This presentation will improve knowledge regarding what dyslexia is, what to look for in students, and how it is diagnosed. Teachers will be equipped with evidence-based interventions, practical, low cost strategies and skills in utilising assistive technologies to develop empowered, independent learners. Staff will also have the opportunity to reflect on the presenter's personal experiences as a dyslexic student, and explore how mental wellbeing is impacted in students with learning disabilities. Preventative/supportive wellbeing strategies will be discussed, as well as how to facilitate a learning environment in which neurodiversity is celebrated. These are strategies that can be implemented tomorrow. While grounded heavily in research, they can also be applied directly into the classroom environment.
DAY 2: 11.15 - 12.05 (Concorde Room)
Strengthening School and Community Relationships through Engagement and Co-design
Presented by: Bob Smith
Organisation: State Schools Indigenous Education, Department of Education, QLD
This presentation will explore the importance of authentic consultation and co-design processes with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. During this session participants will discover the importance of understanding and supporting local consultation protocols when wishing to co-design new projects, no matter how big or small. Participants will also explore a model of engagement that will assist them to engage meaningfully with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples in their communities – urban, rural, remote or discrete.