Reaffirming practice: Creating a ring of confidence to address learning needs of all students in a VET context
Ann Michael and Debi Dingwall
Kath Dickson Institute of Early Childhood Studies

2004 - Making Reasonable  Adjustments in Children’s Services project:
•	develop capacities, policy/processes and tools to support reasonable adjustments in the delivery and assessment of Certificate 111 in Children’s Services
•	analyse the relationship between Training Package competencies, the special learning needs of trainees and the demands of the working environment in which the trainees are located to better understand the reasonable adjustment process
•	monitor the attrition rate of trainees with special learning needs where reasonable adjustment processes and tools are implemented

This project confirmed, clarified, legitimised and extended shared understandings of MRA and ways of working in VET for KDIECS staff:
MRA is primarily attitudinal - our attitudes about learners and learning shape our practices and our considerations about when, and what reasonable adjustments are made and how work is done
MRA is about commonsense understandings about how learners learn, undertake tasks in the workplace and demonstrate competence
MRA is about confidence and accountability for all partners in the training contract
MRA is collaborative – RTO staff, employers and workplace supervisors and trainees all have an interest and responsibility in making  training successful…leading to work/career outcomes

Practices – what do we need to do to create a ring of confidence?
Develop tools and strategies for quality teaching, learning and assessment
Access support services for learners
Inclusive design of training programs
Develop inclusive policy and language across the training organisation 
Understand One size does not fit all is now applicable in our varied and ever changing life and work
Advocate for work/learning opportunities for all learners

Intimacy with competencies and workplace tasks
Understanding how work is performed in the workplace and the many ways in which competence can be demonstrated

Working with employers/supervisors to assist in understanding diversity at work – ways in which work can be carried out

Debi Dingwall – practitioner delivering outcomes for students with disabilities undertaking Children’s Services training with KDIECS

Aims of program:
to aid students and employers in seeing that with the right attitudes and support there is a place in the childcare industry for workers/learners with disabilities as qualified Childcare Assistants
to ensure that this happens without the validity and integrity of the qualification being compromised

Who?
Learners from a Special Education Unit at a Secondary School in Toowoomba
Current model is with fee-for-service students but format equally adaptable for trainees

How?
through ‘making reasonable adjustments’ to both the training and assessment processes so that the focus is on the students abilities not their disabilities
through providing education and on going support for host centres/potential employers

Strategies:
Identifying the issue
Creating a climate of support 
Ensuring access
Structuring assessment process to suit needs
Using other expertise
‘Providing a ‘good fit’ with student and their on-floor supervisor is critical to success.’

Strengths of the program
Attitudes of the organisation
Strengths of the network relationship between the school and KDIECS (RTO)
Teaching format – ‘user friendly’ training schedule that is not only tailored for these students but for young students in general
Designed to build on skills and create CONFIDENCE for these learners

Yes there is a downside….. The biggest stumbling block remains the attitudes of the employers.  There is still a huge amount of work to be done in educating workplaces of the benefits in employing trainees with disabilities. But for every down there is…

A Glimmer of Hope….
The successes of the individual girls in this program in their host centres is in a small way paving the way for other learners in the future. 
HOPEFULLY these employers are opening up to the possibility of looking to this whole new segment of the work force to fill their future needs.