Failing to Realise Inclusive Education in Australia: Confusion and Terminological Ambiguity

Chelsea Quake

By Chelsea Quake
Community contribution / January 22, 2023

A short literature review exploring conceptual confusion and terminological ambiguity as barriers to Australia's realisation of 'inclusive education'.

Inclusive education formally replaced “special education” in all mainstream Australian schools during the early 1990s, coinciding with the Disability Discrimination ...

Year 7 & 8 Mathematics Teacher

Penola Catholic College - Senior School Broadmeadows

We welcome applications for a passionate and engaging Year 7 and 8 Mathematics Teacher who has a love of mathematics and can impart this to our students

Teaching - Secondary / Nov 11, 2026

English & Humanities Teacher

Fintona Girls' School Balwyn VIC

An opportunity to be part of welcoming and collaborative school community and inspire engaged students across Years 7–10

Teaching - Secondary / Nov 11, 2026

Veritas Bradford

Teaching - Secondary / Nov 11, 2026

By Chelsea Quake

Community

Teacher-librarian (Technology, STEAM, Language and Literacy) living in Melbourne, Australia. I am a strong advocate for access and equity in school education. This cannot occur without attention to, among other things, information literacy and digital literacy, and a low-variance, knowledge-based curriculum. I am a vocal member and frequent published author in the school library professional community. I believe every school should have access, in some capacity, to a qualified Teacher-librarian who can assist with content curation, information literacy education, reader development, and closing the research-to-practice gap in Australian schools.

Similar news

School news / Teachers decry 'confusing' and 'ambiguous' PDHPE exam School news / Realising the promise of STEM education Opinion / Don't confuse disability with impairment: how to be a more inclusive educator

Latest comments

What is most important in education is having students who can think creatively, be entrepreneurial, solve unforeseen...

— Emily Peterson on School Leader Blasts Academics For ‘Bizarre’ And ‘Patronising’ Aero Criticism

Top events

Conference / October 5, 2026 / Sydney Careers Expo(August 27 & 28) Conference / October 5, 2026 / Melbourne Career Expo(July 23 to 25) Conference / October 5, 2026 / Perth SkillsWest Careers & Employment Expo(July 22 to 24)

School news / Public school employees prepare to receive significant pay increases

Victorian public school teachers, principals, and education support staff will tomorrow receive the first of a series of significant pay increases as part of the new Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2026.

School news / Scathing report: under-fire church school faces call to ban new students

A probe into a private religious school accused of sexual, physical, psychological, spiritual and financial abuse has recommended it be barred from enrolling new students.

School news / ‘Demonstrably inequitable’: Australia’s school assessment system under fire

Grossly inconsistent and watered down assessment practices across the country are failing Australian students on multiple fronts, a new blueprint for reform has warned, with some saying we have no valid or reliable way of determining exactly what ...

School news / Racial discrimination and bias? Indigenous children more likely to be sent to court by police

Less than half of First Nations children who broke the law were not given the opportunity to change their behaviour, despite police discretion to not refer them to court.

School news / Helpful resource answers more children’s questions about climate change

Research tells us that 89 per cent of Australian kids aged 12 and 13 say climate change is probably or definitely something we should worry about.

School news / AI wearables pose extra challenge for school exam supervisors: expert

Sophisticated and highly concealable wearable technology now poses a significant threat to the integrity of senior school exams, with one expert warning procedures must keep pace to prevent student cheating.

School news / Jumping castle operator’s safety measures questioned in inquest

The operator of an inflatable jumping castle which became airborne and killed six children says she was safety conscious, despite pegs being used in half its anchorage points.

School news / Open letter calls for school standards to support victims of peer sexual assault

Australia's education ministers are being called on to create national standards for schools to support young victim-survivors who experience sexual harm.

School news / Bring-your-own tech ditched as school digital crackdown momentum builds

A state government is forging ahead with its pen-and-paper revolution as it winds back a key digital learning policy.

School news / ‘Swamped by bots’: Aussie teachers have fled from X. Everything has changed

A mass exodus of teachers from X has changed the nature of professional dialogue and connection online, with educators resorting to using LinkedIn as an alternative.

Comments