Research

The aim of this MCEETYA-funded project was to develop a definition of disability, and a method of identifying students with disabilities for reporting their educational outcomes on a nationally comparable basis.  In Stage 1, the definitions were developed and the data collection methodology was devised (Purdie, Wernert, Ellis & Rollo, 2005).  Stage 2, involved:

  * the design of data collection instruments;
  * the development of procedures to collect and code data within the schools sector;
  * testing of procedures with school authorities and a sample of schools, teachers, parents, students or other relevant persons;
  * checking the accuracy and viability of the data obtained from these procedures;
  * determining the extent to which implementing the methodologies was feasible; and
  * recommendations of a preferred approach to be adopted by the MCEETYA Performance Measurement and Reporting Taskforce (Purdie, Wernert, & Rollo, 2006).