Students
EDSX8301 – Inclusive and Special Education
2025 – Session 1, Online-flexible
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Poulomee Datta
Contact via Contact via email
Tutor
Meenakshi Viswanathan
Contact via Contact via email
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MTeach (Birth to five)
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
In this unit teacher education students will be supported to critically engage with, reflect on, and apply to practice fundamental considerations for ensuring high quality and equitable educational opportunities for all learners. Teacher education students will be provided with opportunities to develop advanced understandings of key issues related to inclusive and special education in contemporary education contexts. Acknowledging and valuing the full range of human diversity, teacher education students will develop and apply advanced knowledge and skills to providing high quality education to all learners. There is a focus on complex and sometimes conflicting theoretical perspectives. The pervasive influence of social constructions of disability and issues of ableism and disablism will be addressed. Relevant legislation, policy, and practice will be examined. Teacher education students will critically analyse barriers to equity in education for students with disability. A range of research-informed pedagogical approaches will be explored and evaluated. Family perspectives; understanding diverse learners; collaboration; establishing an inclusive classroom environment; and designing inclusive curriculum and teaching practices including engaging with universal design for learning and quality differentiated practices will be considered. |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Demonstrate advanced understandings of key issues related to inclusive and special education in contemporary education contexts, including critical analysis of barriers to equity in education for students with disability.
- ULO2: Develop a clear understanding of ethical, legislative and policy responsibilities of teachers as related to educational provision for learners across the full range of human diversities.
- ULO3: Identify and critically evaluate complex and conflicting theoretical perspectives and demonstrate a developed understanding of social constructions of disability and the pervasive nature of ableism and disablism in educational contexts.
- ULO4: Demonstrate research-informed knowledge of the importance of collaboration, including consideration of family perspectives and school-family-community relations.
- ULO5: Develop and apply research-informed knowledge of a range of approaches to designing curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and environments that cater for all students in diverse classrooms, including engaging with universal design for learning and quality differentiated practices, and evaluating processes for identifying specific learning needs.
- ULO6: Apply research-informed knowledge and understanding of approaches to responding to complex behaviour.
- ULO7: Demonstrate understanding of key factors involved in establishing an inclusive classroom culture and environment from the perspective of transforming schools in order to improve educational and community outcomes.
General Assessment Information
General Submission Information
Please format assessments using 12-point font and 1.5 spacing. All assessments must be submitted electronically. Turnitin plagiarism detection software is used to check all written assessments. It is the responsibility of all students to ensure that their submitted work is in a format compatible with Turnitin software for plagiarism checking. Submissions must meet the required file type and formatting specifications outlined in the assessment guidelines. Failure to submit work in an acceptable format may result in delays in processing your submission and potential penalties for non-compliance with assessment requirements. If you are unsure about the file format or have technical difficulties, it is your responsibility to seek assistance before the submission deadline. Students should be careful to check that they submit the correct file for an assessment as no re-submissions will be accepted after the due date and time, including instances where students upload an incorrect file. It is not the responsibility of unit staff to contact students who have failed to submit assessments. If you have any missing items of assessment, it is your responsibility to contact the unit convenor. Students can use Turnitin’s Originality Report as a learning tool to improve their academic writing if this option is made available in the unit. Word limits are strictly applied. Work above the word limit will not be marked.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Students should be aware of and apply the University policy on academic integrity (see: https://policies.mq.edu.au/document/view.php?id=3). Any student suspected of using unauthorised AI in an assignment will be referred to the Faculty of Arts Discipline Committee. Penalties can include reduced marks for an assessment, being awarded '0' for a task, failing an entire unit, being excluded from a course of study. Please see each assessment task description/rubric for expectations about AI.
Special Consideration / Late Penalties
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day an assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends) (see: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration). Applications for extensions must be made via Service Connect. After the 7th day, a mark of 0 (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11:55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessments (incl. essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special Consideration application. A Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.
Marking
All assessments are marked using a rubric. Marking of all assessments is moderated by the Unit Convenor.
University Policy on Grading
Assignments will be awarded grades ranging from HD to F according to guidelines set out in the University's Grading System and University Assessment Policy. To attain a pass or higher grade in Professional Experience a student must obtain a satisfactory in both the Professional Experience component and a pass or higher grade in the academic component.
Results
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed because they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit Service Connect.
Withdrawing from this unit
If you are considering withdrawing from this unit, please seek academic advice via Service Connect before doing so as this unit may be a co-requisite or prerequisite for units in the following sessions and may impact your course progression.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analysis and critique of contemporary research in the field of inclusive education | 50% | No | 13/04/2025 |
| Professional Resource | 50% | No | 03/06/2025 |
Analysis and critique of contemporary research in the field of inclusive education
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: 13/04/2025
Weighting: 50%
3500 words
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced understandings of key issues related to inclusive and special education in contemporary education contexts, including critical analysis of barriers to equity in education for students with disability.
- Develop a clear understanding of ethical, legislative and policy responsibilities of teachers as related to educational provision for learners across the full range of human diversities.
- Identify and critically evaluate complex and conflicting theoretical perspectives and demonstrate a developed understanding of social constructions of disability and the pervasive nature of ableism and disablism in educational contexts.
Professional Resource
Assessment Type 1: Creative work
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: 03/06/2025
Weighting: 50%
Students will create a research-informed professional resource outlining practical strategies in the field of inclusive education (2500 words).
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate research-informed knowledge of the importance of collaboration, including consideration of family perspectives and school-family-community relations.
- Develop and apply research-informed knowledge of a range of approaches to designing curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and environments that cater for all students in diverse classrooms, including engaging with universal design for learning and quality differentiated practices, and evaluating processes for identifying specific learning needs.
- Apply research-informed knowledge and understanding of approaches to responding to complex behaviour.
- Demonstrate understanding of key factors involved in establishing an inclusive classroom culture and environment from the perspective of transforming schools in order to improve educational and community outcomes.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
Required textbook
The REQUIRED textbook for this unit is: Inclusive Education for the 21st Century: Theory, policy and practice. by Linda J. Graham (2020). Allen & Unwin.
Please note this textbook is available to everyone via the Macquarie University Library as it is an e-book.
Other weekly readings and resources will be made available to students through Leganto (University's Library Link).
Information about the unit iLearn site
This unit has a full web presence through iLearn.
Students will need regular access to a computer and the Internet to complete this unit.
Weekly access to iLearn is compulsory for all students. Important assessment information will be posted here, as will other relevant unit notices and materials.
Various activities and materials for discussion and critical reflection are included and students enrolled in INFQ or online mode are especially encouraged to use this web component. Electronic links and suggested references will be included in the Resources section. Please check the iLearn unit regularly.
Weekly lectures are available on the iLearn site. You must listen to all lectures.
PowerPoint slides are available in iLearn in advance of the weekly lecture and/or are available in the Active Learning Tool.
Information for students about access to the online component of this unit is available at https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/index.php. You will need to enter your student username and password. Please do NOT contact the Unit Convenor regarding iLearn technical help. Assistance is available from IT Helpdesk: via email onehelp@mq.edu.au or Ph: 9850 4357 or 1800 67 4357. On Campus: Ground floor at 18 Wally’s Walk.
Structure
The unit comprises a one-hour lecture and a two-hour tutorial each teaching week. In the tutorial students will discuss issues and questions arising from the lectures and prescribed readings. They are expected to base their arguments/discussions on evidence from published research and other relevant material. There will be a supporting iLearn site for the unit providing additional readings, links and materials. The weekly program for the unit is available on the unit iLearn site and the accompanying readings are available on Leganto.
Unit Schedule
PLEASE REFER TO THE WEEKLY SCHEDULE LOCATED IN iLEARN.
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Complaints Resolution Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Academic Integrity
At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.
School of Education Procedures
In addition, the following policies and procedures for the Macquarie School of Education apply to this unit.
Academic Progression Policy
This unit is a part of a professional course listed on Schedules 2 and 3 of the Academic Progression Policy. This course has additional requirements that are applicable for the full duration of the course, including course-specific Inherent Requirements, Fitness to Practice requirements and other compulsory course requirements. It also has rigorous academic progression standards. Inability to meet these requirements may result in a withdrawal of offer of admission and/or permanent exclusion from the course in accordance with the General Coursework Rules.
Communication
It is the student’s responsibility to check all electronic communication on a weekly basis. Communication may occur via: ● Official MQ Student Email Address ● The Dialogue function on iLearn ● Other iLearn communication functions
Attendance and Participation
See the University timetable for information about when classes begin in this unit. Creating your timetable - Enrolling | Macquarie University, Sydney (mq.edu.au)
Attendance at all synchronous activities, completion of non-synchronous formative/diagnostic class tasks and involvement in professional forums is expected as the Master of Teaching (Birth to five) is a professional qualification. Activities completed during weekly tutorials (DAY or ONLINE DAY mode) or on campus days (INFQ mode) are essential for building the core knowledge and/or skills required to demonstrate the learning outcomes of this unit and to meet the AITSL Graduate Teacher Standards and/or ACECQA requirements. Attendance at all tutorials and/or on campus days is expected and will be recorded. Make up tasks may be given if attendance is missed to ensure all content is covered to meet accreditation requirements.
Students are required to attend the tutorial in which they are enrolled. Any changes to tutorial enrolments must be completed officially through e-Student. Please do not contact the unit convenor to request a change.
Infrequent Attendance Students
Information about the dates of the on-campus sessions can be found in the university timetable. Creating your timetable - Enrolling | Macquarie University, Sydney (mq.edu.au)
● The on campus sessions are essential to student engagement and learning and attendance is expected. Failure to attend or not to have an approved Special Consideration may result in a Fail grade.
● Prior to the on campus sessions, students should have read the prescribed readings and listened to the lectures, summarise the main points, and make notes of the key terms and definitions. Prepare any discussion questions of your own that you wish to share.
● Please make effective use of the online component of the unit and access iLearn regularly. Keep up to date with listening to the lectures on a weekly basis.
● Further details and any updates about times and locations will be posted on iLearn as an Announcement during first half of the semester.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Academic Success
Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.
- Workshops
- Chat with a WriteWISE peer writing leader
- Access StudyWISE
- Upload an assignment to Studiosity
- Complete the Academic Integrity Module
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:
- IT Support
- Accessibility and disability support with study
- Mental health support
- Safety support to respond to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault
- Social support including information about finances, tenancy and legal issues
- Student Advocacy provides independent advice on MQ policies, procedures, and processes
Student Enquiries
Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Changes since First Published
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 14/02/2025 | Assessment 2 due date was amended so that the due date is same for weekday and infrequent students. |
Unit information based on version 2025.03 of the Handbook