My Say My Way – inclusive voice platform for complex learners
About this project
My Say My Way (MSMW) is a pioneering NSW Department of Education initiative led by CESE, in partnership with Inclusion and Wellbeing, to develop a suite of accessible student voice tools to collect data on the educational experience, and wellbeing at school of students with disability and/or complex learning needs.
- Schools have told us they experience an equity gap for students with disability.
"Most of the students [with disability] are excluded from current student voice tools, my students have a voice, and we need to listen." Staff, Support unit, Metro High School.
CESE are building on previous work from the Disability Strategy to develop from scratch a customised digital platform, drawing on an evidence-based measurement framework to systematically measure sense of belonging and other aspects of schooling for students who have typically been unable to access conventional student surveys.
- Three tools will be available on the MSMW digital platform:
1. Student Accessible Survey (SAS) Tool – the SAS tool is a digital survey with a range of in-built accessibility features that can be personalised to meet the needs of each student. These features include Boardmaker symbols, customisable photos, text to speech, different font sizes and high contrast display options for students with Cortical Vision Impairment (CVI).
2. Guided Discussion Methods (GDM) Tool – the GDM are a way of eliciting responses from students on specific questions. They include arts-based methods (body mapping, guided photovoice, in the picture) and prompted conversations (gestures and vocalisations, AAC low tech, AAC digital devices). The GDM tool is a digital survey where teachers record student responses after they have engaged with the GDM teaching and learning activities.
3. Parent/Carer Insight (PCI) Tool – The PCI is an optional digital survey that gathers parent/carer perceptions. It is designed to complement the student responses in either the SAS or GDM by providing additional information to create a more complete understanding of the student.
- Our vision is for every NSW public school student with a disability to have the opportunity to share their voice.
The MSMW digital tools are an innovative solution, designed to capture students' unique perspectives and ensure their voices are heard.
The tools will be delivered on a digital platform to:
- Provide equitable access to capture the voice of students with complex learning needs about their educational experience and wellbeing at school.
- Support consistent collection, analysis and tracking of data at the classroom, school and system level.
- Help to deliver on the strategic direction in the Plan for NSW Public Education:
- that every student is known, valued and cared for
- to embed diverse learner, family and staff voices in decision-making
- support consistent collection, analysis and tracking of data to measure the proportion of students with disability reporting a positive sense of belonging.
At the centre of this project are the diverse range of people who will use the MSMW tools – students, teachers, school leaders and parents/carers – working and learning in a wide range of settings across NSW public schools.
We use a human-centred design thinking approach, working collaboratively with schools during the design and testing process. Feedback from educators and stakeholders so far have told us:
- "Very happy [regarding the] accessibility of questions - how we can cater for font, Boardmaker, photos etc" - Relieving assistant principal.
- "Looks good, lay out is easy to understand. User friendly." - Learning and support teacher.
- "I love that this will be so adaptable for my students."- Special education teacher.
- “Loving what I am seeing…good to see the different aspects and talents within your team working on this. Thank you, I think it is fabulous.” – NSWPPA reference group member.
Critically, we work in ways that seek to balance the need to minimise workload burden on schools, whilst ensuring robust school input to generate high quality end products. MSMW will significantly reduce teacher workload by:
- reducing search costs for valid and reliable tools
- automating the necessary adjustments and accommodations, and
- minimising time-consuming modifications. In specialist education settings, teachers invest significant effort in personalising resources for these students.
MSMW 2025 Pilot (phase 1)
In 2025 our focus is on finalising the MSMW digital build and producing the MSMW teacher support materials. To achieve this, we have established:
- A School Advisory Group: individual experts from schools to provide targeted feedback on specific aspects of MSMW.
- Partner schools: a small number of schools engaged in intensive user experience testing, observation and feedback.
In Term 3, 2025 our 10 partner schools will trial early digital versions of the platform and tools with a small number of students. These schools represent a diverse range of primary and secondary support units and SSPs, and will also trial the draft teaching and learning support materials designed to guide implementation of MSMW.
MSMW 2026 Pilot (phase 2)
In Term 2, 2026 we will be conducting a large-scale pilot involving approximately 700 teachers from across NSW. If you are interested in participating in the 2026 pilot, please express your interest via the email below.
For any questions about MSMW, please email mysaymyway.cese@det.nsw.edu.au.