Objective

Build inclusive teaching practice through applying co-teaching and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles within a preschool environment and measure the impact on student, educator and parent outcomes.

Measure of success

Greater inclusion between early intervention and mainstream classes in the preschool and improved teaching practice and student learning and wellbeing.

All measures

• Educator and parent perspectives of inclusion, and student social interaction and engagement
  

• Parent sense of school belongingness/engagement
  

• Effective teaching practice relating to co-teaching and UDL
  

• Educator self-efficacy for inclusive practices
  

• Student engagement, communication and interaction
  

• Educator and student interactions
  

Partner schools

• Punchbowl Public School (PPS)
  

External partners

• Katrina Barker and Danielle Tracey, Western Sydney University

Overview

Staff at Punchbowl Public School have combined early intervention support and mainstream classes to create an inclusive preschool as one of the Disability Strategy’s innovation program projects.

The preschool is working with Western Sydney University (WSU) to build teachers’ capacity to create an inclusive play-based environment using UDL and co-teaching practices.

Punchbowl began their progress towards inclusion in Term 4, 2019 and by April 2020 students were already learning together during outdoor play time.

The school’s four mainstream and four early intervention support preschool classes have always been just across the hall from one another, but students have traditionally interacted separately.

Punchbowl Public School Principal Dace Elletson said that the project grew out of an exploration of what it would look like to cater for all children together.

“We’re getting great feedback from the parents of kids with disability – saying ‘I never thought my kid would be able to play with other kids’. It’s important they’re seeing it at preschool age. It sets up high expectations of what they want for their child,” said Mr Elletson.

“It’s good for all our students to see this person is different to me but we’re all valuable and can all contribute.”