Unit of competency Outline
Information current as of
21/10/2026 12:12 AM AWST
21/10/2026 12:12 AM AWST
Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.
Facilitate learning for students with physical disabilities
Facilitate learning for students with physical disabilities
Unit of competency
National Code
CHCEDS427A
CHCEDS427A
State Code
D2460
D2460
TGA Status
Deleted
Deleted
DTWD Status
Deleted
Deleted
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
26/08/2009
Original Release Date
25/03/2011
Nominal Hours
40
Field of Education
070113 - Teacher Education: Special Education
Description
DescriptorThis unit describes the skills and knowledge required by education support workers to contribute effectively to learning experiences for students with physical disabilitiesThis unit provides knowledge of physical disability and its impact on students' learning and provides participants with skills to scaffold students' learning, to enhance students' access to learning opportunities and to ensure physically impaired students' needs are met using the most suitable resources available
General notes
N/A
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Take into account ways in which physical disability can affect students' development and learning
- 1.1 Work with understanding of the nature and causes of physical disability
- 1.2 Identify and explain ways in which physical disability can affect student development
- 1.3 Identify and explain ways in which physical disability can affect student learning
- 1.4 Identify and explain the implications of physical disability for effective teaching and learning
2. Provide individual support for students with physical disabilities
- 2.1 Contribute to identifying the needs of individual students in consultation with teachers and other members of the education team
- 2.2 Provide personal support as required in line with own work role
- 2.3 Identify access issues for students and raise them with appropriate personnel
- 2.4 Develop and implement strategies to support student learning are in collaboration with teachers
RANGE STATEMENT
The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.
Commonly used terms in the context of physical disability may include:
Ability:
degree of actual power to perform a particular physical or mental task present in an individual
Adaptive skills/behaviours:
everyday coping skills that students need to take care of themselves and to relate to others in daily living
Attention span:
period of attention or concentration given by an individual to particular task or situation
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC):
modes of communication, apart from speech, which are used to supplement a person's speech (augmentative communication), or to replace a person's speech (alternative communication)
Classroom environment:
conditions within the classroom, or affecting the classroom, which influence the learning situation, including social, physical, physical and psychological aspects
Disability:
any lack or restriction of the ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the normal range
Generalisation of learning:
this occurs when a skill is learned in one situation and applied in another and allows the student to operate effectively across a variety of environments without having to re-learn behaviours each time there is a change
Handicap:
a disadvantage for an individual resulting from impairment or a disability that limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal for that individual (dependent on age, sex, social and cultural factors)
Impairment:
any loss or abnormality of parts or functioning of the brain or body
continued ...
Commonly used terms in the context of physical disability (contd):
Memory:
the mental process of retaining and recalling a past act, experience, or impression
Perception:
thinking involved in becoming aware of objects, items, qualities or relations through receiving, processing and interpreting impressions received via the senses
to register information through one or more of the sensory modes and to make meaning of it
Thought processing:
allows students to organise incoming information, to make connections between pieces of information and to interpret symbolic and abstract concepts
it also allows information to be organised for decision-making, communication and action
Physical disability refers to:
Physical impairment or disability which affects a person's ability to move or to coordinate and control movement
It may also involve loss of feeling and/or inability to use certain parts of the body
Different body systems may be involved:
musculoskeletal - involving joints, limbs and associated muscles
neurological - involving central nervous system (brain, spinal cord or nerves that run from the spinal cord)
Causes of physical disability may include:
Cerebral palsy
Spina bifida
Muscular dystrophy
Arthritis
Osteogenesis (brittle bones)
Congenital malformation of the limbs
Some acquired brain injury
Some orthopaedic conditions
Syndromes
Accidents which result in brain injury, spinal injury, loss of limbs or severe burns.
Chronic health problems such as cancer may also affect a student's physical development, resulting in disability
A physical disability may be:
Present from birth (congenital) or acquired later (e.g. through an accident or illness)
Progressive or non-progressive (this refers to whether or not the condition increases in extent or severity)
Physical disability can affect student development in ways that depend on the specific condition and may include difficulties with:
The ability to move, initiate movement, control movement and/or coordinate movement
Gross motor skills - large groups of muscles in the legs, trunk, neck and arms are involvedThe ability to control these muscles affects the student's capacity to sit, stand, roll, reach, walk
Fine motor skills - small muscles in the arms and hand used to perform fine motor skills such as touching grasping and manipulating
Communication - some students with physical disabilities have difficulties with voice production and may need to use augmentative and alternate methods of communication
Emotional well being - the impact of a physical disability on the emotional well being of students will be different for each student and will vary according to life stages and their experiences
Factors which influence a student's self-esteem and emotional status include:
personality of the individual
severity of the impairment
age
degenerative conditions
acquired conditions
family attitude
attitude of the school community
expectations
Social skills - social skills are developed gradually as children play, share activities, share interests and share responsibilitiesA physical disability may or may not interrupt this development at any or all stages
Personal care - students with physical disability may need assistance with eating, toileting and other personal needs
Physical disability can affect student learning in ways that depend on the specific condition and may include:
Irregular school attendance:
students with physical disability may be absent from school for significant periods of time
implications for students can be wide ranging:
they miss out on opportunities to learn
friendships between peers develop in their absence
on return they have to readjust to the school routine
they may not be able to keep up with their peers
Difficulties with access to and from the learning environment
these issues may be physical and/or attitudinal and can relate to all aspects of school life:
access to classes, eating areas and school grounds
classroom set-up
portability of learning materials, books and equipment
access to library, laboratories, resource centres, computers
sporting facilities
toilets and change rooms
water fountains
school tuckshop
transport and excursions
camps
work experience placements
school play/concert/other productions
social functions
emergency evacuations
Communication difficulties:
for the student who has difficulty speaking or is unable to speak:
adaptive equipment may be needed
student must learn to use the equipment
additional time required for oral interactions
frustration may develop
behaviour may be affected
concentration may not be sustainable for long periods of time
continued ...
Effects of physical disability on student learning (contd):
Communication difficulties:
For the student who is unable to write:
adaptive equipment may be needed
computer programs may be utilised e.g. a variety of software options including voice recognition typing programs
student may need a note taker and/or scribe.
student may require additional printed resources
Implications of physical disability for effective teaching and learning may include:
Adjustments to the learning environment in order to facilitate access and to accommodate mobility equipment required by students with physical disabilities
Use of inclusive practices and an environment that promotes equity and equality
Personal support requirements, with management of additional adults in the learning environment
Planning needs to incorporate alternate delivery methods and adaptations to ensure students with physical disability have equitable access to learning
Education adjustment programs and education adjustment program profiles (or equivalents) may be required for students with physical disabilities
Provision and use of adaptive technologies and equipment
Specific supportive behaviour strategies may be required to assist students with physical disabilities to cope with additional frustrations and fatigue
Timing of activities may need to be flexible
Raised awareness of health and safety issues in the learning environment
Contingency planning in place in case of emergency
The need to take an unbiased, flexible attitude to solving difficulties
Strategies to support student learning may include:
Larger work sheets
Fewer distracting details on work sheets/posters/wall displays
Working with a buddy
Adapted items to handle to assist with grasp (play, number activities, art project)
Adjustments to games to allow participation
Technology (modified keyboards, special programs)
Hand outs or material available in a digital form to alleviate extensive note taking
Strategies that apply to assessment include:
Adjustments to work sheets
More time to complete an assignment or exam
A scribe to write during an exam
Three years to cover the two year program of years 11 and 12
Different methods of assessment
Education team may include:
Class teacher/s
Principal
Head of department
Head of special education services
Advisory visiting teachers
Education support workers
Nurses
Parents/carers
Occupational therapist
Physiotherapist
Speech-language pathologist
Personal support may include:
Emotional support
Communication
Promoting social interactions
Facilitating the student with physical activities to increase their confidence and independence
Physical support for the student, including:
positioning
transfers
moving from class to class
moving from activity to activity within the class
eating/drinking
personal hygiene
dressing
Health care - both routine and emergency
Preparation for some curriculum activities e.g. swimming, music, physical education
Assisting the student to manage transport, and/or escorting the student to and from:
school
excursions
camps
sporting events
work experience
Care of equipment
Setting up specific pieces of technology used by the student
Mobility needs and manual handling to lift and/or move some students
Working with a range of manual handling equipment including hoists
Placing splints onto a specified limb
When assisting the student to access the learning environment the underlying principles are:
Maintaining the dignity of the student
Ensuring the safety and comfort of the student
Considering the preferences of the student
Promoting the independence of the student
Planning ahead
Strategies to support student learning may include:
Implementing specific learning/teaching program in cooperation with the teacher/s
Knowing what motivates the student
Having expectations of the student
Incorporating student preferences
Adapting to the preferred learning style of the student
Ensuring, through consultation with the teacher, understanding of:
the purpose of the activity
what strategies are to be used
how the strategies are to be implemented
what level of help is to be given
how help/assistance is to be given
what information is to be recorded and in what format
Communication:
learning how to use a specific communication system
creating opportunities for communication
responding to all communicative attempts
Responsible behaviour
modelling expected behaviours
clearly establishing expectations
offering choices
following through on consequences
The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.
Commonly used terms in the context of physical disability may include:
Ability:
degree of actual power to perform a particular physical or mental task present in an individual
Adaptive skills/behaviours:
everyday coping skills that students need to take care of themselves and to relate to others in daily living
Attention span:
period of attention or concentration given by an individual to particular task or situation
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC):
modes of communication, apart from speech, which are used to supplement a person's speech (augmentative communication), or to replace a person's speech (alternative communication)
Classroom environment:
conditions within the classroom, or affecting the classroom, which influence the learning situation, including social, physical, physical and psychological aspects
Disability:
any lack or restriction of the ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the normal range
Generalisation of learning:
this occurs when a skill is learned in one situation and applied in another and allows the student to operate effectively across a variety of environments without having to re-learn behaviours each time there is a change
Handicap:
a disadvantage for an individual resulting from impairment or a disability that limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal for that individual (dependent on age, sex, social and cultural factors)
Impairment:
any loss or abnormality of parts or functioning of the brain or body
continued ...
Commonly used terms in the context of physical disability (contd):
Memory:
the mental process of retaining and recalling a past act, experience, or impression
Perception:
thinking involved in becoming aware of objects, items, qualities or relations through receiving, processing and interpreting impressions received via the senses
to register information through one or more of the sensory modes and to make meaning of it
Thought processing:
allows students to organise incoming information, to make connections between pieces of information and to interpret symbolic and abstract concepts
it also allows information to be organised for decision-making, communication and action
Physical disability refers to:
Physical impairment or disability which affects a person's ability to move or to coordinate and control movement
It may also involve loss of feeling and/or inability to use certain parts of the body
Different body systems may be involved:
musculoskeletal - involving joints, limbs and associated muscles
neurological - involving central nervous system (brain, spinal cord or nerves that run from the spinal cord)
Causes of physical disability may include:
Cerebral palsy
Spina bifida
Muscular dystrophy
Arthritis
Osteogenesis (brittle bones)
Congenital malformation of the limbs
Some acquired brain injury
Some orthopaedic conditions
Syndromes
Accidents which result in brain injury, spinal injury, loss of limbs or severe burns.
Chronic health problems such as cancer may also affect a student's physical development, resulting in disability
A physical disability may be:
Present from birth (congenital) or acquired later (e.g. through an accident or illness)
Progressive or non-progressive (this refers to whether or not the condition increases in extent or severity)
Physical disability can affect student development in ways that depend on the specific condition and may include difficulties with:
The ability to move, initiate movement, control movement and/or coordinate movement
Gross motor skills - large groups of muscles in the legs, trunk, neck and arms are involvedThe ability to control these muscles affects the student's capacity to sit, stand, roll, reach, walk
Fine motor skills - small muscles in the arms and hand used to perform fine motor skills such as touching grasping and manipulating
Communication - some students with physical disabilities have difficulties with voice production and may need to use augmentative and alternate methods of communication
Emotional well being - the impact of a physical disability on the emotional well being of students will be different for each student and will vary according to life stages and their experiences
Factors which influence a student's self-esteem and emotional status include:
personality of the individual
severity of the impairment
age
degenerative conditions
acquired conditions
family attitude
attitude of the school community
expectations
Social skills - social skills are developed gradually as children play, share activities, share interests and share responsibilitiesA physical disability may or may not interrupt this development at any or all stages
Personal care - students with physical disability may need assistance with eating, toileting and other personal needs
Physical disability can affect student learning in ways that depend on the specific condition and may include:
Irregular school attendance:
students with physical disability may be absent from school for significant periods of time
implications for students can be wide ranging:
they miss out on opportunities to learn
friendships between peers develop in their absence
on return they have to readjust to the school routine
they may not be able to keep up with their peers
Difficulties with access to and from the learning environment
these issues may be physical and/or attitudinal and can relate to all aspects of school life:
access to classes, eating areas and school grounds
classroom set-up
portability of learning materials, books and equipment
access to library, laboratories, resource centres, computers
sporting facilities
toilets and change rooms
water fountains
school tuckshop
transport and excursions
camps
work experience placements
school play/concert/other productions
social functions
emergency evacuations
Communication difficulties:
for the student who has difficulty speaking or is unable to speak:
adaptive equipment may be needed
student must learn to use the equipment
additional time required for oral interactions
frustration may develop
behaviour may be affected
concentration may not be sustainable for long periods of time
continued ...
Effects of physical disability on student learning (contd):
Communication difficulties:
For the student who is unable to write:
adaptive equipment may be needed
computer programs may be utilised e.g. a variety of software options including voice recognition typing programs
student may need a note taker and/or scribe.
student may require additional printed resources
Implications of physical disability for effective teaching and learning may include:
Adjustments to the learning environment in order to facilitate access and to accommodate mobility equipment required by students with physical disabilities
Use of inclusive practices and an environment that promotes equity and equality
Personal support requirements, with management of additional adults in the learning environment
Planning needs to incorporate alternate delivery methods and adaptations to ensure students with physical disability have equitable access to learning
Education adjustment programs and education adjustment program profiles (or equivalents) may be required for students with physical disabilities
Provision and use of adaptive technologies and equipment
Specific supportive behaviour strategies may be required to assist students with physical disabilities to cope with additional frustrations and fatigue
Timing of activities may need to be flexible
Raised awareness of health and safety issues in the learning environment
Contingency planning in place in case of emergency
The need to take an unbiased, flexible attitude to solving difficulties
Strategies to support student learning may include:
Larger work sheets
Fewer distracting details on work sheets/posters/wall displays
Working with a buddy
Adapted items to handle to assist with grasp (play, number activities, art project)
Adjustments to games to allow participation
Technology (modified keyboards, special programs)
Hand outs or material available in a digital form to alleviate extensive note taking
Strategies that apply to assessment include:
Adjustments to work sheets
More time to complete an assignment or exam
A scribe to write during an exam
Three years to cover the two year program of years 11 and 12
Different methods of assessment
Education team may include:
Class teacher/s
Principal
Head of department
Head of special education services
Advisory visiting teachers
Education support workers
Nurses
Parents/carers
Occupational therapist
Physiotherapist
Speech-language pathologist
Personal support may include:
Emotional support
Communication
Promoting social interactions
Facilitating the student with physical activities to increase their confidence and independence
Physical support for the student, including:
positioning
transfers
moving from class to class
moving from activity to activity within the class
eating/drinking
personal hygiene
dressing
Health care - both routine and emergency
Preparation for some curriculum activities e.g. swimming, music, physical education
Assisting the student to manage transport, and/or escorting the student to and from:
school
excursions
camps
sporting events
work experience
Care of equipment
Setting up specific pieces of technology used by the student
Mobility needs and manual handling to lift and/or move some students
Working with a range of manual handling equipment including hoists
Placing splints onto a specified limb
When assisting the student to access the learning environment the underlying principles are:
Maintaining the dignity of the student
Ensuring the safety and comfort of the student
Considering the preferences of the student
Promoting the independence of the student
Planning ahead
Strategies to support student learning may include:
Implementing specific learning/teaching program in cooperation with the teacher/s
Knowing what motivates the student
Having expectations of the student
Incorporating student preferences
Adapting to the preferred learning style of the student
Ensuring, through consultation with the teacher, understanding of:
the purpose of the activity
what strategies are to be used
how the strategies are to be implemented
what level of help is to be given
how help/assistance is to be given
what information is to be recorded and in what format
Communication:
learning how to use a specific communication system
creating opportunities for communication
responding to all communicative attempts
Responsible behaviour
modelling expected behaviours
clearly establishing expectations
offering choices
following through on consequences
EVIDENCE GUIDE
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency:
The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
This unit may be assessed either on the job or off the job through an appropriate workplace simulation
Assessment should ensure the candidate addresses the elements and performance criteria on at least three occasions, over a period of time
Access and equity considerations:
All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work
All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities
Context of and specific resources for assessment:
This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged
Assessment requires access to
a workplace environment or
one that closely resembles normal work practice and replicates the range of conditions likely to be encountered in an educational context in which students with physical disability are enrolled
appropriate documentation, resources and technologies normally used in such an educational environment
principles of practice used within the education organisation
scenarios that replicate difficulties experienced by students with physical disabilities and that provide opportunities for participants to problem solve support
Key aspects of the assessment context for closely replicating a workplace include:
various environments in which the 'student' will need access and require personal support
learning situations in which the participant is to provide appropriate support to meet the needs of the 'student with a physical disability'
Method of assessment:
Assessment methods suitable for valid and reliable assessment of this competency may include, but are not limited to, a combination of two or more of:
case studies
demonstration
observation
questioning - oral and written
scenarios, simulation or role plays
workplace projects
authenticated evidence from the workplace and/or training courses
Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands, such as literacy, and the needs of particular groups, such as:
people in rural and remote locations
people with disabilities
people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
women
young people
older people
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency:
The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
This unit may be assessed either on the job or off the job through an appropriate workplace simulation
Assessment should ensure the candidate addresses the elements and performance criteria on at least three occasions, over a period of time
Access and equity considerations:
All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work
All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities
Context of and specific resources for assessment:
This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged
Assessment requires access to
a workplace environment or
one that closely resembles normal work practice and replicates the range of conditions likely to be encountered in an educational context in which students with physical disability are enrolled
appropriate documentation, resources and technologies normally used in such an educational environment
principles of practice used within the education organisation
scenarios that replicate difficulties experienced by students with physical disabilities and that provide opportunities for participants to problem solve support
Key aspects of the assessment context for closely replicating a workplace include:
various environments in which the 'student' will need access and require personal support
learning situations in which the participant is to provide appropriate support to meet the needs of the 'student with a physical disability'
Method of assessment:
Assessment methods suitable for valid and reliable assessment of this competency may include, but are not limited to, a combination of two or more of:
case studies
demonstration
observation
questioning - oral and written
scenarios, simulation or role plays
workplace projects
authenticated evidence from the workplace and/or training courses
Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands, such as literacy, and the needs of particular groups, such as:
people in rural and remote locations
people with disabilities
people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
women
young people
older people
No information