Background

The Inclusive Assessment Program (IAP) provides educators with two assessment tools to assess, support and scaffold learning for students with complex learning needs. This could include students:

• with moderate to severe intellectual disability or mild intellectual disabilities who require extensive support for emotional regulation or physical disabilities
• who need support developing their early language and learning skills, particularly those who may be non-verbal and/or pre intentional in their communication.

The program is part of the department’s Disability Strategy to improve the educational outcomes of children and young people with disability.

Formerly known as the Assessment for Complex Learners project, the initial trial aimed to understand and describe what learning looks like for students with complex learning needs. A collaboration between schools and the broader department, the project investigated the latest research and trialled new assessments tools with department schools.

Assessment tools

IAP includes 2 assessment tools.

• The Literacy and Numeracy Precursor Indicators - A set of indicators intended to be precursors to the National Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions

• Passport for learning - A holistic formative assessment approach for students with moderate to severe intellectual disability that allows educators to record observations on a student’s Cognitive, Receptive, Expressive and Social skills.

These assessment tools support educators to know where students are at in their learning, determine where to next by setting individual learning goals, and report on and celebrate learning.

Release dates

The assessment tools are available to department schools in 2 stages.

• Term 2, 2024: Schools for Specific Purposes and schools with support units
• Term 1 2025: all other schools

Teachers access the assessment tools at any time via ALAN.

Resources

The Literacy and Numeracy Precursor Indicators and Passport for learning webpages include materials to assist you to implement the assessments.

Professional learning and support

A dedicated Inclusive Assessment Program MS Team (staff only) is available where you can ask questions, access live and prerecorded information sessions or collaborate with others.

Professional learning supporting implementation and planning for teaching is available via MyPL. There are 2 courses:

• Inclusive Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy Precursors
• Inclusive Assessment Program - Passport for learning

Each course includes 3 modules.

• Introduction to the Inclusive Assessment Program
• Understanding the tool
• Putting the tool into practice

An optional module ‘School implementation for leaders’ is available. See Inclusive Assessment Program professional learning for details.