A ‘Not To Be Missed’ Opportunity for Change January 2010
Click here to read the report: Helping people with dyslexia: a national action agenda
During 2008 the Hon Bill Shorten, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and
Children’s Services, met with representatives from dyslexia interest groups who
expressed concern that dyslexia is not recognized as a specific disability under the
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and that the education and employment systems do not
recognize or support people with dyslexia.
Following these meetings the Parliamentary Secretary requested the FaHCSIA convene a
roundtable Forum to discuss these issues.
This Dyslexia Stakeholder Forum was held at Parliament House, Canberra on 16 June 2009.
The Forum consisted of 24 people, who are scientists in the areas of reading or learning
disabilities, technologists, people with dyslexia, clinicians and practitioners, or
representatives from DEEWR and FaHCSIA. It was decided that a representative Working Party
of 8 Forum members should be formed, charged with the task of writing a report proposing a
national agenda for action to assist people with dyslexia. AUSPELD was represented on the
Working Party by two members of the executive, Angela Weeks, President and Mandy Nayton,
Treasurer.
The Working Party consulted widely and in particular benefited from comments on a draft
report that were received from the following authorities (all of whom have expressed very
strong support for the recommendations we have made):
• AUSPELD (The Australian Federation of Specific Learning Difficulty Associations)
• LDA (Learning Difficulties Australia)
• ALDA (The Australian Learning Disability Association)
• Speech Pathology Australia
• The DDOLL (Developmental Disorders of Language and Literacy) network, which was
established with funding from the Australian Research Council.
• Sir James Rose, author of the Rose Report on Dyslexia commissioned by the UK
Government.
I am delighted to share this report with you and invite you to contact the Hon Bill
Shorten directly http://www.billshorten.com.au/more/index.cfm?Fuseaction=more_43084
with your comments. I think this is a ‘not to be missed’ opportunity for the
Dyslexia Community to petition for change and have their voices heard. I shall keep you
posted through the website of our progress.
Angela Weeks
AUSPELD President
National Focus Paper June 2007
Title: Literacy, Inquiries, Research, Policies, Specific Learning Difficulties: Realities
National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy (2005)
AUSPELD welcomed the opportunity to participate in the National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy by submitting the following document and as a member of the Reference Group.
We look forward to the findings of this Inquiry leading to successful implementation of the Inquiry's stated key priority of "achieving real, sustained improvements in the literacy and numeracy skills of Australian children to better prepare them for their futures." (Inquiry Terms of Reference)
All public submissions to this Commonwealth Inquiry into the teaching of reading can be viewed from www.dest.gov.au/schools/literacyinquiry
Commonwealth Senate Employment Workplace Relations and Education References Committee (2002)
This Inquiry was looking into the Education of Students with Disabilities including Learning Disabilities, throughout all levels and sectors of education, with particular reference to whether current policies and programs for students with disabilities are adequate to meet their educational needs.
