Qualifications frameworks are tools for describing qualifications of an education or training system by classifying them into levels. Each level provides a clear description of what the holder of a qualification knows, understands and is able to do. They are important tools for making qualifications transparent and comprehensible, within and…

Background: This study synthesises current literature concerning the barriers to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) faced by people with intellectual disability and/or complex support needs who are involved with the criminal justice system, or at risk of (re)involvement. Method: Through targeted searches of key databases, 41…

In April 2019, the Australian Government's well-regarded Endeavour Leadership Program was quietly scuttled. Since 2003, the Endeavour program (previously known as the Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships program) had supported Australian postgraduate students, researchers and career professionals to study overseas. It also brought talented…

In Australia, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was rolled out in pilot sites in 2013. This article reports a formative study conducted with qualified preschool teachers in one site in a context of change. The NDIS has been hailed in the media as a bold move to deliver more choice of services to people with disabilities and…

In Australia and Europe, government agencies and not-for-proft organisations (NFPOs) have had long involvement in the funding and provision of community disability services. Signifcant change has occurred in Australia over the past two decades in the way government funds are expended, with marketplace mechanisms increasingly being used. As a…

Background: On an annual basis, students across Australia in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are assessed on their literacy and numeracy skills via the National Assessment Program -- Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), with the student performance data used for purposes including national accountability. Purpose: Against this backdrop of large-scale national…

This paper explores the changing terrain of disability support policy in Australia. Drawing on a critical disability framework of policy sociology, the paper considers the policy problem of access to education for people with disabilities under recent reform by means of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which commenced full roll-out…

The National Assessment Program -- Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) in Australia is a series of literacy and numeracy tests that are used for purposes of school comparison. This paper argues that a key question for this use lies in whether or not this is a reasonable, or valid, use of the test data. Using Kane's argumentative approach to validity,…

A national qualifications framework (NQF) is an instrument used to classify a country's qualifications at different levels. Each level is defined by a set of learning outcomes expected at that level. NQFs can be useful tools in education and training reforms and are vital reference points for lifelong learning and comparing qualifications across…

Statistical literacy is complex and multifaceted. In every country, education and numeracy are a function of a multitude of factors including culture, history, and societal norms. Nevertheless, since the launch of the International Statistical Poster Competition (ISLP) in 1994, a number of patterns have emerged to suggest there are some common or…

The author of this conceptual article was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to travel to the United States, Ireland, and United Kingdom to meet with researchers, practitioners, and community agencies and review how support for people with intellectual disability is provided. A specific focus was upon provision of care for individuals who were either…

This paper describes a national statistics-oriented project-based learning activity, which has been delivered annually for five years in Australia and the outcomes of a particular collaboration of this initiative with the discipline of environmental sustainability. The national initiative engages primary- and secondary-school students from varied…

This study sought to analyze and evaluate the accessibility, availability and quality of online information regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and hearing loss. The most common search engine keyword terms a caregiver may enter when conducting a web search was determined using a keyword search tool. The top websites linked…

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised huge concerns for the mental health of an entire generation of children. But the pandemic may represent only the tip of a mental health iceberg -- an iceberg we have ignored for far too long. For the first time, "The State of the World's Children" examines the mental health of children and adolescents.…

The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) has launched a new publication, "Integrated Approaches to Literacy and Skills Development: Examples of Best Practice in Adult Learning Programmes." This new compilation showcases 21 adult education programmes that demonstrate promising approaches to integrating literacy, life skills and…