Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education - from 1 January 2021

The Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education requires four years of full-time study or the equivalent part-time. The course is offered by the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Students who wish to exit the award after completion of 36 units, 72 units or 108 units may be awarded the Diploma in Disability and Community Practice, Associate Degree in Disability and Community Practice or Bachelor of Disability and Community Inclusion, subject to specific requirements.  Refer to the links below for the requirements for these programs:

• Diploma in Disability and Community Practice
• Associate Degree in Disability and Community Practice
• Bachelor of Disability and Community Inclusion

• Admission requirements
• Course aims
• Learning outcomes
• Program of study

Admission requirements

The minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses are specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements.

Course aims

Grounded in a human rights approach, the Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education is focused on promoting the rights of people with disability to inclusive lives and to building an effective and respectful support workforce allied with this aim.

The program provides students with work-relevant skills and knowledge they can apply as Developmental Educators and across a wide range of contexts in disability, health and human services fields.  The multidisciplinary focus of the program scaffolds student learning from multiple perspectives, including special education, psychology, philosophy, sociology, and health. Work integrated learning provides opportunities for students to apply learning in practice throughout their studies. Students who complete all requirements for the 4 year Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education will be eligible for full membership with the DEAI to practice as a Developmental Educator in Australia.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course you will be able to

• understand and activate human rights in the lives of people with disability
• work in alliance with people with disability, their families and advocates to promote inclusion and quality in life
• promote the physical and emotional well-being of people with disability
• recommend and teach functional skills such as social, self-care, recreation, communication and language, and employment skills
• support people with disability to access and maintain meaningful employment
• use advocacy, negotiation and person-centred planning skills to facilitate community inclusion for and with people with disability
• develop and provide support coordination, case management and counselling support for people with disability and their associates
• develop and implement specialist positive behaviour support plans
• deliver therapeutic supports
• conduct evidence-informed and ethical assessment
• complete rigorous and effective report writing
• access, plan and implement effective early intervention programs for children with diverse learning needs
• understand and apply leadership in professional practice teams

Program of study

To qualify for the Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education, a student must complete 144 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study set out below.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion or failure to complete the course within eight consecutive years may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purpose of the University's Policy on Student Progress.

Core - Year 1 topics

31.5 units comprising:

 DSRS1201  Perspectives on Disability  (4.5 units)
 DSRS1202  Disability Across the Life Course  (4.5 units)
 DSRS1211  Introduction to Disability and Neurodiversity  (4.5 units)
 DSRS1215  Introduction to Communication Diversity and Support Needs  (4.5 units)
 DSRS1217  The Disability Landscape  (4.5 units)
 DSRS1218  Critical Issues in Disability Practice  (4.5 units)
 HLTH1010  Research and Study Skills 1  (4.5 units)

Option - Year 1 topics

Plus 4.5 units of option topics selected from the following list:

EDUC1224 Foundations of Special Education (4.5 units)
GOVT1001 Fundamentals of Public Policy (4.5 units)
INNO1001 Innovative and Creative Thinking: Recognising Opportunities (4.5 units)
INNO1004 Creative Thinking & Problem Solving: Finding & Framing Problems Worth Solving (4.5 units)
PSYC1108 The Psychology of Surviving and Thriving (4.5 units)
SOAD1010 Mental Health and Public Participation (4.5 units)
SOCI1010 Sociology of Everyday Life (4.5 units)

Core - Year 2 topics

36 units comprising:

 DSRS1206  Disability: Health and Well-being  (4.5 units)
 DSRS1216  Introduction to Principles of Learning and Instruction  (4.5 units)
 DSRS2220  Family and Professional Partnerships  (4.5 units)
 DSRS2232  Practicum 1  (4.5 units)
 DSRS2234  Instructional Strategies  (4.5 units)
 DSRS2235  Professional Ethics  (4.5 units)
 DSRS2237  Employment & Disability  (4.5 units)
 HLTH2107  Research and Study Skills 2  (4.5 units)

Core - Year 3 topics

36 units comprising:

 BUSN2026  Entrepreneurship and Small Business  (4.5 units)
 DSRS2231  Augmentative and Alternative Communication  (4.5 units)
 DSRS2236  Practicum 2  (4.5 units)
 DSRS3221  Introduction to Positive Behaviour Support  (4.5 units)
 DSRS3222  Introduction to Counselling Skills  (4.5 units)
 DSRS3234  Case Management and Support Coordination  (4.5 units)
 DSRS3235  Building Community Capacity  (4.5 units)
 HLTH3112  Research and Study Skills 3  (4.5 units)

Core - Year 4 topics

36 units comprising:

 DSRS4104  Early Intervention  (4.5 units)
 DSRS4106  Practicum 3: DE Specialisation  (4.5 units)
 DSRS4116  Delivering Therapeutic Supports  (4.5 units)
 DSRS4117  PBS: Assessment and Functional Analysis  (4.5 units)
 DSRS4118  Positive Behaviour Support: Implementation  (4.5 units)
 DSRS4119  PBS: Practicum and Mentoring Program  (4.5 units)
 DSRS4120  Capstone for Professional DE Practice and Leadership  (9 units)

Honours Degree

Refer to Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours)