The Visiting Teacher Service are a group of specialist teachers who support students with hearing impairment, vision impairment, autism and physical health needs.
They are a needs based service who work state-wide to ensure students with learning difference work inclusively in a variety of school settings.
The Access All Areas Visiting Teacher Conference 2019 will bring together 135 Visiting Teachers and managers from across Victoria over two days in December.
The conference will be held on 2-3 December at the Hotel Sofitel Melbourne on Collins.
Attendees will hear from disability advocates, assistive technology experts and speakers from the Department of Education and Training.
Coinciding with International Day of People with Disability on 3 December, the conference aims to:
- raise the profile of the visiting teacher service
- develop knowledge of assistive and augmentative technology
- provide opportunities to hear from speakers with a lived experience of disability
- provide evidence-based professional learning around inclusion
- develop Communities of Practice for sustained cooperation and shared learning.
The conference is funded through the Victorian Government’s Equipment Boost for Schools initiative. The initiative forms part of a $61 million funding package for a suite of inclusive education initiatives called the Inclusive Education Agenda Reform – Additional Supports Program, announced in 2017. The initiative aims to strengthen inclusive education practice and provide better supports for students with disabilities or additional learning needs.
