The policy problem: the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and implications for access to education

Whitburn, Ben, Moss, Julianne and O'Mara, Jo (2017) The policy problem: the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and implications for access to education. Journal of Education Policy, 32 (4), 467-479. (doi:10.1080/02680939.2017.1280185).

Abstract

This paper explores the changing terrain of disability support policy in Australia. Drawing on a critical disability framework of policy soc iology, the paper considers the policy problem of access to education for people with disabilities under recent reform by means of the Natio nal Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which commenced full roll-out across the country from July 2016. The paper reviews NDIS reports, leg islation and associated literature to consider how eligibility to sche me participation and education services are shaped, and how education is positioned in the development and implementation of the NDIS. The a nalysis highlights tensions that exist for people with disabilities an d their families who both access the scheme and who might draw on its provision to support their education, because of the way the policy is oriented towards pathological categorisation, standardised outcomes a nd service delineation rather than integrated support and informed inv olvement. The paper concludes by arguing that despite the policy prior ity across Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development coun tries of increasing lifelong learning opportunities, fragmented NDIS p olicy in Australia prevents people with disabilities from achieving th is ideal.

This record has no associated files available for download.

Contributors

Author: Ben Whitburn

Download statistics