ASDAN Further Education Pathway Pilot 2009-2010

The Department of Education and Training’s raising of the school leaving age, the focus on school options for 15 to 19 year olds and the enactment of the Disability Discrimination Act Standards for Education 2005, have heightened the expectation that young people with high educational support needs will have access to structured learning pathways with opportunities to complete further education qualifications and awards when they leave school.

There is little or no provision for young people with high educational support needs to continue their education once they leave school. Feedback highlights the lack of suitable courses and trained staff to provide the required educational support for young people with high educational support needs in further education.

The ASDAN (Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network)

ASDAN is a curriculum development organisation and an internationally recognised awarding body, which grew out of research work at the University of the West of England in the 1980s. ASDAN offers a wide range of curriculum programmes and qualifications for all abilities, mainly in the 11-25 age groups. ASDAN programs and qualifications blend activity-based curriculum enrichment with a framework for the development, assessment and accreditation of key skills and other personal and social skills, with emphasis on negotiation, co-operation and rewarding achievement.

Staff

A key component of the ASDAN 2009-2010 Pilot is the ASDAN qualification and certification of a minimum of ten teachers, two TAFE lecturers and 5 Alternatives to Employment (ATE) service provider program managers. The qualification of staff ensures the provision and continuation of structured learning pathways for young people with high educational support needs when they leave school.

Target group

The target group will be high educational support needs students in their 12th and 13th year of schooling. Selected ASDAN qualifications and awards will be made available across six campuses for eligible students.

Timeline

2009-2010 Two pilot models will be implemented, moderated and reviewed.

2010 The transition of students to adult-learning facilities utilising the ASDAN qualifications will be the course focus.

2011 The young adults who will then be in their 19th year will be engaged in a continuation of the ASDAN qualification commenced in 2009 either through TAFEWA enrolment or through an ATE service provider (young adults will no longer be enrolled at a Department of Education and Training school).

For further details please contact

Ms Jacqueline Burns
Principal Consultant, Pathways and Transition
Phone: 08 9264 8949
Email: Jacqueline.Burns2@det.wa.edu.au