Queensland School Support: Understanding Learning Adjustments and IEPs for Southeast Queensland Families

When your child struggles with reading, writing, or keeping up with classroom activities, the worry can feel overwhelming. You watch them work harder than their peers, yet the progress seems frustratingly slow. Perhaps teachers have mentioned “learning adjustments” or suggested an “Individual Education Plan,” but these terms feel like navigating unfamiliar territory. For families across Cleveland, Capalaba, Victoria Point, and throughout Southeast Queensland, understanding how schools support children with learning difficulties is essential for advocating effectively and ensuring your child receives the help they deserve.

Queensland’s education system operates under a comprehensive legal framework designed to support all students with disability or learning difficulties. The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 require schools to make reasonable adjustments, enabling students to participate in education “on the same basis” as their peers. This doesn’t mean identical treatment—it means equitable support that acknowledges individual differences and removes barriers to learning.

What Are Learning Adjustments and Why Do They Matter for Queensland Students?

Learning adjustments are strategies or supports that help students with disability attend school, learn, participate in activities, and maintain wellbeing whilst at school. The Queensland Department of Education defines these as individualised modifications made across every aspect of school life—from classroom teaching to playground activities, excursions, and assessment approaches.

The critical principle underlying learning adjustments is that they’re not one-size-fits-all solutions. The same adjustment implemented at a school in Ormiston may look different at Wellington Point, depending on each school’s context, resources, and the individual student’s needs. This flexibility ensures adjustments remain practical and genuinely beneficial.

Common learning adjustments include:

• Teaching using visual supports, diagrams, and charts alongside verbal instruction
• Providing small group instruction to address specific areas of difficulty
• Using different resources such as larger print materials or reference guides
• Offering alternative assessment approaches, including oral responses instead of written ones or extended time
• Implementing assistive technology like speech-to-text software or slope boards
• Modifying classroom environments to reduce sensory distractions
• Providing additional support during transitions between activities

What makes learning adjustments particularly valuable is that modifications designed for one student often benefit many others. When teachers incorporate visual schedules or provide written instructions alongside verbal directions, numerous students find these supports helpful—not just those with identified learning difficulties.

Adjustments must be regularly reviewed and modified based on student progress. What works effectively in Year 3 may need substantial revision by Year 5 as curriculum demands increase. This ongoing evaluation ensures support remains responsive rather than becoming a static checkbox exercise.

How Do Individual Education Plans Work in Queensland Schools?

The terminology surrounding Individual Education Plans can confuse families, particularly because different Australian states use varying names for essentially the same document. In Queensland state schools, you’ll most commonly encounter the term “Individual Curriculum Plan” (ICP), whilst Catholic and independent schools may use “Personalised Learning Plan” (PLP) or simply “Individual Education Plan” (IEP).

Understanding Individual Curriculum Plans (ICPs)

An ICP is specifically used when a student requires teaching and assessment at a different year level than their enrolled age group. This is an important distinction: most students with disability in Prep to Year 10 are assessed against their enrolled year level standards with reasonable adjustments. An ICP is not automatic simply because a child has dyslexia, developmental language disorder, or another learning difficulty.

Schools develop ICPs only after differentiated, focused, intensive teaching has been provided and hasn’t met the student’s needs. This collaborative decision requires parental agreement and must be reviewed regularly. The plan specifies which learning areas require modified curriculum and documents how progress will be measured and reported.

Components of Effective Support Plans

Regardless of terminology, effective plans share these essential components:

Plan Element	Purpose
Student Strengths & Interests	Builds on what the child does well and enjoys
Specific Learning Goals	Uses SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely)
Identified Needs	Documents areas requiring support and intervention
Teaching Strategies	Details evidence-based approaches that work for the student
Resources & Technology	Lists assistive tools, materials, and equipment needed
Implementation Responsibilities	Clarifies who delivers which supports
Review Schedule	Establishes when and how progress will be monitored
Success Measures	Defines how achievement will be objectively measured

Queensland schools must consult with parents before implementing adjustments and finalising plans. This isn’t merely a courtesy—it’s a legal requirement under the Disability Standards for Education 2005. Parents should receive draft plans in advance of meetings, have opportunities to provide input, and understand how proposed goals connect to their child’s long-term educational vision.

When Should Your Child Have a Learning Assessment?

Early identification of learning difficulties is crucial for timely intervention. The Queensland Department of Education emphasises that identifying your child’s strengths and difficulties early allows support to be provided and reasonable adjustments made before gaps widen significantly.

Recognising Persistent Learning Difficulties

Not all learning struggles indicate a learning disability. Difficulties may arise from school absences, gaps in foundational knowledge, or insufficient quality instruction. However, when difficulties persist despite appropriate, evidence-based teaching, comprehensive assessment becomes necessary.

Specific Learning Disabilities—including dyslexia (reading), dyscalculia (mathematics), and dysgraphia (written expression)—are neurologically-based conditions affecting students with average or above-average intelligence. These students show significant difficulty in specific areas whilst performing adequately or well in others. Importantly, appropriate intervention can help these students learn effectively, though they may require ongoing adjustments.

Who Can Provide Diagnostic Assessments in Queensland?

Different professionals hold qualifications to diagnose various learning disabilities:

For Dyslexia Assessment:

• Educational psychologists
• Speech pathologists with appropriate qualifications and training in literacy assessment

For Dyscalculia and Dysgraphia:

• Educational psychologists

For Developmental Coordination Disorder:

• Occupational therapists
• Physiotherapists
• Developmental paediatricians

Diagnosis of a Specific Learning Disability requires comprehensive psychoeducational assessment demonstrating that academic skills are substantially below expected levels for age, difficulties have been present since early school years, and persist despite at least six months of targeted intervention.

For families in Alexandra Hills, Thornlands, Birkdale, and surrounding areas, organisations like SPELD Queensland provide subsidised psychoeducational assessments with short waiting periods. These comprehensive evaluations identify underlying factors contributing to learning difficulties and generate reports typically issued within six weeks.

What Role Does Speech Pathology Play in School Support?

Speech pathologists contribute significantly to literacy development and school support, particularly for students struggling with reading, writing, and language-based learning. Their extensive training in phonological awareness, oral language development, and the relationship between spoken and written language positions them as valuable team members in addressing learning difficulties.

The Five Pillars of Reading Instruction

Speech Pathology Australia identifies five essential elements that evidence-based reading instruction must address:

1. Phonological Awareness: The ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words
2. Phonics: Understanding the systematic relationships between letters and sounds
3. Fluency: Reading with appropriate speed, accuracy, and expression
4. Vocabulary: Developing word knowledge and understanding word relationships
5. Comprehension: Extracting meaning from written text

When children struggle with reading, assessment must determine which of these elements requires intervention. A child who reads slowly despite accurate decoding needs different support than one who cannot recognise common letter-sound patterns.

Structured Literacy: Evidence-Based Support for Dyslexia

For students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties, structured literacy approaches have demonstrated consistent effectiveness. This instructional method is:

• Explicit: Teachers directly teach language concepts rather than expecting discovery learning
• Systematic: Instruction follows a planned scope and sequence, moving from simple to complex skills
• Cumulative: Each new skill builds upon previously mastered content
• Hands-on: Multisensory techniques engage visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic learning pathways
• Responsive: Teachers continuously monitor progress and adjust instruction accordingly

Multiple evidence-based programmes incorporating these principles are available in Queensland schools, including MultiLit (InitiaLit, MiniLit, MacqLit), Sounds-Write, and PLD Literacy and Learning. Whilst specific programmes vary, they share core characteristics: explicit letter-sound instruction, structured sequencing, appropriate pacing, and practice with decodable texts that align with taught skills.

Tiered Intervention Approaches

Queensland schools increasingly adopt Response to Intervention frameworks, with speech pathologists contributing at multiple levels:

Tier 1 (Universal): Professional development for teachers on oral language and literacy, whole-school screening to identify students requiring additional support

Tier 2 (Targeted): Small group intervention for approximately 15% of students who need additional support beyond classroom instruction

Tier 3 (Intensive): Individual or very small group intervention for approximately 5% of students requiring intensive, highly personalised support

Research consistently demonstrates that children identified early and receiving timely, evidence-based intervention achieve better long-term outcomes, including stronger verbal skills, higher likelihood of remaining in mainstream education, and reduced need for ongoing intensive support.

How Can Parents Navigate the School Support System in Southeast Queensland?

Understanding your rights and responsibilities within Queensland’s education system empowers effective advocacy. Parents are essential members of their child’s support team—not passive recipients of school decisions.

Preparing for Support Meetings

Whether attending an Education Adjustment Program meeting, ICP review, or Student Support Group discussion, preparation significantly impacts outcomes:

Before the Meeting:

• Document your child’s strengths, interests, and successful strategies used at home
• Write specific questions or concerns
• Request draft plans or proposed goals in advance when possible
• Consider bringing a support person—advocacy organisations recommend not attending alone
• Reflect on your vision for your child’s future academic and life outcomes

During the Meeting:

• Ask questions if terminology is unfamiliar or processes unclear
• Request specific examples of how adjustments will be implemented
• Discuss how progress will be objectively measured
• Ensure proposed goals follow the SMART framework
• Take notes or ask permission to record the discussion

After the Meeting:

• Request written documentation of agreed adjustments and goals
• Clarify review timelines and communication expectations
• Follow up if implementation doesn’t occur as discussed

Understanding the Education Adjustment Program

Queensland’s Education Adjustment Program (EAP) provides the framework schools use to identify and respond to students with disabilities. The process involves four stages:

Stage 1: Assessment and initial identification of social, emotional, and learning needs

Stage 2: Developing individualised plans documenting required adjustments and learning priorities

Stage 3: Verification of diagnosis if seeking targeted disability funding (note: not all disabilities qualify for additional funding, and adjustments must be made regardless of funding status)

Stage 4: Completing an EAP Profile documenting a representative sample of adjustments being implemented

Families should understand that schools receive Reasonable Adjustments Resourcing based on student needs across the entire school. Resources are allocated to schools rather than individual students, allowing principals flexibility in supporting all students requiring adjustments.

Navigating Disagreements

If you disagree with proposed adjustments or feel your child’s needs aren’t being adequately addressed, Queensland has established processes:

1. Request an additional meeting with your child’s teacher to discuss concerns
2. Arrange a meeting with the principal if issues remain unresolved
3. Contact your regional education office for assistance or independent review
4. Consider mediation through disability advocacy services

Whilst these escalation pathways exist, maintaining collaborative relationships with school staff typically produces better outcomes for children. Approaching disagreements as opportunities for shared problem-solving rather than adversarial disputes often leads to more creative, effective solutions.

Connecting School Support with External Services

Families sometimes wonder how school-based support connects with external services, including those funded through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). It’s essential to understand that NDIS provides support for daily living, community participation, and development—but not for education during school hours. Schools remain responsible for educational adjustments and support.

However, NDIS-funded therapy services such as speech pathology or occupational therapy can complement school-based support when coordinated effectively. Schools can provide assessment reports, therapy summaries, and learning plans to support NDIS access requests. Conversely, families can share information about NDIS goals and strategies with schools to ensure consistency across environments.

For families in Springwood, Rochedale, Mansfield, and throughout Southeast Queensland, coordination between school-based support and external allied health services strengthens intervention effectiveness. Speech pathology services focusing on literacy development, language skills, and phonological awareness directly support classroom learning when therapists and teachers communicate regularly.

Moving Forward: Building Your Child’s Support Network

Queensland’s framework for supporting students with learning difficulties balances legal requirements with practical flexibility, allowing schools to individualise adjustments whilst maintaining high expectations for all students. Understanding this system—from learning adjustments to Individual Curriculum Plans, from assessment processes to evidence-based interventions—positions parents as effective advocates.

Remember that having a learning difficulty or disability doesn’t limit your child’s potential for academic success. With appropriate, evidence-based intervention and reasonable adjustments, students with dyslexia learn to read, students with dysgraphia develop writing skills, and students with dyscalculia master mathematical concepts. The key lies in early identification, timely intervention, and ongoing collaboration between families, schools, and allied health professionals.

Your child’s learning journey may look different from their peers’, but different doesn’t mean less. With the right support in place, children with learning difficulties develop not only academic skills but also resilience, self-advocacy abilities, and creative problem-solving approaches that serve them throughout life.

If you have any concerns or questions about your child, please reach out to The Learning & Literacy Clinic today.