Children with intellectual disability can attend their local state school and be supported to achieve. All Queensland state schools make
reasonable adjustments to enable children of all abilities to attend school, participate in school activities and access the curriculum.
To support students with intellectual disability, schools are able to access a range of supports and services tailored to meet their individual needs.
Supports at school
Every student with intellectual disability has different needs and will need different reasonable adjustments to attend school, participate in school activities and learn.
State schools consult with parents about the reasonable adjustments that may be made. Students are also consulted as much as possible, depending on their age and individual circumstances.
Reasonable adjustments are identified based on the student's individual needs and may include adjustments to learning activities, teaching strategies, assessment, communication, use of assistive technology or changes to the learning environment. The student may also need adjustments to support them to engage with peers and to stay healthy and safe. Schools determine the best way to record the individual supports being provided to students at their school.
For more information about common types of reasonable adjustments, refer to the
general information for students with disability page.
If you have any questions regarding the supports and reasonable adjustments being provided for your child, or how these are documented, please talk to your child's classroom teacher or principal.
Individual curriculum plans
Individual curriculum plans (ICPs) may be developed for some students with intellectual disability in Prep to Year 10.
If your child has an ICP they will continue to be taught and assessed on the same subject or learning area as their peers, but will have adjustments made to a more appropriate level of challenge.
The school will consult you when considering an ICP and seek your endorsement. For more information regarding ICPs, refer to the ICP section in the
P–12 curriculum, assessment and reporting framework.
Resources available to schools
Schools are able to access a range of resources and support services to assist them to make reasonable adjustments. Please contact your child's school to discuss your child's specific needs.
Schools can access a range of specialist advice to help them make reasonable adjustments including:
They can also access a range of materials, devices and assistive technologies to help your child at school.
If your child has other disabilities other support services may also help the school to make the right reasonable adjustments.
Schools are responsible for accessing these supports and resources and may need your consent to access these support services. More information about resources is available at
general information for students with disability.
More information about how students can be supported at school can be found on the
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability website:
Enrolment options
All Queensland state schools provide reasonable adjustments for students with disability including those with intellectual disability.
All children and young people have the right to enrol at their local state primary or secondary school including those with intellectual disability.
Parents whose children may be eligible for enrolment in a state special school can choose to enrol their child in a state primary or secondary school.
To be eligible for special school enrolment a child or young person must have an intellectual disability, which either alone or in combination with other disabilities severely impacts their ability to access and participate in education.
Information about eligibility can be found in the
special school eligibility ('person with a disability' criteria) policy.
Please discuss enrolment options with your child's current school principal, the principal of your child's preferred future school or your
local regional office. You can ask to visit the special school and talk to the school principal about your child's needs.
If your child currently attends an Early Childhood Development Program (ECDP), centre staff can provide you with information about enrolment options for Prep.
More information about the enrolment process (including the application form) can be found on the
parent/carer fact sheet—Queensland state special schools (DOCX, 135KB).