A Silent Education
I've had the privilege of hearing powerful stories from Deaf friends who grew up in a very different Australia - an Australia where Auslan (Australian Sign Language) was not accepted in schools. Not in the classroom, not in the playground. Back then, Deaf students were expected to lip read and speak orally, with signing actively discouraged or even banned.
The result? School was often confusing, isolating, and frustrating. Imagine trying to learn maths or English without being able to communicate in your primary language. Imagine being surrounded by other Deaf students and still being unable to connect with them through sign. That was their reality.
The Barriers They Faced
Many of these students were also burdened with cumbersome hearing aids - transistor boxes strapped to their chest - that made it difficult to run, play, or feel like every other child in the playground. For some born into hearing families, even the concept of Deaf identity or Auslan came late. One friend didn’t learn Auslan until he was 10 years old - when someone finally explained what being Deaf actually meant.
Progress Toward Inclusion
Thankfully, we’ve come a long way.
Today, inclusive education is increasingly prioritised in Australia. The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and Disability Standards for Education 2005 require that students with disability be given the same access to education as their peers. That includes Deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
Now, many classrooms embrace Auslan. Students are supported with interpreters, written materials, captions on videos, optimal seating arrangements, and well-lit learning environments. These are simple but powerful Teaching Strategy Adjustments that make a world of difference.
How Inspire Helps
Inspire, is one of the platforms helping make this shift possible. Inspire supports inclusive teaching by giving educators access to a database of recommended strategy adjustments and helping them develop Individual Learning Plans tailored to the unique needs of each student - including Deaf students.
It’s one more way we're helping build classrooms where communication isn’t a barrier, but a bridge.
Want to Make Inclusion Happen?
Explore how Inspire is supporting schools to create accessible, inclusive learning environments for every student. Get in touch with our team to see how we can support your school community.
About the Author
Kristen Fleming (she/her) is the Product Owner behind Inspire – Learning with Diversity and a passionate advocate for inclusive education. Read more about Kristen →
