Distance Education Support Unit

The Distance Education Support Unit (DESU) is a state-wide virtual school in St Ives, New South Wales, Australia.

It providing distance education programs for students with an intellectual disability who are unable to attend school in a face-to-face setting such as isolated students with intellectual and multiple disabilities from Pre-school to Year 12 (Students aged 4 to 18 years).

DESU is part of the New South Wales Department of Education and Training Distance Education Network and is located at Sir Eric Woodward School.

Its individualised educational programmes are available to students in their own homes who have an intellectual disability and who are isolated for various reasons and unable to attend a mainstream or special school on a regular basis. The students are either located in New South Wales or travelling throughout Australia or overseas with their families. All programmes provide transition plans which are used to ensure a smooth pathway to the student’s next environment in the community.

With support from the DESU, students can achieve a Life Skills School Certificate and Higher School Certificate, apply for TAFE delivered Vocational Education and Training courses, participate in work experience and access post-school programs where available. Flexible options are also available for students requiring a mixed mode of life-skills and regular subjects.

The Distance Education Support Unit website is at http://desu.com.au.

More Details

Technology use-wise DESU uses blogs, web2.0 tools, satellite lessons, ooVoo and Skype video chats. It utilises text to speech programs, iPods, iPads and voice output devices, Nintendo Wii as a means of developing fitness and coordination through virtual games. DESU also supports programmes using an exciting array of resources such as stimulating sensory equipment for students with high support needs and expands interactive lessons with teachers via the internet and through educational software

Students are aged 4 to 18 years who are isolated geographically or by circumstance and have mild, moderate or severe intellectual disabilities may be eligible to enrol at the DESU. (Please note: Students with a mild intellectual disability are not eligible to enrol at the DESU until they are 8 years old and must apply to mainstream distance education schools if they require distance education.) Whilst the primary basis of student enrolment at the DESU is intellectual disability, some of our students have additional disabilities, including physical, vision impairment, hearing impairment. A number of them also live with syndromes and conditions such as Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Autism.

Students wishing to enrol in the DESU must also meet the criteria for distance education enrolment outlined in the Distance Education Enrolment Guidelines, in one of the following categories:

• Isolated home students
• Students travelling within Australia
• Students temporarily resident or travelling overseas
• Students with a medical condition
• Pregnant students/young parents
• Vocationally talented students
• Students with significant support needs (including mental health conditions, autism, severe disruptive behaviours and school phobia)
• Extraordinary circumstances

References

• DESU website - About us: http://desu.com.au/about-us
• DESU website: http://desu.com.au
• Sir Eric Woodward School - Distance Education Support Unit: http://www.sirericwoodwardschool.com.au/distance-education-support-unit/

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