The Contemporary Disability Landscape
PostgraduateLTU-DIS5122020
Course information for 2020 intake
Better understand the aims of disability policies and services by considering the position of people with disability in society. Explore the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the National Disability Strategy (NDS).
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
The Contemporary Disability Landscape
About this subject
Upon successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Analyse the interaction between the concepts of impairment and disability;
- Critically appraise perspectives on the citizenship of people with disability in society with an earlier historic period.
- Interpret and transmit knowledge about the theoretical models of disability embedded in current disability policies;
- Evaluate the changes that the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the National Disability Strategy (NDS) brings to mainstream service systems;
- Critically reflect on different models of disability from different perspectives and their influence on individual practice, policy and programs.
- Critique the extent to which services are responsive to people with disabilities and reflect the principles that underpin them.
- What does an ordinary life look like?
- Thinking about disability; framework and models
- Understanding impairment and disability
- Stigma and disability
- Historical perspectives; life stories and policy contexts
- Deinstitutionalisation
- Kew Cottages case study
- The road to reform in disability funding and support
- The NDIS
- The roll out and implementation of NDIS
- Accessing mainstream services
- People with disabilities living their lives
Note: This subject code is a part of the Graduate Certificate in Disability Practice. This subject is available as a postgraduate single subject as DIS502.
This subject provides the theoretical underpinnings of the current disability landscape. It gives students a strong conceptual foundation for thinking about the contemporary position of people with disability in society and its comparison with an earlier historic period, understanding the aims of current disability policies and the nature of specialist disability and mainstream service systems available to people with a disability. Students will consider different models for understanding disability and the way these frame the 'problem' of disability, policy aspirations and services. The key features of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the National Disability Strategy (NDS) as major reforms and their implications for professionals working in mainstream or specialist services will be explored. Students will examine the conceptual differences between impairment and disability, the interplay between these, and the rationale for impairment specific knowledge in adjusting social settings such as schools, places of employment or community groups to be inclusive of people with disabilities.
Concept discussion forum - Students to use online forum to discuss disability-related concepts. Marking rubric to specify the structure of the forum discussion.
Historical perspectives forum - Students to use online forum to discuss historical perspectives. Marking rubric to specify the structure of the forum discussion.
Disability Policy Report - Interpretation and evaluation of disability policies and how they apply to practice.
Services Proposal - Proposal to Board of Management about suggested changes to mainstream services.- Concept discussion forum (500- word equivalent) (10%)
- Historical perspectives forum (500-word equivalent) (10%)
- Disability Policy Report (2,000- word equivalent) (40%)
- Services Proposal (2,000-word equivalent) (40%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
To enrol in this subject, you must be admitted into a degree.
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
Additional requirements
- Other requirements -
Class requirements
1 x 10 hours unscheduled online class per week from week 10 to week 22.
3 x 1 hour scheduled online class during semester, from week 10 to week 22
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.