Making Reasonable Adjustments for Students With Disability in Australian Mainstream Classrooms: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Reasonable adjustments are measures and actions that have been adopted in Australia to assist students with disability to participate in their learning on the same basis as their peers in a way that is free of inequality and exclusion. However, little research explores the enablers and barriers associated with implementing reasonable adjustments to support student learning. Therefore, research-based guidance regarding how best to direct the successful implementation of reasonable adjustments is required. This scoping review of 25 studies found a limited body of research that suggested reasonable adjustments are an effective means to address learner diversity; however, several barriers exist in teacher and school attitudes towards making adjustments, as well as how policy of reasonable adjustments can be systematically applied. A model of best practice summarises a strategy to address these significant themes.