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Extra learning support for students with additional needs

Your child’s teacher and school have a range of tools and supports they can use to address your child’s learning needs.

On this page

Reasonable adjustments

Schools can make reasonable adjustments to support your child’s participation in education courses or programs, on the same basis as their peers.

Student support groups

A student support group gives you the opportunity to work with your child’s school to make decisions about their education and check their progress.

Individual education plans

An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a written statement that describes the adjustments, goals and strategies to meet your child’s individual educational needs so they can reach their full potential.

They are used if your child requires support or assistance accessing their education on the same level as their peers, including if they:

An individual education plan can also be called:

Individual education plans may include assessments of:

Your child’s plan can be reviewed at least once a term, or as needed.

Developing your child’s individual education plan

You can work with your school to develop your child’s individual education plan. You can do this as part of their student support group. This is where a range of support people – you, school staff, allied health specialists, work together to put in place the support your child needs at school.

Your child can also be involved with developing their individual education plan, if appropriate.

Visiting teachers

If your child has a physical disability, vision impairment or is hard of hearing, visiting teachers can work with teachers to address your child’s learning needs.

Abilities Based Learning and Education Support (ABLES)

Abilities Based Learning and Education Support (ABLES) is an assessment and reporting suite that allows teachers to identify and monitor the learning readiness and progress of students with disability and additional needs.

The 9 ABLES assessments help to identify your child’s readiness to learn across core learning areas and capabilities and provide reports on your child’s individual strengths and abilities. This information is used to plan teaching that addresses your child’s learning needs and is linked to the curriculum.

ABLES also enables the teacher to track your child’s progress and adapt their teaching as required.

ABLES is the result of research conducted by the department and the University of Melbourne with over 700 teachers in 70 schools across Victoria.

Assistance when sitting VCE exams

If your child has additional needs they may be able to get special arrangements to complete their VCE.

This can include:

Special arrangements are available for VCE or VCAL at both school-based assessment and external examinations.

Talk to your child’s school about special arrangements for VCE.

Education & training

Updated 2 April 2026

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