The Ballarat Specialist School has received iPads as part of a statewide program enabling non-verbal students to communicate more readily with their families, teachers, carers and friends.
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The not-for-profit organisation State Schools' Relief, in partnership with Bank First and the Australian Schools Canteen Association, is providing iPads for non-verbal school children in the 80 specialist schools across the state, allowing them to communicate with through various school-supplied software programs.
State Schools' Relief was established in Elsternwick in 1930 and aids financially disadvantaged government school students, providing them with new school uniforms, footwear and other essential educational resources. It gives anonymous assistance to students identified as in need of support. It is providing its own uniform label, Student's Choice, enabling the charity to clothe three children for the price of one.
The costs of iPads can be prohibitive to some parents and carers, while the software is provided via the NDIS, State Schools' Relief says.
To over come those prohibitive costs, State Schools' Relief and its partners have jointly donated $90,000 to purchase 423 iPads to distribute to nonverbal school students attending specialist schools within Victoria, including Ballarat.
State Schools' Relief CEO Sue Karzis says the iPads remove education barriers for special needs students, improving their language learning and communication.
Ms Karzis believes that providing nonverbal children with an iPad enables them to have their own voice at all times.
"The iPads for nonverbal students is one of the most impactful programs that we run at State Schools' Relief. To be able to provide a young person with the means to communicate their wants and needs is transformational," Ms Karzis says.
"About four years ago, I visited a specialist school - not Ballarat - and I found out there were 40 students in the one school needing iPads. I began to think about what we could do about it. We let the specialist schools offer this program, it's available only to specialist schools. They put applications in on behalf of the students who don't have iPads.
"Some of the feedback we've received from staff, who are used to seeing students with all sorts of abilities... I've got a couple of quotes here. One of them says: 'To have a nonverbal student come to the office and to be able to ask for something via the iPad was very emotional. The look on the student's face when they could have that interaction was priceless.'
"Even the staff used to being in it really notice the difference and how emotional it is. I've spoken to lots of staff and they say things like, "We didn't know that particular student had a toothache because they couldn't tell us.' They were always trying to interpret what they needed. To be able to actually communicate is really powerful, to give (students) agency over their own bodies, over their own wants and needs."
Els Tielemans, senior speech pathologist at the Ballarat Specialist School, said licences for the communication or other learning apps required by students school will be provided by the school.
The school is committed to providing communication apps and iPads for students who require alternative or augmentative communication (AAC) support.
State Schools' Relief assists over 72,000 children and young people, distributing over 325,000 items and spending $6.7 million during 2020/21. It has aided 85 per cent of Victorian state schools in the past year.
It liaises with sponsors including the Department of Education and Training (DET), AEU, Optus, Lenovo, Bank First and Bank Australia.
CEO of Bank First Michelle Bagnall says she is proud of the relationship with State Schools' Relief.
Bank First was established in 1972 as a mutual bank by 48 teachers to provide financial assistance to those in need, outside of the established banking system
"Bank First is delighted to support the State Schools' Relief iPad program for non-verbal students in Victorian schools," Ms Bagnall said.
"As one of the founding supporters of the program, we are proud of the impact it has made in enabling children and young people to communicate with their teachers, allied health workers, family and friends."
David Edwards is the CEO of the Australian Schools Canteen Association, established in 1979. The not-for-profit association has over 5,500 schools as members and focuses on improving financial outcomes by using buying power to save money for schools and school canteens.
''ASCA is a long-term supporter of the great work that State Schools Relief does to enable vulnerable school children in Victoria to engage more effectively with their education," Mr Edwards said.
"We are delighted to partner with them on their new initiative to provide nonverbal students with iPads, not only assisting the communications of nonverbal students at school, but contributing greatly to improving their overall educational experiences and outcomes."
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