Improving academic outcomes by moderating anxiety in children with autism. The project aims to investigate links between anxiety and academic enablers for children with autism. As a group, these children are currently achieving at lower rates than their peers, with implications for their future social and economic wellbeing. Effective interventions to improve educational outcomes are lacking. This project will investigate how anxiety, a commonly occurring condition in autism, impacts attitudes a ....Improving academic outcomes by moderating anxiety in children with autism. The project aims to investigate links between anxiety and academic enablers for children with autism. As a group, these children are currently achieving at lower rates than their peers, with implications for their future social and economic wellbeing. Effective interventions to improve educational outcomes are lacking. This project will investigate how anxiety, a commonly occurring condition in autism, impacts attitudes and behaviours that facilitate students’ participation in and ability to benefit from academic instruction in the classroom. Findings are intended to provide an evidence base for the development of an intervention suitable for use by service providers to increase academic achievement in children with autism.Read moreRead less
Transforming The Diagnosis And Management Of Severe Neurocognitive Disorders Through Genomics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,499,330.00
Summary
Neurocognitive disorders (NCD) are one of the most common genetic conditions in our society and it results with a need for ongoing permanent care for many affected people. Until recently, only 30% of people with NCD could be diagnosed but this has changed with the availability of genomic testing where all genes can be tested at once. The use of genomics in the CRE will lead to new NCD genes being identified and this information being translated into a clinical setting.
Normalising Ability Diversity through Career Transitions:Disability at Work. This project aims to investigate how the higher education sector can better support people with disabilities to transition from economic exclusion to work. One in five Australians have a disability and of these 47.3% are not employed. This is a significant issue with regulatory failures and challenges often affecting rights to education and work being exercised on an equal basis. This project seeks to examine internatio ....Normalising Ability Diversity through Career Transitions:Disability at Work. This project aims to investigate how the higher education sector can better support people with disabilities to transition from economic exclusion to work. One in five Australians have a disability and of these 47.3% are not employed. This is a significant issue with regulatory failures and challenges often affecting rights to education and work being exercised on an equal basis. This project seeks to examine international legal norms, theories and strategic and operational practices in the higher education sector. Expected outcomes include advances in scholarship on ableism, informed policy reform, and transferable operational processes for the education and employment sectors, to improve the transition of people with disabilities to work.Read moreRead less
Every Day Matters: Reducing School Non-Attendance in Autistic Students. Autistic children miss one day a week of school, three times more than their peers. This significantly impacts their learning, wellbeing and later, their vocational outcomes. This project aims to identify the factors that put autistic children at increased risk of missing school and map the supports and interventions used to reduce school non-attendance. Expected outcomes include an autism-specific model of the how and why s ....Every Day Matters: Reducing School Non-Attendance in Autistic Students. Autistic children miss one day a week of school, three times more than their peers. This significantly impacts their learning, wellbeing and later, their vocational outcomes. This project aims to identify the factors that put autistic children at increased risk of missing school and map the supports and interventions used to reduce school non-attendance. Expected outcomes include an autism-specific model of the how and why school non-attendance is elevated for autistic students. It is anticipated that this model make the important step of enabling teachers and professionals to identify which autistic children are most at risk of absenteeism and select the best strategies to support a positive and beneficial return to school.Read moreRead less
Outcomes of specialist disability housing for people with disability. This project aims to systematically investigate the experience, outcomes and economic impact of people with disability moving into specialist disability accommodation housing. Health, wellbeing, community participation, support outcomes and lived experience of people with disability will be measured before moving and over 2 years after they move. The project provides the opportunity to identify the personal, disability, housi ....Outcomes of specialist disability housing for people with disability. This project aims to systematically investigate the experience, outcomes and economic impact of people with disability moving into specialist disability accommodation housing. Health, wellbeing, community participation, support outcomes and lived experience of people with disability will be measured before moving and over 2 years after they move. The project provides the opportunity to identify the personal, disability, housing and support factors that shape outcomes for people with disability. The intended outcome is comprehensive knowledge that can inform policy, build evidence across housing, technology, support and disability sectors and ultimately benefit people with disability by generating innovative practice in housing and support.Read moreRead less
Normal And Abnormal Development Of Brain Wiring And Its Impact On Brain Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$763,845.00
Summary
My laboratory is striving to understand how the patterns of neuronal connections form in the developing brain and how these underpin the functions of the brain throughout life. We use high-field magnetic resonance imaging to measure brain wiring and we investigate the genetic and environmental mechanisms causing developmental brain disorders that result in intellectual disability, autism, epilepsy and some mental illnesses.
Centre For Research Excellence In Childhood Language
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,485,324.00
Summary
Although most children acquire speech and language skills comparatively effortlessly, it has become increasingly apparent that many do not. More importantly, this sizeable group accounts for great subsequent population health, social and economic burden. Research in the field has been underfunded and fragmented, resulting in evidence gaps, limited capacity, and disparate guidance for policy-makers. We will address these issues, acting as a vehicle and an ongoing catalyst for internationally-comp ....Although most children acquire speech and language skills comparatively effortlessly, it has become increasingly apparent that many do not. More importantly, this sizeable group accounts for great subsequent population health, social and economic burden. Research in the field has been underfunded and fragmented, resulting in evidence gaps, limited capacity, and disparate guidance for policy-makers. We will address these issues, acting as a vehicle and an ongoing catalyst for internationally-competitive research.Read moreRead less
Greater inclusion of people with disability in Australian workplaces. This project aims to develop a model of successful employment for people with a disability, identify sources of employer diversity that explain willingness to hire, and develop social marketing messages that improve employer attitudes and achieve greater inclusion in Australian workplaces. Workforce participation of people with a disability remains low. The outcome of this study will be more people with a disability and their ....Greater inclusion of people with disability in Australian workplaces. This project aims to develop a model of successful employment for people with a disability, identify sources of employer diversity that explain willingness to hire, and develop social marketing messages that improve employer attitudes and achieve greater inclusion in Australian workplaces. Workforce participation of people with a disability remains low. The outcome of this study will be more people with a disability and their carers gaining meaningful employment, with benefits including improved physical and mental health, social connections and economic security. It will benefit employers by creating more diverse workplaces and a broader talent pool, resulting in greater innovation and productivity.Read moreRead less
Investigating and promoting resilience in children with intellectual disabilities. Disability is a significant risk factor that threatens health and well-being. For the estimated 4% of 0-14 year old children with diagnosed intellectual disabilities in Australia, early intervention is crucial for promoting resilience and preventing an accumulation of risk. By promoting resilience and thereby reducing the cost of lifelong support, evidence-based interventions produce huge social and economic benef ....Investigating and promoting resilience in children with intellectual disabilities. Disability is a significant risk factor that threatens health and well-being. For the estimated 4% of 0-14 year old children with diagnosed intellectual disabilities in Australia, early intervention is crucial for promoting resilience and preventing an accumulation of risk. By promoting resilience and thereby reducing the cost of lifelong support, evidence-based interventions produce huge social and economic benefits for the nation, as well as for individuals, families and communities.Read moreRead less
New information access technologies for people with intellectual disability. New information access technologies for people with intellectual disability. This project aims to co-design a social, interactive and visual internet search interface for people with intellectual disability. Enabling choice and independence is key to the new National Disability Insurance Scheme, but people with intellectual disability are effectively excluded from much of the Web. This project will investigate ways to a ....New information access technologies for people with intellectual disability. New information access technologies for people with intellectual disability. This project aims to co-design a social, interactive and visual internet search interface for people with intellectual disability. Enabling choice and independence is key to the new National Disability Insurance Scheme, but people with intellectual disability are effectively excluded from much of the Web. This project will investigate ways to access and provide information using technologies such as interactive avatars, virtual worlds and trusted social support. New interfaces will enable people with intellectual disability to inform themselves, make choices and foster their social inclusion. Expected outcomes are new search interface technology, a theoretical framework and new Web accessibility guidelines.Read moreRead less