Designing Learning Spaces for Diversity, Inclusion and Participation. This project aims to provide evidence-based guidance on how to design and/or modify mainstream schools to make it easier for students with disabilities to participate. It seeks to inform architects, educators, and policy makers about disabled students' spatial requirements and to develop strategies and tools to support the process of co-designing schools with people with lived experience of disability. The outcomes will includ ....Designing Learning Spaces for Diversity, Inclusion and Participation. This project aims to provide evidence-based guidance on how to design and/or modify mainstream schools to make it easier for students with disabilities to participate. It seeks to inform architects, educators, and policy makers about disabled students' spatial requirements and to develop strategies and tools to support the process of co-designing schools with people with lived experience of disability. The outcomes will include an inclusive learning spaces design framework. This is expected to benefit all students' access and meaningful involvement in learning through the development of more inclusive learning spaces. The research is significant because it integrates previously dissociated knowledge from architecture, education and health.Read moreRead less
Learning from others: Inductive reasoning based on human-generated data. Most of the data we see every day, from politics to gossip, comes from other people. Making inferences about such data is difficult because the people who provided it may have biases or limitations in their knowledge that we do not know about and must figure out. This project uses a series of experiments tied to normative computational models of social reasoning to explore how people solve this problem. This work has the po ....Learning from others: Inductive reasoning based on human-generated data. Most of the data we see every day, from politics to gossip, comes from other people. Making inferences about such data is difficult because the people who provided it may have biases or limitations in their knowledge that we do not know about and must figure out. This project uses a series of experiments tied to normative computational models of social reasoning to explore how people solve this problem. This work has the potential to make a major impact in understanding how information is understood and shared, especially when it is about topics that people lack firsthand knowledge about, like climate change. The computational models also have applications to the development of expert systems upon which our information economy relies.Read moreRead less
Neourobiology Of Human Epilepsy: Genes, Cellular Mechanisms,network And Whole Brain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$17,652,824.00
Summary
The team is comprised of neurologists, molecular geneticists, physiologists and brain imaging specialists and leads the world in the discovery of the genetic causes of epilepsy. They will continue to identify genes underlying epilepsy and study how genetic variations result in development of seizures. Advanced brain imaging will be used to understand the effects of genetic variation on brain structure and function. This study may lead to new diagnostic methods and treatments for epilepsy.
NDIS: Rhetoric versus Reality? This project aims to explore the realities of living with intellectual disability in Australia, and the impact of individualised funding arising from the introduction of the NDIS. The study will examine, within this era of disability reform, how people with intellectual disability are having their needs met, and the extent to which they are involved in decision-making about their lives. The study will be conducted over three years using a mixed method design. It wi ....NDIS: Rhetoric versus Reality? This project aims to explore the realities of living with intellectual disability in Australia, and the impact of individualised funding arising from the introduction of the NDIS. The study will examine, within this era of disability reform, how people with intellectual disability are having their needs met, and the extent to which they are involved in decision-making about their lives. The study will be conducted over three years using a mixed method design. It will specifically examine the relationship between self-directed individualised funding and its effect on personal well-being, self-esteem and voice, choice and control. People with intellectual disability will act as co-researchers within the study.Read moreRead less
A Longitudinal Study Of Psychopathology In People With Intellectual Disability
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$999,803.00
Summary
This project will further develop the research opportunities of an internationally unique 15 year follow up study of the mental health of young Australians with ID. We have shown that this group has 2-3 times the risk of suffering serious emotional and behavioural problems that are an added heavy burden on the individual, their family and carers and the community. These problems often are not recognised but are as common as schizophrenia in the community. The study will continue to use a combina ....This project will further develop the research opportunities of an internationally unique 15 year follow up study of the mental health of young Australians with ID. We have shown that this group has 2-3 times the risk of suffering serious emotional and behavioural problems that are an added heavy burden on the individual, their family and carers and the community. These problems often are not recognised but are as common as schizophrenia in the community. The study will continue to use a combination of questionnaire survey and in depth interviews of the young adults and their families or carers to track the course of their mental health. The study commenced in 1990 with nearly 1000 young people with ID aged 4-18 years and their progress has been reviewed every 2-3 years in over 75% of the original group. During the next 5 years we plan to follow their mental health during the critical stage of young adult life. During this time there is the greatest risk of mental illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia and the stresses of adjusting to new daily occupations, independent living or residential care and social contact away from the family. We will be able to study the specific emotional and behavioural problems faced by young adults with the main known causes of ID such as Down, Fragile X, Prader Willi and William Syndromes, as well as those who have autism. The great benefit of a long term follow up study is that it allows us to study the links between earlier family environmental, psychological and biological factors and subsequent mental health problems. We can also demonstrate the impact that mental illness in a young person with ID has on the family and parental mental health. The findings have implications for better diagnosis, improved care and management, early intervention and prevention of these common severe and under recognized mental health problems in this disadvantaged group of young Australians and their families and carers.Read moreRead less
Data analytics-based tools and methods to enhance self-regulated learning. This project aims to develop student self-regulated learning skills by harnessing the potential of Big Data analytics. The project expects to generate new knowledge at the intersection of learning analytics, educational technology, learning sciences and teaching practice resulting from novel data collection and analysis tools and methods. The outputs are expected to include insights into metacognitive, motivational, and t ....Data analytics-based tools and methods to enhance self-regulated learning. This project aims to develop student self-regulated learning skills by harnessing the potential of Big Data analytics. The project expects to generate new knowledge at the intersection of learning analytics, educational technology, learning sciences and teaching practice resulting from novel data collection and analysis tools and methods. The outputs are expected to include insights into metacognitive, motivational, and technical issues facing analytics-based personalised feedback. The outcomes are intended to offer benefits for developing pedagogical and the design of educational technology. The outcomes can result in improved student learning outcomes in higher education to ensure graduates are prepared for the digital economy.Read moreRead less
Using 3D printing to improve access to graphics by vision-impaired people. This project aims to investigate the possible benefits of 3D printing for production of accessible materials for vision-impaired people. Currently tactile graphics are used to provide severely vision-impaired adults and children with access to graphical content used in education and in orientation and mobility training. This project is expected to clarify the kinds of graphics for which 3D prints are better suited than ta ....Using 3D printing to improve access to graphics by vision-impaired people. This project aims to investigate the possible benefits of 3D printing for production of accessible materials for vision-impaired people. Currently tactile graphics are used to provide severely vision-impaired adults and children with access to graphical content used in education and in orientation and mobility training. This project is expected to clarify the kinds of graphics for which 3D prints are better suited than tactile graphics, and to build capacity within the national accessible format provision sector for the production and use of 3D prints. Benefits will include increased educational opportunities and quality of life for Australians with severe vision impairment, through improved access to graphic materials used in education and orientation and mobility training.
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Confronting everyday harms: preventing abuse of people with disability. The findings of the Disability Royal Commission necessitate new approaches to prevent violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Framed by recognition theory, this project proposes empirical research with young people with cognitive disability, using a new concept of ‘everyday harms’ in their paid relationships. The results will inform early responses to poor quality interactions in disability support. The strategic alliance ....Confronting everyday harms: preventing abuse of people with disability. The findings of the Disability Royal Commission necessitate new approaches to prevent violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Framed by recognition theory, this project proposes empirical research with young people with cognitive disability, using a new concept of ‘everyday harms’ in their paid relationships. The results will inform early responses to poor quality interactions in disability support. The strategic alliances with the government, industry and community partners will develop a practice framework to prevent everyday harms and the escalation to abuse, and to promote safety and wellbeing. The research has policy benefits for capacity-building in the sector to act on the rights and voices of people with disability. Read moreRead less
Teaching how to learn: promoting self-regulated learning in STEM classes. This project aims to investigate key factors that influence change in teacher practices and student achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It will involve the development and evaluation of interventions designed to help teachers create learning environments that promote student engagement and the development of the cognitive and metacognitive skills needed for success in STEM. The project w ....Teaching how to learn: promoting self-regulated learning in STEM classes. This project aims to investigate key factors that influence change in teacher practices and student achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It will involve the development and evaluation of interventions designed to help teachers create learning environments that promote student engagement and the development of the cognitive and metacognitive skills needed for success in STEM. The project will advance our understanding of how to increase the quality of teaching and learning in STEM subjects. Improving teacher capacity and student performance in STEM is a national priority with significant social and economic benefits to Australia.Read moreRead less
Examining The Impact Of Language Reclamation On Social And Emotional Well Being Among The Barngarla
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,111,633.00
Summary
Indigenous Australians are at high risk of experiencing mental illness. For many, it is the loss of land, culture, and identity that are causes of ill health. The Barngarla people of South Australia seek to reclaim their language due to its potential reinvigorating cultural identity and wellbeing. This offers a unique opportunity to document the links between language reclamation and wellness in Aboriginal people for the first time.