In 2002, people with disabilities in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) expressed their vision "that all people with disabilities are valued as full and equal members of the ACT community" (Australian Capital Territory Government, 2004). Despite the ACT being regarded as a very fortunate and prosperous place to live, some Canberrans with…

In this article, the author gives an overview of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international human rights convention that sets out the fundamental human rights of people with disabilities. The Convention sets out general and specific obligations for…

In this address, the author examines what it means when one uses phrases like "evidence-based practices" and "evidence-based policies." She suggests that there is a need to re-think the meanings attached to these terms and she presents a rebuttal of the reliance on a single conceptualisation of evidence. The author then argues for a re-making of…

In her Des English Memorial Lecture, the author provides some commentary on the changes that have occurred during her career in relation to the field of special education. In the 25 years that she has worked as an educator and been involved in special education in one way or another, there have been very significant and fundamental changes of…