There is an increased awareness in educational systems, sectors and schools in Australia of the importance of successfully and effectively addressing the needs of students with disability within the policy framework of the Convention of the rights of persons with disabilities (UN, 2006) and the Disability standards for education 2005 (Commonwealth, 2005). This policy outlines a broad framework of practice, including providing adjustments tailored to the needs of students on the same basis as other students and with ongoing consultation with families and students themselves. Educational sectors in Australia are characterised from increased decentralisation of responsibility for decision-making with schools having increased flexibility in how to use resources and supports for students with disability. This paper presents a discussion of the policy framework that informs decision-making at the school and classroom level in NSW and the challenges and opportunities that it opens up for different stakeholders including principals and school executive, classroom and support staff, parents of students with disability, and students themselves. The paper draws information from existing policy and practice as well as preliminary data from a pilot study. In the presentation of our data, we use the framework of effective schools developed based on review of the literature by Hoppey and McLeskey (2014). The two theses of the framework; School culture and organizational qualities, and Quality of classroom instruction allow identifying and examining the interconnections between school and classroom level in the process of decision-making. In our analysis, we also emphasise the ongoing and changing nature of decision-making as it responds at different stages and demands of students’ careers (e.g., transition between education levels, settings of provision, etc.). Finally, we identify and discuss the impact of other internal and external factors such as attitudes, understandings of curriculum, instruction and accountability expectations and to what extent these are perceived as positive or negative contributors to the processes of decision-making.

Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department. (2005). Disability standards for education 2005 (plus guidance note). Canberra: Author. McLeskey, J., Waldron, N. L., Spooner, F., & Algozzine, B. (2014). What are effective inclusive schools and why are they important? In J. McLeskey, N. L. Waldron, F. Spooner, & B. Algozzine (Eds.). Handbook of effective inclusive schools (pp. 3-16). New York, NY: Routledge. Hoppey, D., & McLeskey, J. (2014). What are qualities of effective inclusive schools? In J. McLeskey, N. L. Waldron, F. Spooner, & B. Algozzine (Eds.). Handbook of effective inclusive schools (pp. 17-29). New York, NY: Routledge. United Nations. (2006). Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and optional protocol. New York: United Nations.