The Effective Use of Drama as a Pedagogy for Engaging Students with Disabilities with the Australian Curriculum Learning Areas

Abstract

Mount Ommaney Special School is located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Mount Ommaney Special School caters for a diverse student population including students with severe and multiple of impairments and complex medical needs. The school campus also includes an Early Childhood Development Program for students from birth to six years old. Mount Ommaney Special School’s drama program engages students with disabilities in education through storytelling and dramatic play. This research based pedagogy assists students to engage with the Australian Curriculum in a functional and enjoyable manner, including students who are pre-intentional and early communicative learners. Importantly, it is also being used at Mount Ommaney as a tool to assess student learning against the Australian Curriculum content descriptors. Student engagement is monitored through a unique measuring tool of ‘Moments’. Our ongoing data collection shows significant improvements in engagement through participation in the program. In 2011 the program received recognition nationally with a National Australia Bank ‘Schools First Impact Award’ of $50,000. This enabled the partnership to commission a professional film maker throughout 2012, and create a whole school digital performance showcasing student achievement and participation, based on the Alison Lester children’s book, ‘Imagine’. Additionally, an educational documentary ‘Just Imagine’, which follows the journey of the Mount Ommaney Special School’s partnership with The Song Room was launched in May 2013.