Embedding Inclusion and Integrating Therapy: Dual Policy Pathways Toward Inclusive Education Reform in Australia

This Zenodo archive includes two complementary policy submissions to the Education and Employment Standing Committee, authored by Sarah Ailish McLoughlin, a systems thinker and accessibility advocate working at the intersection of inclusive education, policy innovation, and survivor-informed design. The first submission, Integrating Therapy and External Activities into Formal Curriculum for Students with Disabilities, proposes a national pilot to formally accredit therapeutic, vocational, and community-based activities as part of school learning. It addresses structural misalignment between NDIS supports and academic curricula, aiming to reduce administrative burdens and enhance educational equity. The second submission, Embedding Inclusion as a Core Principle in Australian Education Policy, offers a structural reform framework for embedding inclusion across legislation, funding, teacher training, and accountability systems. It calls for a transition away from segregated education models, in alignment with UNESCO’s guidelines and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Together, these submissions present a unified policy vision that moves beyond compliance toward a human-rights-based model of inclusive education—where every student’s learning pathway is respected, recognized, and resourced.