title: The Educational Needs and Supports of School-Aged Students with Developmental Language Disorder in Australia
Creators: name: Ziegenfusz, Shaun
Publisher: name: Griffith University
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
subject: Australian schools
subject: educational support

description: Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition characterised by impaired language, which has a functional impact on the person's day-to-day life. Language is critical for school success and places school-aged students with DLD at risk of academic failure. This challenge is compounded by teachers reporting a lack of awareness and knowledge of how to support students with DLD in the classroom. Taken together, a research-to-practice gap exists in Australian classrooms, which has significant implications for the one in 14 students with DLD, their families, allied health professionals, and teachers. This thesis aimed to understand the educational needs of students with DLD and inform educational supports within schools. A knowledge translation cycle was utilised as a framework for this research. This thesis includes current literature and methodological approaches followed by four studies prepared as manuscripts. The first study is a systematic review of 44 peer-reviewed journal articles that established what has currently been measured and reported about the academic achievement of students with DLD. The second study is a national survey of 293 participants, which included teachers, allied health professionals, and parents/caregivers. This study investigated what stakeholders perceive are the areas of functioning and school-based tasks most challenging for students with DLD, as well as the helpfulness of educational supports. The perspectives of these stakeholder groups are compared and described within the context of collaborative practice. The third study includes surveys and interviews with 11 highschoolers with DLD. Their perspectives on the school-based tasks they find challenging, the educational supports they rated as most helpful, and their sense of connectedness to school were investigated. The fourth study had two parts. In the first part, 56 teachers rated the helpfulness of previous professional learning about DLD and preferences for future professional learning opportunities. In the second part, a 90-minute webinar was piloted with 198 teachers who completed pre- and post-surveys. This study aimed to change their knowledge of DLD, supportive attitudes, and intended use of educational practices. The social validity of the webinar was also determined. The key findings within and across studies are discussed relating to implications, limitations, and future directions. In summary, this thesis utilised a range of methodological approaches and demonstrated that school-aged students with DLD have significant educational needs; however, there are evidence-based educational supports that can be embedded in classroom settings. Collaborative practices and perspectives are discussed, as well as the implications for educational policy in Australia. By addressing the research-to-practice gap regarding the educational needs and supports, stakeholders can facilitate access to high quality, inclusive education can lead to positive lifelong outcomes for school-aged students with DLD in Australia.