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Unit outline_

OCCP3202: Deconstructing the disability sector

Semester 2, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

The Australian “disability sector” is expanding and evolving as a significant part of the service economy creating and drawing down wealth in public and private domains. The sector is built upon complex and often conflicting assumptions that results in an inherently political sector where priorities, programs, outcomes and resources are contested. The “disability workforce” is changing in scope and scale as these contested perspectives are aired and implications are incorporated into practice. The National Disability Insurance Scheme(NDIS), a recent major Australian social policy reform, seeks to implement the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disability. This reform has led to the development of innovative organizational and entrepreneurial approaches to providing supports for people with disability that are collaborative and person-centered, placing people with disability and their nominees as equal partners in the services they receive. Others perceive the market driven approach fostered by the NDIS has reinforced the position of people with disability as ‘service recipients’ with little control and high provider profit margins. This unit will explore provider models, workforce characteristics, including interdisciplinary and interprofessional teams, consumer driven and coordinated care and the variety of enterprises involved in disability support.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Participation Sciences
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
Students will need to have completed 18 credit points of 2000 level units
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Scott Denton, scott.denton@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Scott Denton, scott.denton@sydney.edu.au
Kim Bulkeley, kim.bulkeley@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Presentation Class debate
Lead class debate in tutorial time with 2 groups taking opposing positions.
30% Multiple weeks Group presentations in tutorial time.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Disability service appraisal
Appraisal of a disability service setting against human rights indicators
30% Week 04
Due date: 27 Aug 2023 at 23:59

Closing date: 27 Aug 2023
1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Service Innovation Plan
Appraise & redesign a disability service based on quality and human rights
40% Week 09
Due date: 08 Oct 2023 at 23:59

Closing date: 08 Oct 2023
2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5

Assessment summary

Disability Service Appraisal: students will appraise an Australian Disability Enterprise against human rights principles in a short report. 

Service Innovation/Redesign Report: Students will appraise a disability service leading to recommendations for service innovations and redesign. 

Class Debate: Held during the tutotial in weeks 11 12 and 13. Students will lead a debate on an allocated topic on disability services and supports for half an hour, engaging their peers and the tutor in a respectful discussion. 

Assessment criteria

 

 

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Disability sector overview Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1
Week 02 Philosophy of the NDIS Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5
Week 03 Before the NDIS.... Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO5
Week 04 Employment Services Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 05 Workforce issues Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO3
Week 06 Cultural responsivity Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 07 Innovation and industry reform Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5
Week 08 Innovative models - emerging Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 09 "Thin markets" Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 10 "Who can tell us we have got it right?" Advocacy Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 11 Intended and unintended consequences of the NDIS Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 12 The Arts sector Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 13 Wrap Up Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5

Attendance and class requirements

This six credit point unit of study has three hours of allocated time per week. This will be in the format of:

  • 1 hour flipped classroom component that is provided on the CANVAS site as a series of tasks/activities to be completed independently prior to the lecture. This content will be assumed knowledge for the lecture and tutorial.
  • 1 hour scheduled lecture
  • 1 hour tutorial

In addition all students are expected to undertake further reading and revision of content throughout the semester each week. 

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit of study will be identified on the unit of study CANVAS site.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Analyse the structure of the disability service sector in the context of current Australian policies including the NDIS.
  • LO2. Describe the impact of individual funding models on service delivery, service design and workforce.
  • LO3. Analyse strengths and limitations in the disability sector with reference to the UN declaration of Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples and the UNCRPD in terms of equity and access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
  • LO4. Explore impacts on coverage and access of a neoliberal market approach to disability service provision.
  • LO5. Critique historical and contemporary approaches to disability service development

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9
Australian occupational therapy competency standards 2018 -
Competency code Taught, Practiced or Assessed Competency standard
1.15 T A Addresses issues of occupational justice in practice
2.1 T A Applies current and evidence-informed knowledge of occupational therapy and other appropriate and relevant theory in practice
3.1 T A Addresses occupational performance and participation of clients, identifying the enablers and barriers to engagement

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This is the first time this unit has been offered.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.