The Program for Students with Disabilities provides additional support to either a regular school or one of the various specialist schools for eligible students with disabilities.

Disabilities are defined by criteria based on guidelines set by the World Health Organisation.  When applied to a school population these criteria identify between 2.6 and 3.0 per cent of the population as disabled or impaired.

The Department of Education provides a range of resources to schools to enable the delivery of a high quality program for all students, including students who are having difficulty learning. The Program for Students with Disabilities is designed specifically to provide schools with additional support for this group of students to be able to access an age comparative educational program.

These resources may be included in the school global budget and through other support programs such as students with special learning needs, support services such as visiting teachers, social workers, guidance officers and curriculum consultants, and specific early identification and intervention programs.