How far has the door opened? Developing a practical approach to individual learning plans for students in inclusive classrooms

Successfully developing, documenting and implementing an individual learning plan (ILP) in a mainstream inclusive school setting is something that continues to challenge teachers. This paper focuses on the development of an innovative four phased whole school process, embedding the ILP within a differentiated instructional program for an inclusive classroom. A taskforce was established to collect information on current practice in the Australian Capital Territory and regional New South Wales Catholic schools and to ascertain the need and potential for changes to these practices. This evaluative study provides a brief overview of the taskforce development and findings along with a more detailed description of the subsequent actions undertaken by the Catholic Education Office. The ongoing developments now occurring in schools, highlights an approach that has significant relevance to all educational systems actively considering student wellbeing and inclusion.