Inclusion Through Collaboration: Community of Practice - 18th March 2026

Aspect is hosting the next Community of Practice (CoP) event on 18th March, 2026.

The Aspect Community of Practice brings people together across sectors to learn with and from each other in order to strengthen inclusive education for Autistic learners. It is a collaborative space grounded in evidence, lived experience and shared problem-solving, supporting meaningful connection, professional learning and collective impact.

Following the success of the 2025 launch, the Community of Practice continues to grow as a forum for educators, leaders, researchers, people with lived experience and community partners to explore challenges, share expertise and develop practical approaches that can be applied across diverse contexts.

About the event:

• Date: Wednesday, 18 March

• Time: 9:00 am – 3:30 pm

• Location: The View, North Sydney, 17 Blue St, North Sydney NSW 2060

• Theme: Autism in schools - building a shared understanding for effective practice

Who should attend

• School principals and leadership teams

• Classroom teachers, learning and support teachers and coordinators

• Education support staff, including teacher aides, therapists and wellbeing officers

• Policy makers and system leaders

• Researchers and academics

• People with lived experience of autism and neurodiversity

• Parliamentary stakeholders

Event Focus

This Community of Practice will focus on examining problems of practice in autism-informed education. The day will centre on collaborative inquiry rather than traditional conference presentations.

Discussions and workshops will be grounded in three interconnected themes:

1. Building a shared understanding of autism as a neurodevelopmental difference

2. Designing inclusive, neuro-friendly classroom and school environments

3. Embedding universal support and reasonable adjustments within high-quality teaching

Program

The day will include:

• Short presentations to establish shared understanding across the three themes

• Problem of practice workshops, where participants work collaboratively to explore real challenges and develop practical solutions

• Opportunities for reflection, discussion and cross-sector connection

• Group sharing of workshop outcomes in the afternoon

A detailed program will be released closer to the event.