Sharon's PhD Research and her recent filmed lectures at USQ give you an experience and help you to explore and understand a little more about hidden disabilities. Sharon has filmed some of her experiential workshops for you to have a look at... read and explore more about this topic...

Sharon won the Human Rights Award for Individuals 2008 for her contribution to creating inclusion across the community. Here she is with Julian Morrow of  'Chaser's' fame and Graham Innis from HREOC. Sharon is a part time education academic and also a consultant in disability awareness across the state.

Check out more details and listen to the speeches here.

Some Exciting News - Sharon has just released her children's storybook in 3 different fomats to allow access for all...

Sharon was shortlisted for the Queensland Regional Achiever Awards for 2011 for her work in awareness raising and creating inclusive communities and came runner up to an amazing champion from FNQ...

Discovery at Paradise Island - new 2nd edition - $19.95

ISBN - 0-9581610-0-3
Children's storybook written by Sharon Boyce.
Discovery at Paradise Island is great for school years 3-7 (Ages 6-12) especially. It is an early chapter reader and it links directly to the SOSE and English syllabus. it explores culture and identity and the topic of disability in the family. The book is designed to explore disability on a deeper level as well as involve the reader in solving a mystery. It has links to specific tasks at the end of each chapter that encourage the reader to reflect on the story and content. It explores literacy and numeracy and codebreaking as part of the storytelling process. Sharon won the Disability Action Week Award for Individuals (2003) for her work writing this book.

This book has also been designed to appeal to adult readers who may have problems with literacy as well as ESL or migrant learners.

A double CD Audio Book and DAISY Format Reader are also available as well. This will support literacy development for all and can really aid in classroom presentation through listening posts set up through ipods and electronic white boards. it will also help to support people with vision problems as well as dyslexia and reading perceptual issues. The DAISY file will be especially useful for those with severe vision impairement or the blind.

There are focus questions at the end of each chapter and at the end of the book there are many parent and teacher activities and extra questions that explore the book and issues of physical disability and its impact on the family. These can be used as conversation starters or to generate deeper level thinking about the story and the issues raised within it. Teachers can develop the themes from this book and explore the impact of disability awareness on their own class. The book also includes code breaking and numeracy so these can be developed further as rich tasks in the classroom or even at home.

Sharon has also recently released her new educational resource kit about physical disability - Another Day in the Life of Sharon Boyce - A person with a physical disability - Educational Resource Kit. She was helped by the Honourable Curtis Pitt -The Minister for Disability who, while he wasn't able to be there in person on the night, wrote an amazing speech, that was delivered by Nicola Jeffers, the acting head of the Department of Communities.

 The Honorable Minister - Curtis Pitt and Sharon at the Endeavour Launch

Sharon has been elected as Chair of the Regional Disability Council for 2012 and is also a current and very active member of the Disability Council of Queensland. She is an advocate for creating a real and lasting uderstanding of disability and for creating access for all in our community.

Listen to Sharon's International keynote address to the 'Making it Happen' (2008) conference in Greymouth - New Zealand

 This was recorded at USQ TV Studios with the very kind assistance of Jeff Black. It was then transmitted via the internet to the conference. We then did a live telelink on the day of the conference for question and answers. This is a very good example of how technology can break down barriers such as distance and travel for people with a disability and also create a global inclusive community. 

To listen please click on the link pasted below.

mms://WinMedia.usq.edu.au/DDD/NZ_conf.wmv    

(File size: 97mB, Duration: 51:32)

Instructions For Use:

This video file will stream using the Windows Media player, and will play over a broadband (or better) connection. It is not downloadable.

Note that some users have reported that their institutional ICT policies do not allow streaming-video content. Please check with your local systems administrator if you are unable to connect to this streamed-video presentation.

I would especially like to thank Jeff Black for his professional assistance with this and USQ and Media Services, Distance and e-Learning Centre for their assistance as well.

 Sharon's Academic and Professional Qualifications:

• Currently working on my Doctor of Philosophy on Inclusive Education and Diversity at University of Queensland with Professor Peter Renshaw and USQ with Professor Pat Danaher and Professor Glen Postle.
• Cert IV in Training and Assessment. (2009)
• Master of Education (Honours) at the University of Southern Queensland (2002)
• Graduate Diploma of Education (F.E.T.) at the University of Southern Queensland (December 1992)
• Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature, Communications and History at the University College of Southern Queensland (June l990)

Professional Memberships

• Registered teacher in Queensland - Registration no. - 763 654
• Chair Regional Disability Advisory Council
• Member of the Queensland Disability Council - Advisor to Disability Minister Curtis Pitt
• Chair of Toowoomba City Council Access Committee
• Member of the Queensland Writers Centre
• Nominated member of the Australian College of Education
• Member of the Disability Action Group at USQ

Employment History

• Run my own Educational Consultancy practice dealing with Disability, Diversity and Inclusion called ‘Discovering DisAbility & Diversity’- works on awareness and professional development for educators and full school staff. (2001-) - Won the Australian Human Rights Award for Individuals 2008 for this initiative.
• Founding Director of the Institute of Inclusive Education and Research.
• Currently a writer for the Teacher Aide Certificate Three and Four courses at Toowoomba Education Centre.
• Currently the coordinator and on-line and distance education lecturer for Semester 1 and 3 units at USQ – ECE 2003 Early Childhood Arts Education and ECE 5001 Aesthetic Early Childhood Arts.
• External Liaison for USQ through 2007 & Semester One 2008
• Writer for Toowoomba Education Centre & Open Learning Institute of TAFE in Disability/ Teacher Aide/ on-line learning.
• Writer for OLI in international business and marketing 2007
• Author of an Educational Resource Kit on Physical Disability. Interactive DVD and A4 posters. Another Day in the Life …Of a Person with a Physical Disability.
• Designer and writer of my educational portal and disability website. An information resource for children, educators and community members -  www.discoveringdisability.com.au
• Author of a children’s story book ‘Discovery at Paradise Island’
• Worked as an ATAS - Aboriginal Tutorial Assistance Scheme tutor in primary and high schools in the region for the Department of Employment Education and Training and Youth Affairs (1998>2003)
• Worked as an ATAS - Aboriginal Tutorial Assistance Scheme tutor at U.S.Q. (1993 >2005) tutoring subjects- Language and Literacy, Curriculum Development, Communication, Sociology and Ethics, Australia, Asia and the Pacific, Music, Movement and Art.
• Part-time a tutor for Foundations One – Lifespan Psychology and Inclusive Settings at the University of Southern Queensland
• Part-time Tutor at USQ for Education Faculty subject ‘Foundations of Educational Communication’ and ‘Foundations of Language’ (1997 to the 2004)
• Part-time Tutor at USQ for Education Faculty subject 'The Developing Child'. (1996 to 2003)
• Tutor and marker for the OPACS Tertiary Preparation Program in Communication and Study Skills. 1998-1999.
• Part-time Tutor at USQ for the International Students Reading Program. (Semester One l994)
• Part-time Tutor, marker and curriculum developer in the Summer Term at USQ for the International Students Uniprep Communications Program (1992)
• Part-time marker in 'English in Communications', Semester One, 1992 at USQ
• Part-time Tutor and curriculum developer at USQ for the corporate Communications Unit (No. 90501) for all of 199l and 1992
• Part-time marker at USQ for the Corporate Communications Unit (No. 90501) July 1990 - December 1992

Teaching and Research Interests

• Completing my Doctorate at UQ, researching the question 'Does Experiential Awareness of Disability help Create Inclusive Communities across all Age Groups?'
• Master of Education (Honours) degree, on the topic 'Disadvantaged Groups in Early Australian Children's Literature'.
• I have written a couple of children’s books. I have published one book called ‘Discovery at Paradise Island. It deals with the issue of disability and how children react to it.
• I have developed an educational resource kit exploring and explaining physical disability. The kit is called 'A Day in the Life of Sharon Boyce - A person with a Physical Disabiity.' It contains a DVD, 20 Laminated A4 size posters and information sheets to explain how to use the kit for all age groups.
• I have almost completed a resource book for educators about the issue of Dyslexia. It will be available by June 2012.
• Public and Motivational Speaking – talking  about my own life experiences and ways to advance equality and life choices for everybody.
• Developing solutions for organisations in  the area of disability and social justice.
• I enjoy working with computers and I am competent in most online aplications. I use Windows 7, Office 2010, Desktop Publishing, web-based learning and design and the Internet. I am interested in the impact computers have in various areas of education. I use interactive technology, ipads and other applications across many educational areas.
• I am a qualified AMEB Music and piano teacher - but now use these skills to link music and art to create inclusive education settings within early childhood.
• I am also developing a program based around the theme of inclusive schooling. I am running a series of workshops in primary and high schools helping teachers and children to understand and relate to disability.
• I am interested in curriculum design and would like to help develop curriculum in the area of education or arts especially for disadvantaged groups and adult learners.
• I enjoyed teaching in the Communications area and would also like to continue in this area if there was an opportunity.
• I am interested in teaching all students. Students with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, adult entry students and international students are of particular interest. I feel it is important to further all students’ interest in tertiary study.
• I have also been involved with Student Services and the disability and careers office. I have been a mentor and adviser for the recent Unitaste program which USQ ran and have also represented the University at a recent careers and disability conference for the region.
• I enjoy painting and have exhibited my paintings. The latest exhibition was ‘Tracking the Blue Sheep’.
• I am a radio announcer with 4DDB FM 102.7 Community radio and have a movie review show every Monday night, on which I represent Toowoomba City Cinemas and Video Ezy.