Membership Eligibility

Full membership of  DEAI is open to applicants holding a tertiary degree level qualification (bachelor’s or master’s) in Disability Studies or equivalent as accredited and approved by DEAI.

Full Members meet the Developmental Educator Core Competencies.
Members agree to abide by the Code of Ethics and Practice for Developmental Educators (including the DEAI Social Media Guideline) and DEAI Constitution.

Please refer carefully to the information below for further details and refer to the membership eligibility FAQs:

Membership categories
Full Membership $160

A person who holds a tertiary degree in disability studies as recognised by the DEAI, and is professionally engaged as a Developmental Educator (or similar role) and continues to be actively involved within any of the fields of disability, education, mental health, community justice, welfare, and/or rehabilitation services. Full membership is the accreditation required to practice as a Developmental Educator.

Associate Membership $49

A person who possesses a qualification recognised by DEAI as relevant to the field of Disability and Developmental Education but does not have a tertiary level degree, or has had adequate training (in the opinion of the DEAI), together with more than three years of experience in the field of disability with an organisation recognised by DEAI. Associate membership is a non-voting category and does not provide accreditation to practice as a Developmental Educator.

Associate Member (Student) $49

A person who is a student in a relevant tertiary degree program as approved by DEAI. This category of membership is non-voting and non-practicing.

Recognised Qualifications and Accreditation 

DEAI is the self-regulated professional body for Developmental Educators, and responsible for the professional accreditation of tertiary disability studies programs, graduates of which may seek full membership with the association. Full membership with DEAI is available to applicants who have graduated from a tertiary degree in disability studies (bachelor’s or master’s).

Listing of DEAI accredited disability studies degrees:
Accredited cCurrent bachelor degrees
Flinders University has successfully undertaken University Accreditation with DEAI. Graduates from the following degrees are therefore eligible to apply for automatic full membership.

Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education Flinders University, Adelaide
Master of Autism (Beginning 2024) University of Wollongong, Wollongong
Accredited discontinued bachelor degrees
Graduates with the following degrees are eligible to apply for automatic full membership.

Bachelor of Disability Studies Education / (Early Childhood & Special Education) Flinders University, Adelaide
Bachelor of Disability Studies / Education (Primary R-7 & Special Education) Flinders University, Adelaide
Bachelor of Disability Studies /Education (Middle & Secondary Schooling/Special Education) – enrolments up to 2016. Flinders University, Adelaide
Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education (Rehabilitation Counselling) Flinders University, Adelaide
Bachelor of Applied Science – Disability Studies Flinders University, Adelaide
Bachelor of Applied Science – Developmental Disabilities Flinders University, Adelaide
Diploma of Developmental Disabilities
Plus demonstration of ongoing relevant employment and professional development in disability related areas.
Sturt Teachers College, Adelaide
Mental Deficiency Nursing Certificate
Plus demonstration of ongoing relevant employment and professional development in disability related areas.
South Australia
Bachelor of Applied Science – Intellectual Disability RMIT, Melbourne
Bachelor of Applied Science – Intellectual Disability Deakin University, Geelong
Bachelor of Applied Science – Disability Studies Deakin University, Geelong
Bachelor of Arts – Disability Studies Deakin University, Geelong
Accredited current master degrees
Flinders University has successfully undertaken University Accreditation with DEAI. Graduates from the following degree are therefore eligible to apply for automatic full membership.

Master of Disability Practice and Leadership (Developmental Education) Flinders  University, Adelaide
Accredited discontinued master degrees
Graduates with the following degrees are eligible to apply for automatic full membership.

Master of Disability Policy and Practice Flinders  University, Adelaide
Master of Disability Studies

Flinders University, Adelaide

Individual Accreditation

The Individual Course Accreditation Application is relevant for applicants who hold a qualification in disability studies or a related sociological field, from a tertiary institution that has not yet been accredited by DEAI as offering an approved degree, eligible for full membership. Degrees eligible for the Individual Accreditation process are listed below.

Current bachelor degrees requiring individual accreditation
Graduates with the following degrees are required to submit an DEAI Individual Course Accreditation Application in order to be considered for full membership.

Bachelor Degree of Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies

University of Calgary, Canada

Discontinued bachelor degrees requiring individual accreditation
Graduates with the following degrees are required to submit a DEAI Individual Course Accreditation Application in order to be considered for full membership.

Bachelor of Social Sciences (Rehabilitation Counselling) or (Habilitation)

Charles Sturt University, Sydney

Bachelor of Health Sciences – Disability and Community Rehabilitation Major
Graduates are expected to have completed maximum number of available disability related topics, AND have completed a Graduate Certificate in ‘Disability Studies’

Flinders University, Adelaide

Bachelor of Social Science (Habilitation)

Australian Catholic Universities

Bachelor of Health Sciences – Disability and Inclusion Major
Graduates are expected to have completed maximum number of available disability related topics, AND have completed a Graduate Certificate in ‘Disability Studies’

Deakin University, Melbourne

Current master degrees requiring individual accreditation
Graduates with the following degrees are required to submit a DEAI Individual Course Accreditation Application in order to be considered for full membership. DEAI is in the process of exploring eligibility for automatic membership with relevant university departments.

Master of Human Services (Disability Practice)

Evidence Informed Practice Pathway

Griffith University, QLD

Master of Autism Studies
Please email the Program Director, Master of Autism Studies, for criteria to align topic content with the required competencies, as listed in the Individual Course Accreditation Application.

Griffith University, Qld

Master of Autism

Wollongong University, NSW

Master of Disability and Inclusion

Deakin University, Geelong

Master of Disability Studies – Disability Studies with a specialisation in Education: Vision Impairment
Graduates are expected to have completed maximum number of available disability related topics.

Macquarie University, NSW

Master of Disability Studies – Disability Studies with a specialisation in Education: (Deaf Hard of Hearing Specialisation)
Graduates are expected to have completed maximum number of available disability related topics.

Macquarie University, NSW

Master of Disability Studies – Disability Studies with a specialisation in Sensory Disability
Graduates are expected to have completed maximum number of available disability related topics.

Macquarie University, NSW

Master of Disability Practice

La Trobe University, Sydney

Discontinued master degrees requiring individual accreditation
Graduates with the following degrees are required to submit an DEAI Individual Course Accreditation Application order to be considered for full membership. 

Master of Disability Studies

University of Newcastle, NSW

Master of Science (Disability Studies)

Deakin University, Geelong

Master of Health Science – Developmental Disability

University of Sydney

If you have studied one of these degrees please contact DEAI to discuss making an individual accreditation application membership@deai.com.au .

The criteria are set out in the application; the fee for Individual Course Accreditation is $300*, which includes the 1st year’s membership fee of $160 if the application has a successful outcome.
*The $300 application fee is non-refundable.

Graduate Certificates

There are many Graduate Certificates in Disability Studies (and related fields such as Autism Studies and Positive Behaviour Support), on offer from Australian universities. Graduate Certificates are designed to enhance knowledge at a post graduate level and provide possible pathways for further study. A Graduate Certificate alone does NOT meet the requirements for Full Membership of DEAI. Full membership is only available to those who have completed a degree or masters level qualification in disability studies as outlined above.

Professional Accreditation for University Disability Studies Degrees

DEAI has developed a Professional Accreditation Manual for University Disability Studies Degrees, which comprises two sets of standards:

Standards for Developmental Education Practice

Standards for University Studies Degrees

Universities that offer a bachelor or master level disability studies degree and who are interested in professional accreditation by DEAI, can complete the University Disability Studies Degree Accreditation Application. Where the outcome of the accreditation is successful, any student graduating from this degree will be automatically eligible to apply for full membership with DEAI (hence avoiding the Individual Accreditation process and fee). To enquire about accrediting a degree program please contact deputychair(@)deai.com.au