Capturing student voice
My Say My Way is a NSW Department of Education voice program that supports our students with disability, requiring substantial or extensive levels of adjustment, to have a voice on their educational experience and wellbeing at school.
The MSMW app features a suite of student voice surveys, complemented by teaching and learning materials to provide explicit instruction in survey skills and the curriculum-aligned vocabulary within the survey questions. This supports the collection of more meaningful and authentic student responses.
Schools are encouraged to review, interpret and take action on their MSMW data, ensuring the data is purposefully used to inform decision-making and support student agency. Data and insights from the MSMW surveys are also used in range of research activities, helping to build the evidence base and best practice advice in capturing the voice of students with disability.
This work is aligns with the NSW Public Schools Surveys (NPSS), which gathers insights from students, parents and school staff about their experiences at school. MSMW is offered as an alternative to the NPSS, and has been designed from the start to ensure accessibility features are inbuilt for learners with disability, supporting their access to and participation in student voice surveys.
Coming soon in 2027
In 2027, MSMW will be available to all NSW public schools.
[Narrator] My Say My Way supports students with disability and complex learning needs to share their voice and have a say. Through a suite of accessible student voice tools with built-in customisation features, My Say My Way provides a systematic way to collect data on these students' wellbeing at school and their educational experience. There are 3 student voice tools, the Student Accessible Survey, the Guided Discussion Methods tool, and the Parent Carer Insight survey. Let's take a look at My Say My Way in action in our NSW public school.
[Computer] I feel that I belong at school.
[Teacher 1] Yeah. Nice work.
[Teacher 2] Remember, you're gonna tell me if you like something.
[Computer] Like.
[Teacher 2] If you're not sure, you don't know about something.
[Computer] I don't know.
[Teacher 2] Or if you don't like something.
[Computer] Don't like.
[Leonie Donaldson] My Say My Way is supporting our school by really amplifying student voice, and that is so important for every single one of our students to be able to have their voice heard, and have what they say acted upon.
[Teacher 3] When we come out, do you wanna choose the playground? The playground makes you happy.
[Teacher 3] I, what's this one? I like?
[Student 1] I.
[Teacher 3] School, do you like school? You do?
[Student 1] School, school.
[Student 2] I like having a say at school.
[Narrator] My Say My Way will support your students to have their say and be heard. You can use their student voice data to help shape learning programs, and inform decision making in your school.
Contact details
For any questions about MSMW, please contact mysaymyway.cese@det.nsw.edu.au