Special Olympics Australia
Bespoke digital learning that equips coaches with the knowledge, skills and confidence to guide people with an intellectual disability and autism.
Special Olympics Australia
Case Study
SPECIAL OLYMPICS AUSTRALIA CASE STUDY
Overview
Special Olympics Australia partnered with Playbk Sports to build a national digital learning ecosystem designed to scale inclusive sport across Australia. Over a seven-year partnership, the Inclusive Sport Academy has become a central platform for coaches, teachers and volunteers — supporting inclusive sport delivery, Unified Schools programs and partnerships with National Sporting Organisations nationwide.
Powered by Playbk Platform, the Inclusive Sport Academy delivers structured coach development through Playbk Participate, supports workforce capability and school engagement through Playbk Schools and provides measurable outcomes through Playbk IQ. Commercially, the platform is supported by Gallagher, delivering dedicated coach education learning streams aligned with the Australian Sports Commission Play Well strategy.
Today, the platform supports over 10,000 learners nationwide, achieves 90% learner satisfaction and is recognised as an award-winning, national leader supporting leading National Sporting Organisations and Unified Schools programs across Australia.
PRODUCTS IN PLAY
Playbk Platform
A national digital learning ecosystem delivering inclusive sport education across coaches, teachers, volunteers and partner organisations.
Playbk Participate
Structured learning pathways supporting inclusive coaching, workforce capability and sport-specific education across multiple National Sporting Organisations
Playbk IQ
Participation insights, engagement tracking and impact reporting supporting national growth, funding alignment and continuous program improvement.
Playbk Schools
Curriculum-aligned resources supporting Unified Schools programs and inclusive sport delivery across primary and secondary education.
Our Inclusive Sport Academy, powered by the Playbk Platform, has become our national digital ecosystem to connect, educate and support coaches, teachers and volunteers. With over 10,000 registered users and learner satisfaction above 90%, Playbk has helped us scale inclusive sport while providing clear insights into participation, workforce development and program impact.
Yvonne Snell, General Manager at Special Olympics Australia
Pain
Inclusive sport across Australia lacked a connected pathway. Coaches, teachers and volunteers needed consistent education, resources and guidance to support participants with intellectual disability and autism at scale.
Without a centralised solution, inclusive sport delivery was fragmented, limiting participation growth and national impact.
Problem
Special Olympics Australia required a scalable, nationally accessible learning ecosystem that could support multiple sports, organisations and education environments.
This included developing contemporary resources, supporting Unified Schools programs, enabling National Sporting Organisation partnerships and delivering consistent education for coaches, teachers and volunteers across Australia.
Solution
Special Olympics Australia partnered with Playbk Sports to develop the Inclusive Sport Academy, powered by Playbk Platform and launched nationally in 2018.
The platform introduced structured learning pathways through Playbk Academy, supported Unified Schools and education delivery through Playbk Schools and embedded insights through Playbk IQ to measure participation, engagement and growth.
Over time, the ecosystem expanded to support multiple National Sporting Organisations, dedicated coach education streams backed by Gallagher and alignment with the Australian Sports Commission Play Well strategy.
Results
The Inclusive Sport Academy has become a national benchmark for inclusive sport education and participation.
- 10,000+ national learners
- 90% learner satisfaction
- 40+ hours of content
- Dozens of NSO partnerships
- Gallagher-backed coach education
- LearnX Platinum award winner
2025 LearnX Platinum Winner
Best EdTech & Learning & Development
The Learn X Awards recognise the best digital learning and education technology projects across the Asia-Pacific region, attracting entries from global leaders across enterprise, government and sport.
The Inclusive Sport Academy received Platinum for its inclusive learning pathways, co-designed with athletes, coaches and educators, and for its national and global impact supporting more than 10,000 learners.
From L-R: Damian Hecker, Katie James, Yvonne Snell, Jon Shepherd
Reaching 10,000+ learners through the Inclusive Sport Academy.
KEY WINS
10,000+ national learners
12 NSO partnerships
Gallagher-backed sponsorship model
Unified Schools program integration
Award-winning learning ecosystem
Proven national inclusive sport platform
Special Olympics Australia
Inclusive Sport Academy
Inclusive Sport Academy equips coaches, teachers and volunteers to deliver inclusive, impactful sport for people with intellectual disability and autism.
Originally launched in 2018, our flagship inclusive coaching course has supported more than 2,500 learners nationwide. Now, the fully redesigned next-generation experience delivers contemporary insights, practical strategies and real-world coaching scenarios built to scale inclusive sport across Australia.
Designed for teachers, coaches, students and support professionals, the platform offers flexible, accessible learning you can access anytime, anywhere.
Safe Inclusive Sport Nationally?
Scale inclusive sport, develop your workforce and deliver measurable impact with Playbk Sports.
