At the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC), we help Australians with disabilities participate in sport and compete at the Paralympic Games through partnerships with governments, business, sporting bodies and the community.

We are responsible for preparing the Australian Paralympic Summer and Winter Teams for the Paralympic Games, which we have done successfully since 1990. In the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games, Australia was placed fourth on the overall medal tally with 23 Gold, 29 Silver and 27 Bronze medals out of 147 countries.

We help identify potential Paralympians through the Toyota Paralympic Talent Search Program and assist athletes to prepare for competition by providing funding for coaching, equipment and travel in the lead up to the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games.

In the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games, 167 athletes were selected for the Australian Team, 27 of whom were identified through the Toyota Paralympic Talent Search Program.

Our partnerships with governments, business, national sporting organisations and disability groups are critical to delivering a successful Paralympic Team to the Games.

We believe participation in sport provides positive social and physical benefits to people with disabilities, and plays an important role in changing community perceptions of people with disabilities.

Through the Paralympic Education Program powered by Telstra, we have educated over 280,000 Australian school children about Paralympic sport and the importance of inclusion of people with disabilities.

At the heart of what we do is our athletes, who strive to compete at an elite level, upholding the ideals of the Paralympic movement.