Labor has backed former disability commissioner Graeme Innes's call for an inquiry into the treatment of children with disabilities in schools.
It follows reports last week that an autistic child was put in a cage at a Canberra school.
Mr Innes, the commissioner from 2005 until last year, has told Fairfax media the "appalling" incident was not confined to the ACT and he had heard about others "relatively regularly".
He pointed the finger at a lack of resources and teacher training to support children with disabilities in schools.
In a joint statement, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and shadow education spokeswoman Kate Ellis said all children should be treated with dignity and respect at all times.
"Labor also believes our schools should be places where all children are supported to learn and teachers are equipped to meet the needs of their students," they said.
They said the inquiry should be conducted through the Human Rights Commission, adding the Canberra incident showed the need to reinstate a dedicated disability discrimination commissioner.
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