A mother of five children with disabilities has told the disability abuse royal commission that one of her sons took a knife to school because he was so scared of bullies, while her daughter was belittled by a teacher for needing extra toilet breaks.

The woman told a hearing in Townsville on Tuesday that it was "absolutely exhausting and frustrating" trying to get schools to make changes so children with disability could be included.

In opening remarks, Dr Kerri Mellifont, QC, said the royal commission had already received information that showed students with disability were "not being treated as people with the rights to an equitable education".

"You're made to feel like ... it's too hard for [the teachers]," said the woman, called "witness AAC" for privacy reasons, who is also a special education teacher.

AAC said when her daughter, who has autism spectrum disorder, needed to go to the toilet, she had to go immediately due to sensory issues. There was "a lot of trouble" negotiating this with the school and then the teacher belittled the girl about the adjustment, she said.