Future Challenges and Aspirations: Professional development for SEN and inclusive practices Inclusive University Support How can support plans be used

Future Challenges and Aspirations: Professional development for SEN and inclusive practices

Inclusive University Support

How can support plans be used by university students and

their tutors to maximise the inclusive educational experience

of diverse learners?

Rosemary Shepherd, 20th June2014

[email protected]

Points for discussion

Outline to the research

How are learning support plans used by students and tutors?

What do we know about a range of special educational needs?

Feedback from students on the learning support they are receiving in higher education

What might be some of the concerns and/or dilemmas for tutors in managing the needs of students with learning support plans?

EdD research on student perception of learning support Research into students’ perceptions of the support they

receive and the dilemmas for tutors in managing the needs of students with support plans.

A steady rise in the numbers of students entering higher education with both physical and hidden disabilities (Gibson, 2012; Madriaga et al. 2011; VanBergeijk et al, 2008; Konur, 2006; Avramidis and Skidmore, 2004)

The driving force for the increased numbers of students entering higher education with ‘disabilities’ is the legislation and policies to provide better equal opportunities for students with disabilities. (Konur 2006)

Disabled Students Allowance 1993 (currently under scrutiny)

Statistics for University of Derby 2002 – 2012

Full time Undergraduate students studying their first degree

Year Students enrolled Receiving DSA Percentage

2011/12 8705 785 9.0

2010/11 8245 795 9.7

2009/10 8160 735 9.0

2008/09 7645 520 6.8

2007/08 7155 365 5.1

2006/07 7140 330 4.6

2005/06 7285 150 2.1

2004/05 7165 295 4.1

2003/04 7365 170 2.3

2002/03 7260 215 2.9

HESA 2013

www.derby.ac.uk/education

HE policy and inclusive practice

Dearing Report in 1997 - a ‘more socially representative university sector’ to ‘remove barriers to citizens’ social and economic participation’ (Sheeran, Brown and Baker 2007:249).

‘Elitism to Inclusion’ 1998 - to move from what had been seen as a ‘discriminatory attitude on the part of [some] tutors’ to the making of reasonable adjustments to students with declared disabilities.

Disability and Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 updated in 2005 to ensure equality for disabled people in education, SENDA 2001.

Equality Act 2010 - Direct/indirect discrimination, discrimination by association or discrimination by perception.


Phase one

Phase two

Phases of the research

To explore students’ perspectives on the learning support they receive to support their special educational needs during their undergraduate degree.

To capture tutors’ opinions of their role and the dilemmas they encounter when supporting students with special educational needs

Underpinning literature and legislation on learning support and reasonable adjustment required in higher education

EdD research - Phase one: student perception of the learning support they receive 14 semi-structured interviews to undergraduate students in

Education Studies (Single and Joint honours)

Support services and equipment provided

Teaching methods in the classrooms - what works best, where do students struggle?

Comparison of current support with school and college

Strategies students putting in place


Bridging the gaps Tutors perceptions of their role and concerns

I’m here to teach my subjectWhat do I do with this support plan? How do I meet these different learning needs?How can I be fair (inclusive) to all students?

Student perceptions

I’ve got my support plan, I should be able to gain full access to my course My tutor knows all about my learning needs and will support meI can have extra time to meet my deadlines

Inclusive practice for all – literature! Inclusive pedagogy - teaching approaches that address the

learning of all learners to accommodate a range of needs (Le Roux and Graham 1998; Florian and Linklater 2010; Florian and Black-Hawkins 2011).

Focusing on ways of extending what is already in place in terms of materials and delivery styles, and which responds to the differences between learners rather than ‘specifically individualizing for some’ (Florian and Linklater 2010:370).

A ‘shift’ from the traditional directive delivery of information, to thinking about teaching methods that work for most learners with some add on methods that support students who are experiencing learning difficulties (Long, 2011) .


Universal Design for Learning Curriculum is planned to be as assessable as possible to all students.

Planning for a range of disabilities such as physical or cognitive difficulties

Planning accessibility not only to the classroom space and teaching approaches, but to the curricula and assessment.

UDL seen as a principle of caring for students with learning needs

Being aware of a range of special educational needs and how to accommodate and make reasonable adjustments.

Being aware of student support plans - anticipating!


Accessing the learning support plan

The learning support plan emailed to student

Module leader alerted by email

Details can be viewed on peoplesoft - on the class list


Click on Related ContentSupport Plans by Class 6

CatalogeModule Term ID

Student Name

Sup Plan Reasons

Sup Plan Start Term

Advisor name

Requirements Notes

4EDXXX 2013 xx xxx DYSLEXIA , 2013

xxx Requirements Notes


xxxx Requirements Notes



4EDXXX 2013xxx xxxxx

DEPRESSION , MIGRAINES 2013

xx Requirements Notes

4EDXXX 2013xxx xx DYSLEXIA , 2013

xxxxx Requirements Notes

4EDXXX 2013xxx xxxx DYSCALCULIA , 2013



Click on Requirements

ID NameRequirement

Area Description

1 x mm A03LECTURES AND TUTORIALS :

Please provide copies of lecture notes in advance unless to do so would academically disadvantage the student.

2 x mm A13LECTURES AND TUTORIALS :

Please allow the student to use their laptop in class for note taking purposes.

3 x mmAED1

LECTURES AND TUTORIALS :

Extended deadlines of 1 week for submission of all assessed work excluding group work, presentations and modules that contain progressive assessments.

4 x mmAED62


Extended deadlines of 2 weeks for submission of final year Independent Study.

5 x mmMH14


Allow student to record lectures and seminars using their own digital voice recorder.

6 x mm A01 LIBRARY :Extended book loan service: 5 weeks on resources normally loaned for 3 weeks; 2 weeks on resources normally loaned for 1 week.

7 x mm A01PLACEMENT :

The student should contact their placement tutor as soon as possible after preparation of this Support Plan to discuss their needs on placement.


Notes on details for the studentID Name Notes Note Title Notes Details

1 x xxxx 01LECTURES AND TUTORIALS :

LECTURES AND TUTORIALS: Discuss Support Plan with tutors.

2 x xxxx 07LIBRARY : EXTENDED BOOK LOAN

LIBRARY - EXTENDED BOOK LOAN: Restricted and two day loans are not included in these arrangements and cannot be extended.

3 x xxxx CONFCONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT

This is a confidential document, held in your electronic student record and is only accessed by appropriate members of University staff, for the purpose of arranging your support.

4 x xxxx SP SUPPORT PLAN

Your Support Plan is an on-going, continuous document to help you throughout your time at university. If you feel there are any adjustments to be made to it, or want to discuss any aspect of your Support Plan, please contact the Student Wellbeing Service.


How are learning support plans used?

What happens next? What do tutors do with support plans?

Are students meeting tutors to discuss learning needs and reasonable adjustments?

Tutor awareness of a range of special educational needs


Discussions about the learning support plan Students with learning support

plans often avoid approaching tutor to discuss learning needs

Didn’t know they had to talk to tutor about their learning needs

Assumed tutor would know Didn’t want to or … Worried or embarrassed about

approaching tutor

Tinklin, Riddell and Wilson, (2004) informs us that students may experience anxiety and the fear of exposure or failure if they discuss their disability.

Awareness of a range of special needs and disabilities - ACTIVITY

How aware are tutors of the range of Special Educational Needs or Disabilities found in most HE classrooms?

ACTIVITY

Match the characteristics to the following Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Hand out


EdD research findings – experiences in the classroom

Where teaching methods meet the students’ learning needs

Where teaching methods cause issues or hinder learning

Initial findings


Activity - Students’ perceptions of support – phase one

Consider student responses to experiences in the classroom

Each student has a support plan in place

How would you respond /change your practice if you were teaching/supporting this student?

What concerns would you have about meeting these learning needs?

Summary

There is a rise in students coming into higher education with special educational deeds and disabilities

Tutors need more awareness of a range of learning needs

And how to ensure inclusive practice for all students

Students need to communicate with their tutors

Phase two of research to the tutors (training needs, awareness, understanding of tutor role, legislation)


References 1 Avramidis, E. and Skidmore, D. (2004) Reappraising Learning Support

in Higher Education, Research in Post-Compulsory Education Vol 9 No 1 pp63 – 82

Florian, L. and Linklater, H. (2010): Preparing teachers for inclusive education: using inclusive pedagogy to enhance teaching and learning for all, Cambridge Journal of Education, 40:4, pp369-386

Florian, L. and Black-Hawkins, K. (2011): Exploring inclusive pedagogy, British Educational Research Journal, 37:5, pp 813-828

Holbrook, T., Moore, C., and Zoss, M. (2010) Equitable intent: reflections on Universal Design in education as an ethic of care. Reflective Practice, Vol 11, No 5 pp 681-692

Gibson, S. (2012): Narrative accounts of university education: sociocultural perspectives of students with disabilities, Disability & Society, 27:3, 353-369

Konur, O., (2006) Teaching disabled students in higher education, Teaching in Higher Education. Vol. 11:3, pp. 351-363

References 2 Long, M., Wood, C., Littleton, K., Passenger, T., and Sheehy, K., (2011)

The Psychology of Education, 2nd Ed. London: Routledge. Madriaga, M., Hanson, K., Kay, H., and Walker, A., (2011) Marking-out

normalcy and disability in higher education. British Journal of Sociology of Education. Vol. 32:6 pp 901-92

Morgan, J. (2014) NUS blasts David Willetts over changes to disabled students’ support. http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/nus-blasts-david-willetts-over-changes-to-disabled-students-support/2012501.article (Accessed May 2014)

Sheeran, Y., Brown, B.J., and Baker, S., (2007) Conflicting philosophies of inclusion: the contestation of knowledge in widening participation. London Review of Education 5, (3): 249-263, https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/2086/2431/sheeran2%20(2).pdf?sequence=1 Accessed June 2014

VanBergeijk, E., Klin, A., & Volkmar, F., (2008) Supporting More Able Students on the Autism Spectrum: College and Beyond, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Vol. 38:7, pp1359–1370


Documents

Future Challenges and Aspirations: Professional development for SEN and inclusive practices Inclusive University Support How can support plans be used