The specialist VI curriculum and the role of the QTVI NatSIP working day 5 February 2019 Rory Cobb and Sue Keil

Learning to Access: a new UK curriculum for Vision Impairment (VI) education VIEW discussion paper putting forward the argument for a nationally recognised, UK specialist VI curriculum Conceptual framework based on the concept of ‘access to learning/learning to access’ (McLinden et al, 2016) Agreed set of outcomes and approaches to intervention that guides professional practice in teaching and habilitation from early years through to higher education and/or vocational training

Why is a UK specialist VI curriculum needed Why is a UK specialist VI curriculum needed? - we’ve managed so far without one Education policy and funding context – ‘postcode lottery’ of VI provision; SEN policies such as delegation of responsibilities and funding to schools inappropriate for high needs, low incidence groups such as VI need ‘national offer’ that recognises specific learning needs of CYP with VI; entitlement to provision that meets these needs; adequate resources and funding Better long term outcomes for young people with VI with independent learning, living and mobility skills; BUT Demands of mainstream academic curriculum take priority – over-emphasis on ‘access to learning’ (TA training also a factor) Poor outcomes for YP who lack these skills Too many VI frameworks/curricula in the UK – lack of consistency and coherence Lack of clarity about who does what – what is ‘specialist’ and what isn’t

Access to learning / learning to access model

Providing ‘Access to Learning’ Teaching ‘Learning to Access’

Specialist VI curricula and frameworks Range of outcomes and frameworks for CYP with VI in the UK, but no consensus on which to use or how to use them None have statutory status Only 3 have strong research evidence base (ECC, DJVI and Quality Standards for Habilitation) Some more widely recognised than others

Comparison of specialist VI curricula and outcomes frameworks US ECC UK specialist/ additional curriculum Learner outcomes (NatSIP) DJVI Quality standards for habilitation NatSIP VI independence outcomes   NatSIP eligibility framework for scoring support levels NatSIP habilitation eligibility framework

Comparison of NatSIP Learner Outcomes Framework with the US Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC)   US Expanded Core Curriculum Learning to access Compensatory or access skills Sensory efficiency skills (tactile, listening skills) Use of equipment Use of assistive technology Independence and negotiation skills Self-determination skills (includes self advocacy) Participation Social interaction skills Meeting others Recreational and leisure skills Getting around O&M skills and concepts Looking after him/herself Independent living skills Life after school Careers education

A new model for specialist intervention Single, unifying framework provided by the 8 Learner Outcomes? 2 further outcomes have been suggested: Emotional wellbeing Transition (into new settings across all age phases) Incorporating the habilitation and early years outcomes from the Hab Quality Standards and DJVI ‘Access to learning / learning to access’ to provide the conceptual framework ‘Progressive mutual accommodations’ Inter-dependence – roles and responsibilities of VI professionals and non-VI education providers and staff to be clarified

Operationalising the model VI specialist curriculum content Developing further content Gaps in some content, e.g. self advocacy and negotiation skills, social interaction skills Breaking outcomes into smaller steps Integrating the standard academic and VI specialist curricula Who does what? QTVI Habilitation specialist TA Allocation/deployment of staff Specialist staff training and CPD TAs a particular problem under current model Need for a career structure? Training to be on a par with other professional support staff, e.g. in Health?

Much of this work is being done already! Gwent sensory service ‘Intervention tool’ uses Learner Outcomes for allocation of staff Integrating the VI and standard academic curricula - e.g. how the outcomes relate to the Wales Foundation Phase Framework and the Digital Competence Framework Doncaster ‘Enhanced core curriculum’ based on the ECC Sheffield ‘Small steps assessment’ - basis of a curriculum framework for specialist skills? Norfolk ‘Learning skills ladders’ – planning targets for students in specific curriculum subjects Developing a mental health and resilience intervention package Birmingham Careers curriculum materials Others????

Next steps Discussion paper to be submitted to BJVI – if published will be online open access (free for all to download) Agree a framework for the VI specialist curriculum, with key elements such as ‘who does what’, workload and content drawn from examples of good practice throughout the country and provided as a set resources for all practitioners to use How? Joint VIEW/VICTAR/Voluntary org project to identify, categorise, and evaluate these various initiatives Plus changes to policy and practice: TA career structure and training VI specialist curriculum to be given statutory status

What are your thoughts?

References Hatlen, P. (1996). ‘The core curriculum for blind and visually impaired students, including those with additional disabilities’. RE: View, 28, 25–32. McLinden M, Douglas G, Cobb R, Hewett R and Ravenscroft J (2016) ‘Access to learning’ and ‘learning to access’: Analysing the distinctive role of specialist teachers of children and young people with vision impairments in facilitating curriculum access through an ecological systems theory’. British Journal of Visual Impairment 2016, Vol. 34(2) 179–197 NatSIP Learner Outcomes https://www.natsip.org.uk/doc-library-login/suporting-the-si-workforce/learner-outcomes- framework-for-vi-children-and-young-people

Our contact details RoryCobb.view@gmail.com SueKeil.view@gmail.com