BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE AND LINGUISTIC ACCESS WORKING GROUP SCOPING STUDY: LINGUISTIC ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR DEAF PUPILS AND STUDENTS IN SCOTLAND Independent research by Marian Grimes Scottish Sensory Centre

This study is part of a wider mapping exercise undertaken by the Scottish Government’s BSL and Linguistic Access Working Group It presents statistical information about linguistic access to education for deaf pupils in schools, and for students in further and higher institutions within Scotland. It also explores some of the complexities of key issues relating to the data and to issues which emerged during the course of the research. Recent developments in policy, legislation, technology and sign linguistics have given cause for renewed optimism in addressing evidence of under-attainment among deaf pupils.

Concerns were raised over national shortages of some staff, particularly: –BSL/English interpreters (all sectors, but biggest impact in F&HE); –educational audiologists (school sector); –deaf professionals, particularly within services supporting mainstream provision (all sectors). A dearth of specialist support tutors for deaf students was also indicated within the F&HE sector. A survey of numbers and qualifications of staff providing services for deaf students was piloted within this scoping study. It is intended that the full survey will be undertaken by the Scottish Sensory Centre (SSC) in spring 2008.

THE NEED FOR A CENTRALISED LINGUISTIC ACCESS RESOURCE A significant number of F&HE related interviewees indicated the need for a centralised resource to provide pooled services and specialist information, guidance and resources relating to assessment and access/support. For example: the need for a specialised supplement to the ‘QI Toolkit’ for establishing access/support requirements of deaf students in F&HE; the development of specialist Access course provision; guidance on professional standards, appropriate pay scales etc for language support professionals; co-ordination of regional shared pools of specialist staff.

Issues identified in the report: indications that there may be under-achievement and unmet need within F&HE provision; indications that Extended Learning Support may be under-used for linguistic access services in further education colleges; indications and implications of different patterns of age range and programme levels between deaf and hearing HE students; the use of English based sign systems (SSE, Signed English etc); lipreading as a linguistic strategy; isolation of deaf pupils and students in mainstream situations; transition arrangements between school and further education, including audiological provision; the roles and functions of individual professionals (eg access/support balance in ToD role and the role of the Support Tutor for Deaf Students in F&HE).