Teaching Disabled Students Kirsty Wayland

Aims and Objectives To demonstrate that good teaching practice for disabled students is also good teaching practice for all students To update on best practice for including disabled students To review all learning activities to see where potential barriers for disabled students may occur

How do you define a disability? Equality Act A ‘disabled’ person is someone who has a physical or mental impairment which has an effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. That effect must be: substantial (that is, more than minor or trivial); and adverse; and long term (that is, it has lasted or is likely to last for at least a year or for the rest of the life of the person affected).

Disclosure Disabled students are encouraged to disclose on application, but can do so at any point About 30% of students with Specific Learning Difficulties are diagnosed after they begin their study It is everyone's responsibility to talk about disability – ensure you are confident about whatever disclosure process is used

What is an Student Support Document (SSD)? Tool to support students and staff Consolidation of specialist evidence Planning and preparation Consistent Institutional duties met Live document

How is the SSD constructed? Gathering and consolidation of information: Medical/Specialist evidence Student Information Form Study Aids and Strategies Report (NAR) Adviser Summarises/Recommends in context Discussion with and approval by student Distributed to Colleges/Department/Faculties

To attend and participate in: Lectures Barriers: Location Arriving on time, with correct materials Note taking Reading boards/handouts Solutions: Use of an accessible venue Following best practice in communication Handouts in accessible formats Slides and handouts in advance Course overview

To attend and participate in: Supervisions Barriers: Meeting deadlines Speaking in groups – confidence issues, verbal fluency Participating in discussions Using feedback Solutions: Use of ground rules to manage discussions Making things explicit – expectations, essay titles Practice opportunities for making presentations Feedback – verbal and written

Ground rules – some examples Turn taking – one person speaks at a time Hands are raised before speaking Each person speaks for a maximum of 5 minutes Each person can ask a maximum of 3 questions at a time Constructive feedback

Modelling tasks Demonstrate good communication in the group setting, remind the group of the agreed means of communication Give model answers to questions indicating if necessary the compulsory elements of each answer Discuss (on a 1-1 basis if necessary) the time required for each activity

To attend and participate in: Practicals/fieldwork/years abroad Barriers: Access – in an unknown or poorly understood environment Handwriting Instructions Clumsiness Solutions Use of a laptop/notetaker/dictap hone Instructions available in a range of formats Extra time for practical work Human support for practical work

To source and read relevant materials Barriers: Reading volume Acquiring and adjusting materials Solutions: Directed reading lists Format of materials Study skills for extracting information

To produce and submit written work Barriers; Handwriting Submission processes Essays Planning Presenting ideas clearly which match verbal fluency Solutions; Preparing the ground – model essays, clear titles Structured feedback Alternative assessments

Feedback Written by, or agreed with the supervisor Supplemented by concrete examples where possible Consideration given to explaining how the feedback is weighted Use of specific scores, such as degree classifications to indicate level of work

To undertake written, aural, and practical exams Division of Lent term deadline for diagnosed disabilities Adjustments include; Extra time Use of a word processor Scrap paper Quiet room

Alice Alice is deaf and studying Natural Sciences and she communicates using speech, hearing aids and an induction loop. She is in her second year and it is going very well. Lectures, supervisions and practicals all run smoothly. Alice takes her exams in the main exam hall. What would need to happen for this to work well? What strategies would those teaching Alice need to employ? What human support would Alice need and where would she get it?

Lucy Lucy has been diagnosed with dyslexia in the Michaelmas term of her second year reading History. Following her diagnosis she has been able to catch up with her peers and is now on track for a 2.1. She has extra time in exams and is allowed to use a word processor. What would need to happen for this to work well? What human support might Lucy need? Where would she get it?

Chloe Chloe has Asperger Syndrome which means she has difficulties with communication, understanding social situations and is hypersensitive to smells. She is studying Computer Science and it is going really well. What would need to happen for this to work well? What human support might Chloe need? Where would she get it?