1. Scaling up inclusive education within STEM: Sharing experiences across HE
Samantha Child
Kate Lister
(Trevor Collins and Gareth Davies)

2. Context Increase in students with disabilities (HEFCE 2017a)
Increase in students declaring a mental health issues and specific learning difficulties (ECU 2015)
Differential student outcomes (HEFCE 2016)

3. Inclusive teaching Challenges for STEM course delivery
‘Inclusive practice is an approach which recognises the diversity of students, enabling all students to access course content, fully participate in learning activities and demonstrate their knowledge and strengths at assessment. Inclusive practice values the diversity of the student body as a resource that enhances the learning experience’ (HEFCE 2017b, 32)
Challenges for STEM course delivery

4. Aims of the project
Scaling up inclusive educational practices within STEM module design and delivery to benefit all students, while lowering and removing barriers impeding students with disabilities.
Action research –Open University, University of Plymouth, University of Leeds – purpose of this presentation we focus on the OU and University of Plymouth.
Surveys and discussions

5. Survey respondents Survey group Plymouth OU
Support staff (e.g. disability advisors, note takers)
n=32
n=82
Lecturers or academics and curriculum managers / Associate Lecturers (AL)
n=77 (30%)
n=261 (30%)/n=66
Technical staff -
n=14 (22%)

6. Results: Inclusivity of general
High levels of awareness

7. Results: Staff confidence
Less confident supporting students with mental health conditions and Specific Learning Difficulties

8. Results: Support structures
Higher proportion of ‘neither agree nor disagree’
Plymouth University – lack of student voice and evaluation (discussions)

12. Results: Practical work
Plymouth – reactive stance – add on

13. Results: Student outcomes

14. Summary Need for further qualitative methods to unpick the results
How do we move towards an anticipatory approach? (Plymouth)
The importance of rigorous and systematic evaluation

15. References
ECU. (2015). Equality in Higher Education: Statistical Report Part 2: Students. [online]. Available at content/uploads/2015/11/Equality-in-HE-statistical-report-2015-part-2- students.pdf (accessed 12 April 2018).
HEFCE (2016). Higher Education in England 2016: Key Facts [online]. Available at (accessed 23rd April 2018).
HEFCE (2017a). Higher Education in England 2017: Key Facts [online]. Available at _20.pdf (accessed 19 April 2018).
HEFCE (2017b). Inclusive Teaching and Learning in Higher Education as a route to Excellence. [online]. Available at content/uploads/2017/01/Inclusive-Teaching-and-Learning-in-Higher-Education- as-a-route-to-excellence pdf (accessed 23rd April 2018).