1. Teaching Disabled Students Kirsty Wayland kw226@cam.ac.uk

2. 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

3. 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).
Relearning to learn/study skills, have got here with bad strategies and loads of support
End with – So – to consider what students with Specific Learning Difficulties might find difficult, it can be helpful to consider what students need to be able to do 3

4. 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
CHECK stats with HD, and third statement with JAH

5. Communication
Speak clearly, at a measured pace and ensure those listening can see your face
Use any technology requested by the student
When managing a discussion, take a strong lead and ensure turn taking is fair and includes learners who cannot pick up visual clues

6. 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
Obviously – these issues apply across the range of activities
This is a list of UG activities – similar difficulties apply for PG students who will likely need to learn new strategies as their learning activities change 6

7. 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
Feedback – verbal and written
Verbal fluency - Sequencing ideas and communicating them
Making things explicit – essay titles
Feedback – remembering verbal feedback - hard to take notes and comment, hard to remember 7

8. 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/dictaphone
Instructions available in a range of formats
Extra time for practical work
Human support for practical work
Handwriting – may need laptops
Instructions – good practice for all, instructions clear and unambiguous and presented in Specific Learning Difficulties friendly way (which we’ll come to)
Clumsiness – human support, similar to fine motor difficulties with handwriting 8

9. 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
Directed reading lists –
Review support – open relationship to alter
Accessible text – cream paper etc. Meares-Irlen/scotopic sensitivity 9

10. 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
John – is the alternative assessments too far? Intended to introduce submission of essay plans as alternative

11. To undertake written, aural, and practical exams
31st January deadline for diagnosed disabilities
Adjustments include;
Extra time
Use of a word processor
Scrap paper
Quiet room

12. 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?

13. 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?

14. 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?