Transcript uod-school-education - University of Derby

Future Challenges and Aspirations:
Professional development for SEN and
inclusive practices
Inclusive University Support
How can support plans be used by university students and
their tutors to maximise the inclusive educational experience
of diverse learners?
Rosemary Shepherd,
20th June2014
[email protected]
Points for discussion

Outline to the research

How are learning support plans used by students and tutors?

What do we know about a range of special educational needs?

Feedback from students on the learning support they are receiving in
higher education

What might be some of the concerns and/or dilemmas for tutors in
managing the needs of students with learning support plans?
EdD research on student perception of learning support
 Research into students’ perceptions of the support they
receive and the dilemmas for tutors in managing the needs
of students with support plans.

A steady rise in the numbers of students entering higher education with
both physical and hidden disabilities (Gibson, 2012; Madriaga et al. 2011;
VanBergeijk et al, 2008; Konur, 2006; Avramidis and Skidmore, 2004)

The driving force for the increased numbers of students entering
higher education with ‘disabilities’ is the legislation and policies to
provide better equal opportunities for students with disabilities. (Konur
2006)

Disabled Students Allowance 1993 (currently under scrutiny)
Statistics for University of Derby 2002 – 2012
Full time Undergraduate students studying their first degree
Year
Students enrolled
Receiving DSA
Percentage
2011/12
8705
785
9.0
2010/11
8245
795
9.7
2009/10
8160
735
9.0
2008/09
7645
520
6.8
2007/08
7155
365
5.1
2006/07
7140
330
4.6
2005/06
7285
150
2.1
2004/05
7165
295
4.1
2003/04
7365
170
2.3
2002/03
7260
215
2.9
HESA 2013
www.derby.ac.uk/education
HE policy and inclusive practice

Dearing Report in 1997 - a ‘more socially representative university
sector’ to ‘remove barriers to citizens’ social and economic
participation’ (Sheeran, Brown and Baker 2007:249).

‘Elitism to Inclusion’ 1998 - to move from what had been seen as a
‘discriminatory attitude on the part of [some] tutors’ to the making of
reasonable adjustments to students with declared disabilities.

Disability and Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 updated in 2005 to ensure
equality for disabled people in education, SENDA 2001.

Equality Act 2010 - Direct/indirect discrimination, discrimination by
association or discrimination by perception.
www.derby.ac.uk/education
Phases of the research

Phase one

Phase two
To explore students’ perspectives on the learning
support they receive to support their special
educational needs during their undergraduate
degree.
To capture tutors’ opinions of their role and the
dilemmas they encounter when supporting
students with special educational needs
Underpinning literature and legislation on learning support and
reasonable adjustment required in higher education
EdD research - Phase one: student perception of the
learning support they receive
 14 semi-structured interviews to undergraduate students in
Education Studies (Single and Joint honours)
 Support services and equipment provided
 Teaching methods in the classrooms - what works best, where
do students struggle?
 Comparison of current support with school and college
 Strategies students putting in place
www.derby.ac.uk/education
Bridging the gaps
Tutors perceptions of their role and concerns




I’m here to teach my subject
What do I do with this support plan?
How do I meet these different learning needs?
How can I be fair (inclusive) to all students?
Student perceptions



I’ve got my support plan, I should be able to gain full access to my
course
My tutor knows all about my learning needs and will support me
I can have extra time to meet my deadlines
Inclusive practice for all – literature!
 Inclusive pedagogy - teaching approaches that address the
learning of all learners to accommodate a range of needs (Le
Roux and Graham 1998; Florian and Linklater 2010; Florian and Black-Hawkins 2011).
 Focusing on ways of extending what is already in place in
terms of materials and delivery styles, and which responds to
the differences between learners rather than ‘specifically
individualizing for some’ (Florian and Linklater 2010:370).
 A ‘shift’ from the traditional directive delivery of information, to
thinking about teaching methods that work for most learners
with some add on methods that support students who are
experiencing learning difficulties (Long, 2011) .
www.derby.ac.uk/education
Universal Design for Learning

Curriculum is planned to be as assessable as possible to all students.

Planning for a range of disabilities such as physical or cognitive
difficulties

Planning accessibility not only to the classroom space and teaching
approaches, but to the curricula and assessment.

UDL seen as a principle of caring for students with learning needs

Being aware of a range of special educational needs and how to
accommodate and make reasonable adjustments.

Being aware of student support plans - anticipating!
www.derby.ac.uk/education
Accessing the learning support plan

The learning support plan emailed to student

Module leader alerted by email

Details can be viewed on peoplesoft - on the class list
www.derby.ac.uk/education
Click on Related Content
Support
Plans by
Class
6
Module I Student Sup Plan
Cataloge Term
D Name
Reasons
4EDXXX
4EDXXX
4EDXXX
4EDXXX
4EDXXX
4EDXXX
2013
2013
2013
2013
2013
2013
xx xxx
xx xxx
xx xxx
xx
x xxxxx
xx
x xx
xx
x xxxx
DYSLEXIA ,
DYSLEXIA ,
DYSLEXIA ,
DEPRESSION ,
MIGRAINES
DYSLEXIA ,
Sup
Plan
Start
Term
Advisor
name
Requirements Notes
xxx
Requirements
Notes
xxxx
Requirements
Notes
xxx
Requirements
Notes
xx
Requirements
Notes
xxxxx
Requirements
Notes
xxx
Requirements
Notes
2013
2013
2013
2013
2013
DYSCALCULIA , 2013
www.derby.ac.uk/education
Click on Requirements
Req
ID Name uire
ment
1
2
3
4
x
x
x
x
Area
Description
mm
LECTURES
Please provide copies of lecture notes in advance unless to do so would academically
A03 AND
disadvantage the student.
TUTORIALS :
mm
LECTURES
A13 AND
Please allow the student to use their laptop in class for note taking purposes.
TUTORIALS :
mm
LECTURES
AED
Extended deadlines of 1 week for submission of all assessed work excluding group work,
AND
1
presentations and modules that contain progressive assessments.
TUTORIALS :
mm
LECTURES
AED
AND
Extended deadlines of 2 weeks for submission of final year Independent Study.
62
TUTORIALS :
5
x
mm
LECTURES
MH1
AND
Allow student to record lectures and seminars using their own digital voice recorder.
4
TUTORIALS :
6
x
mm
A01 LIBRARY :
7
x
mm
A01
Extended book loan service: 5 weeks on resources normally loaned for 3 weeks; 2 weeks
on resources normally loaned for 1 week.
PLACEMENT The student should contact their placement tutor as soon as possible after preparation of
:
this Support Plan to discuss their needs on placement.
www.derby.ac.uk/education
Notes on details for the student
ID
1
2
3
4
x
x
x
x
Name
Notes
Note Title
Notes Details
LECTURES AND TUTORIALS: Discuss Support Plan
with tutors.
01
LECTURES AND
TUTORIALS :
xxxx
07
LIBRARY - EXTENDED BOOK LOAN: Restricted and
LIBRARY :
EXTENDED BOOK two day loans are not included in these arrangements
LOAN
and cannot be extended.
xxxx
This is a confidential document, held in your electronic
CONFIDENTIALITY student record and is only accessed by appropriate
CONF
STATEMENT
members of University staff, for the purpose of arranging
your support.
xxxx
Your Support Plan is an on-going, continuous document
to help you throughout your time at university. If you feel
there are any adjustments to be made to it, or want to
discuss any aspect of your Support Plan, please contact
the Student Wellbeing Service.
xxxx
SP
SUPPORT PLAN
www.derby.ac.uk/education
How are learning support plans used?

What happens next? What do tutors do with support plans?
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Are students meeting tutors to discuss learning needs and reasonable
adjustments?

Tutor awareness of a range of special educational needs
www.derby.ac.uk/education
Discussions about the learning support plan

Students with learning support
plans often avoid approaching
tutor to discuss learning needs
 Didn’t know they had to talk to tutor
about their learning needs
 Assumed tutor would know
 Didn’t want to or …
 Worried or embarrassed about
approaching tutor

Tinklin, Riddell and Wilson, (2004)
informs us that students may
experience anxiety and the fear of
exposure or failure if they discuss
their disability.
Awareness of a range of special needs and
disabilities - ACTIVITY

How aware are tutors of the range of Special Educational Needs or
Disabilities found in most HE classrooms?
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ACTIVITY
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Match the characteristics to the following Special Educational Needs
and Disabilities.
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Hand out
www.derby.ac.uk/education
EdD research findings – experiences in the classroom

Where teaching methods meet the students’ learning needs
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Where teaching methods cause issues or hinder learning
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Initial findings
www.derby.ac.uk/education
Activity - Students’ perceptions of support – phase one

Consider student responses to experiences in the classroom
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Each student has a support plan in place

How would you respond /change your practice if you were
teaching/supporting this student?
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What concerns would you have about meeting these learning needs?
Summary

There is a rise in students coming into higher education with special
educational deeds and disabilities

Tutors need more awareness of a range of learning needs

And how to ensure inclusive practice for all students

Students need to communicate with their tutors

Phase two of research to the tutors (training needs, awareness,
understanding of tutor role, legislation)
www.derby.ac.uk/education
References 1
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Avramidis, E. and Skidmore, D. (2004) Reappraising Learning Support
in Higher Education, Research in Post-Compulsory Education Vol 9 No
1 pp63 – 82
Florian, L. and Linklater, H. (2010): Preparing teachers for inclusive
education: using inclusive pedagogy to enhance teaching and learning
for all, Cambridge Journal of Education, 40:4, pp369-386
Florian, L. and Black-Hawkins, K. (2011): Exploring inclusive pedagogy,
British Educational Research Journal, 37:5, pp 813-828
Holbrook, T., Moore, C., and Zoss, M. (2010) Equitable intent: reflections
on Universal Design in education as an ethic of care. Reflective
Practice, Vol 11, No 5 pp 681-692
Gibson, S. (2012): Narrative accounts of university education:
sociocultural perspectives of students with disabilities, Disability &
Society, 27:3, 353-369
Konur, O., (2006) Teaching disabled students in higher education,
Teaching in Higher Education. Vol. 11:3, pp. 351-363
References 2
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Long, M., Wood, C., Littleton, K., Passenger, T., and Sheehy, K., (2011)
The Psychology of Education, 2nd Ed. London: Routledge.
Madriaga, M., Hanson, K., Kay, H., and Walker, A., (2011) Marking-out
normalcy and disability in higher education. British Journal of
Sociology of Education. Vol. 32:6 pp 901-92
Morgan, J. (2014) NUS blasts David Willetts over changes to disabled
students’ support. http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/nusblasts-david-willetts-over-changes-to-disabled-studentssupport/2012501.article (Accessed May 2014)
Sheeran, Y., Brown, B.J., and Baker, S., (2007) Conflicting
philosophies of inclusion: the contestation of knowledge in widening
participation. London Review of Education 5, (3): 249-263,
https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/2086/2431/sheeran2%20(2
).pdf?sequence=1 Accessed June 2014
VanBergeijk, E., Klin, A., & Volkmar, F., (2008) Supporting More Able
Students on the Autism Spectrum: College and Beyond, Journal of
Autism and Developmental Disorders. Vol. 38:7, pp1359–1370
www.derby.ac.uk/education