Transcript Document

Scope / BT
Connect to Control
“How we can do the bells and whistles”
Rohan Slaughter 17/9/13
How we can do the bells and
whistles
This presentation will cover:
• How students at Beaumont College are using AAC
devices / tablet PC’s for purposes other than talking
• The team structure and approaches that we have
developed to support this activity
• The projects we have worked on that have enabled us
to develop both the team and this way of working
• Connect to Control
• Jisc DART2
• The difference this approach makes
Brief overview of Beaumont
College
• Scope run Independent Specialist College (ISC) based
in Lancaster
• 96 learners in Lancaster, two satellite provisions with
~20 learners
• 330 FTE staff
• Ofsted “Outstanding”
• LSIS Beacon Status
• Curriculum focussed on personal development,
independence, skills for life
• Creative arts specialism
The Scope / BT relationship
BT and Scope have been working together for some years.
• The first project Beaumont College worked on with BT was
the Wheeltop Project and the sister project ‘No Voice No
Choice’.
• Wheeltop was about using off the shelf tablet PC’s in place
of dedicated devices, it also enabled us to develop our
assistive technologist role
Connect to Control aims to:
• investigate the divide between mainstream and specialist
‘disability badged’ Environmental Control Systems (ECS)
• identify ‘best in breed’ technologies
• prototype combining mainstream and specialist assistive
technology
• Disseminate findings and create a fully inclusive society
Communication beyond talking
Why provide access to these ‘extra’ applications:
• Most importantly students want these additional
applications, using them is ‘normal’
• We mean to make our curriculum as accessible as
possible, this has to involve technology mediated
access for many students at Beaumont
• We recognise that in order to promote independence
skills that assistive technology has an vital role to play
for our students
• It’s also easier to do than ever before, and
accessibility of mainstream equipment and services is
improving year on year
Communication beyond talking
What we are talking about then is:
• Access to the curriculum through:
• Control of standard computer software
• Access to subject specific vocab
• Control of subject specific equipment
• Internet access, email, SMS, voice calls, Skype etc.
• Social networking such as Facebook, Twitter etc.
• Good e-safety processes
• Control of the environment (Environmental Control
Systems, ECS)
Communication beyond talking
Definition of the Assistive
Technologist
The title ‘assistive technologist’ (AT) has a number of different
interpretations:
• One is Clinical, and refers to ‘clinical rehab engineers’
• This is common in the NHS
• Beaumont College and the DART project uses a somewhat different
definition:
• If anyone wants the sample job description, person spec and role
profile please contact me
• This job is more education focussed, and as such the post holders:
• Ideally should have a teaching qualification, minimum
7307/7407/PTTLS or equivalent, and preferably a PGCE/cert ed
• Be educated to degree level in an IT related subject or have
equivalent skills and knowledge gained from a suitable setting
• We want ‘people’ people who are technically literate
Definition of the Assistive
Technologist
• The Assistive Technologist
• This role was developed during the Wheeltop
Project at Beaumont College
• Funded by BT from 2007-2010
• Integrate off the shelf Tablet PC technology in
place of dedicated communication aids
• Reduced the cost of the hardware and increased
flexibility of solutions
• The technologist role was the most important
development from the Wheeltop Project
Definition of the Assistive
Technologist
The Assistive Technologist
• Sits at the interface of people and technology
• Works as part of a trans-disciplinary team, which
includes OT, SLT, teachers, social care staff
• A new ‘hybrid’ role that does not replace any
existing role
• The technologist becomes the ‘chief integrator’ of
the assistive technology solution provided to the
student
Definition of the Assistive
Technologist
How the Assistive
Technologist works at BC
• Caseload allocation, all students have a named
technologist
• Each technologist is allocated a number of
teachers/sessions to support
• Preparation of resources for SLT / Teachers, that
could be student specific or subject specific
• Implementation of bespoke or customised
hardware and software solutions
• Research and development in line with all of the
above
• Project work (more soon)
The AAC Community Of
Practice (AAC COP)
Is made up of:
• Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational
Therapists, Physiotherapists, Teachers,
Technologists
Meets every two weeks for:
• Case discussions, problem solving etc.
• New technology discussions
• Other matters arising
Examples of Project Work
• These externally funded projects are what make it possible
to maintain the size of the technology team at Beaumont
College
• By undertaking such projects we further push our
knowledge and understanding and through positive
engagement with other providers we see good practice in
other contexts
• I would like to give an overview of two projects:
• The Second BT Project:
•
•
Connect to Control
Mind the Digital Gap
• The JISC Advance Funded DART2 project
Connect to Control
• Technology Development project ‘Connect to Control’ led
from Scope’s Beaumont College
• Installation of Environmental Control Systems from the age
and disability market
• Development of low cost alternatives, using home
automation / smart home technology
• The key to this has been the development of a software
bridge to control a number of radio ‘standards’
• We have also used ‘off the shelf’ technology such as
‘LightwaveRF’, which is available from Amazon – with little
or no adaptation
• For people with complex disabilities there is still a need for
some specialised access equipment
• We are also working on a number of allied projects
Mind the Digital Gap
• Research Project led by Rob Trotter, Policy and govt. affairs
‘Mind the Digital Gap’
Questions:
• Why is there a ‘digital divide’?
• What would a fully inclusive digital world look like?
Answers:
• Partnership with Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design
• Research Associates scheme
• Interim report has been delivered and the design of
‘products’ now underway
Connect to Control
• Prototype system in use at Beaumont:
Connect to Control
• Focus on Environmental Control Systems (ECS)
• Evaluate ECS from age and disability market and
smart-home and home automation market
Age and disability market
Smart-home / home automation
Typically high cost
Typically lower cost
Manufacturer lock in
Use standards based
approaches and protocols
Out of date approaches
Use leading edge technology
Highly accessible design
Often not truly accessible
Year 1
• Laying Foundations – we needed to understand the
current market offer
• Selected RSL Steeper – because they have taken a
systems integration approach and are already looking at
the integration of
• Student Consultations – targeted the areas that students
most wanted to achieve first
• Installed seven RSL Steeper systems at College and in a
local community setting
• Each student has a different custom access
method to control their ECS
Year 2
• Training programs for students were further developed
and additional systems were installed
• Developed Vera2 z-wave control system into a ‘demo
room’ from the original ‘desk based prototype’
• Investigated additional control standard capabilities
beyond z-wave (added lightwaveRF and IP camera
control)
• Worked with BBC R&D team on switch accessible
prototype set top box, and began working with YouView
• Influence market through partnership working, including
BT, Lancaster University, SmartboxAT and BBC R&D
• Begin to identify year three students
Connect to Control
• Prototype system in use at Beaumont:
Current Work at Beaumont College
/Lancaster Uni
Work has centered on two low cost platforms:
• Z-wave gateway from MiCaseVerde ‘Vera2’
• LightwaveRF ‘wi-fi’ bridge
• Both systems can now be activated from a number of
devices, including any running The Grid 2
• A simple web based front end has been created
• The logic is contained in a number of web services that can
be called by a web application or via PHP scripts
• A database is used to manage the actuators and make
setup of the system easier
Current Work at Beaumont
College / Lancaster Uni
Research – MRES process
• Literature review – use of smart home derived ECS
• Built a prototype system as described
• Tested the prototype system with a small number of
students at Beaumont
• Used a combination of the SUS scale and qualitative
questions to get feedback on the prototype
• Interviewed a number of people active in assistive
technology and ECS in order to get a wider view
• Project guided by four questions . . .
Research – MRES questions
1. Can the author adapt environmental control systems
(ECS) from the ‘smart home’ / ‘home automation’ market
for use by people with physical and cognitive disabilities?
2. Are such ‘adapted’ systems suitable for use within the
context of an Independent Specialist College?
3.What is the current state of the ECS market for use by
disabled people?
4. Are the ‘age and disability’ and ‘home-automation’ ECS
markets converging?
Year 3 Planning
• Continue systems development:
Develop a ‘packaged’ version of the system to
include:
• Web server running web services
• To address the z-wave gateway
• To address lightwaveRF based devices
• improved web application
• An improved setup and admin application (to
manage the database)
• Continue to evaluate systems from other companies (Possum
Qwayo, DJ Rehab / Abilia)
• Continue to work with BBC R&D, YouView switch / alternate
access system
• Working with Therapy Box who won the TSB/Scope challenge
• Lancaster University alternate input devices such as
• Leap Motion
• Kinect
The DART project(s)
• 2010/12 DART1, an LSIS funded project
• Beaumont College and National Star College worked with 8
colleges, in a ‘deep support’ capacity
• Beaumont and Star are ISC’s : Independent Specialist Colleges
• One of those DART1 colleges was Henshaws
• Now we are running DART2, a JISC Advance funded project:
• Beaumont College, National Star College, Henshaws College,
Colleges Scotland, NATSPEC, JISC all working together
• 10 deep support colleges, 2 in Scotland
• 3 workshops, delivered twice, once in Birmingham, once in
Stirling
DART2
The DART project seeks to:
• Improve AT practice in the sector
• Enable the replication of the innovative Assistive Technologist role
• Produce AT case studies for the sector
The project is achieving this through:
• ‘Deep Support’ for ten providers
• A Workshop series
• A Natspec sponsored research project
Deep Support
• Following an application and shortlisting process that was overseen
by JISC TechDis 10 Colleges were selected
• Applications for the ‘deep support’ element were heavily
oversubscribed, with approximately three times more applications
than places available
• This indicates that there is a large unmet need in the sector.
• Unsuccessful applicants received priority booking for the workshop
series. After the priority booking period, places will are allocated on
a first come, first served basis
Deep Support
Beaumont College to Support:
• Bridge College
• Myerscough College
• Kilmarnock College
• Edinburgh College
National Star College to Support
• Derwen College
• Homefield College
• Queen Alexandra College
Henshaws College to support:
• Landmarks College
• Percy Hedley College
• Royal College (Seashell Trust)
Workshops
• Day 1: Assessment for Assistive Technology Feb 2013
• Slides from the events:
• http://dart.beaumontcollege.ac.uk/?p=342
• http://dart.beaumontcollege.ac.uk/?p=358
• Day 2: Creating the Assistive Technologist role and it’s integration
into a College structure, April 2013.
• Slides from the events:
• http://dart.beaumontcollege.ac.uk/?p=391
• http://dart.beaumontcollege.ac.uk/?p=384
• Day 3: Specific Assistive Technology software training, June 2013
• Slides from the events:
• http://dart.beaumontcollege.ac.uk/?p=422
• http://dart.beaumontcollege.ac.uk/?p=427
Natspec Research Project
• The Natspec sponsored research project (publication pending,
expected shortly) was conducted via online questionnaire /
telephone follow up, and sought to:
• Inform the content of the workshops (give the sector what it required
in terms of AT related CPD)
• Define key themes around what is working well (or what is not
working well) with respect to Assistive Technology in all types of FE
College
• For more information please see http://dart.beaumontcollege.ac.uk
College structure and
relationships between teams
The technology strategy in a College stands or falls based on:
•
Relationships between teams
•
The College Structure
•
Relationship of the IT/Technology team with:
• Teachers
• Therapists (where present)
• Supporting staff
• People in the AT role
Impact
• We have used income from projects / grants / consultancy etc. to
build the service described today
• The assistive technologist role that works within the context of the
AAC COP trans-disciplinary team model has had a significant
impact on service delivery
• This is evidenced in our Ofsted reports:
“Since the inspection, the college has increased further the priority it
gives to the use of technology to support learning. Technology
specialists have an allocated number of learners to work with and
they spend more time in the classroom to ensure that maximum
benefit is derived from the equipment.” Ofsted 2012
• Improved OTL grades
• Feedback from both students and staff has been good
• In short we can most certainly provide the ‘bells and whistles’
through the service described today
• And we are now assisting others to do just that through projects
such as DART and it’s successors
THANK YOU
 Email me:
 [email protected]
 Follow me:
 @rohanslaughter
Any questions?