Transcript GA Conference 2005: Placing Places Disability? What Disability? Phil Gravestock (University of Gloucestershire) [email protected].

GA Conference 2005: Placing Places
Disability? What Disability?
Phil Gravestock
(University of Gloucestershire)
[email protected]
Disabled Students in HE: statistics
Self-assessed disabilities by UK undergraduates
2002-03
%
Dyslexia
40.5
Unseen disabilities (e.g. epilepsy, diabetes, asthma) 19.7
Multiple disabilities
7.3
Deaf / hearing impairment
5.8
Mental health difficulties
5.0
Wheel-chair user / mobility difficulties
4.8
Blind / partially sighted
2.9
Personal care support
0.3
‘Other disabilities’
13.8
Source: HESA
Transition from School – FE - HE
• Two reports:
• Aspiration Raising and Transition of Disabled
Students from Further Education to Higher
Education
(National Disability Team & Skill: National Bureau for
Students with Disabilities, 2004)
• A Review of the Provision of Learning for
Young Learners with Learning Difficulties
and/or Disabilities
(Gloucestershire LSC, 2004)
Transition from School – FE - HE
Main findings (NDT / Skill, 2004):
• ‘HE is not considered as an option by all disabled
people who could benefit from a HE programme
and who have the ability to complete a HE course’
• Three key influencing factors:
• Information
• Skill
• Provision
• Tension between ‘dedicated’ provision and
‘inclusive anticipatory’ provision
Transition from School – FE - HE
Main findings (Glos. LSC, 2004):
• Recommendations include:
• greater collaboration between schools – FE –
HE (and other organisations e.g. Connexions);
• increased staff development
• ‘The rhetoric of inclusion is far removed from the
reality, with school being an unhappy place for
many. High proportions of learning disabled
young people are leaving full-time education at
the earliest opportunity’
Photograph of Alistair Edwards
(University of York) reading a
Braille sign at St Thomas airport
in the US Virgin Islands
(Taken from ‘Braille Tokenism?’,
http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/
~alistair/braille.html
Transition from School – FE - HE
‘… because of the increased emphasis on the
inclusion of children with SEN in mainstream
schools the number of these children is increasing,
as are the severity and variety of their SEN.
Children with a far wider range of learning
difficulties and variety of medical conditions, as
well as sensory difficulties and physical disabilities,
are now attending mainstream classes. The
implication of this is that mainstream school
teachers need to expand their knowledge and skills
with regard to the needs of children with SEN’
(Stakes & Hornby, 2000, p.3, quoted in Swift, 2005)
Student Quote
Dyslexia
‘There are days when you wake up and you’re clear,
your mind is clear and you can take on the world.
And then there are other days where you feel like
your brain’s in goo and if you’ve got to write an
assignment under those circumstances it’s
difficult.’
The Situation in 1989
‘I attended what was referred to as a special school for
disabled students in East Sussex. Geography was my
best and favourite subject. I vividly remember the
geography field trips to both Bodmin Moor and the
Yorkshire Dales.
‘It was these experiences that decided my academic
career. I attended a mainstream 6th form college in
Hampshire. At my interview I met with the Assistant
Principal and told her that I wanted to do geography Alevel. She said she wouldn’t be a minute and that she
would get the Head of Geography to talk to me.
The Situation in 1989
‘Five minutes later he poked his head around the door
and disappeared. It transpired that he didn’t know how
to handle disabled people, the field trip element of the
course would be impossible and, therefore, he wasn’t
going to allow me a place on the course. The response
from the Assistant Principal was “I must be used to
disappointments”!
‘That was 1989, and I am glad to say that this attitude is
not as prevalent today. My career path was changed
because a key person felt they / I couldn’t cope with
being on the course.’
Mike Adams (Director of the National Disability Team)
(http://www.glos.ac.uk/gdn/disabil/overview/
Student Quote
Down’s Syndrome
‘I don’t suffer Down’s Syndrome, as many people
seem to think, I was born that way and I feel great
about myself. […] I have some learning difficulties
but so do lots of my friends and they don’t have
Down’s Syndrome. I also have friends with Down’s
Syndrome and they are all different too.’
Swift (2005)
Models of Disability
Medical model - tends to individualise the problems
experienced by disabled people and sees them as
subjects for treatment and cure
Social model - shifts the focus from what is 'wrong'
with an individual, to the attitudes and structures
of society, i.e. disability is a social state and not a
medical condition
Emphasise primarily a social model; in particular,
what disabled students are functionally able to do,
and what support they need to overcome any
barriers that they face
Terminology
• In line with the social model of disability the term
‘disabled people’ is used in preference to ‘people
with disabilities’
• ‘The use of the term “disabled people” is not
intended to imply that all disabled people are a
homogeneous group. Indeed, … disabled people
should be explicitly recognised as individuals
who will experience different personal challenges
during life’
(NDT & Skill, 2004)
Terminology
Social model
To have an impairment is to be lacking part or all
of a limb, or have a defective limb, organ or other
body mechanism, or to have a less than fully
developed mental ability
To have a disability is to be disadvantaged or
restricted in one’s activities by a society which
takes insufficient account of people who have
physical, sensory or mental impairments and thus
to be excluded from mainstream social activities
(Oliver, 1990, quoted in Kitchin, 2000)
Terminology
• Special Educational Needs (SEN) – when children
have learning difficulties or disabilities that make
it harder for them to learn than most children of
the same age
• ‘Not all disabled people have “special educational
needs” and not all pupils with SEN are “disabled”’
(NDT / Skill, 2004)
• Instead of ‘Special Educational Needs’ it is better
to consider ‘barriers to learning / participation /
achievement’
Terminology
‘“Inclusion” or “inclusive education” is not another
name for “special needs education”. It involves a
different approach to identifying and attempting to
resolve the difficulties that arise in schools.’
‘Children have a right to be in mainstream schools.
[…] Schools should change to make that possible’
CSIE (2000)
Student Quote
ADD / ADHD
‘Sometimes I get very angry with my parents and
teachers because they […] think I am not listening
because I am ‘jigging’ about, but for me this is how I
listen the best. […] It’s just that I get so excited
about things and I can’t wait to try them or share
what I know or have found out.’
‘I am always losing or forgetting things. What they
[parents and teachers] don’t realise is that this
makes me as angry as they are.’
Swift (2005)
Disability Discrimination Act
Part 1
Disability
Part 2
Employment
Part 3
Discrimination in other areas (goods,
facilities, services and premises)
Part 4
Education (2001)
Part 5
Public Transport
Part 6
Disability Rights Commission
Part 7
Supplemental
Part 8
Miscellaneous
Definition
‘A person has a disability if he or she has a physical
or mental impairment that has a substantial and
long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to
carry out normal day-to-day activities’
Disability Discrimination Act
Legislation
The main points in the DDA Part 4 are:
• The duty not to treat people ‘less favourably’ for a
reason relating to their disability
• The duty to make ‘reasonable adjustment’ to
ensure that a disabled person is not placed at a
substantial disadvantage compared with a nondisabled person
• An institution’s responsibility to make sure that
‘reasonable adjustment’ is anticipatory to
disabled students generally, not to individuals
Anticipatory Duty
• The legislation requires that anticipatory
‘reasonable adjustments’ are in place to ensure
that disabled students are not placed at a
substantial disadvantage compared with their
non-disabled peers
• It is not acceptable simply to react to the needs of
known disabled students
• The needs of all potential disabled students have
to be considered in advance
• Ad hoc solutions are usually too late to be
effective (and are labour intensive)
What is reasonable?
Factors
a) Need to maintain standards
b) Financial resources available
c)
d)
e)
f)
Cost
Practicality
Health and safety
Interests of other students
Student Quote
Autistic Spectrum Disorder
‘I know that I have to do things in certain ways and
then I feel calm. I don’t like school that much but I
do like geography. That is because I can look at
maps and think about the motorways. Sometimes
the kids in my class shout at me because I like to
make my special noises even though I do not
always know when I am making them.’
‘I like working on the computer because it does not
get angry.’
Swift (2005)
Example 1
A pupil with Tourette’s Syndrome is stopped from
going on a fieldtrip because he has used abusive
language in class. The school has a policy of
banning pupils from trips and after-school activities
if they swear or are abusive to staff.
Based on DDA Code of Practice for Schools
Example 1
The reason for not allowing the pupil to go on the
fieldtrip is his use of abusive language. His
involuntary swearing is a symptom of his Tourette’s
Syndrome. This is less favourable treatment for a
reason that relates to the pupil’s disability.
Example 1
In this case the responsible body might argue that
the inclusion of the disabled pupil on the visit would
make the maintenance of discipline impossible.
This may constitute a material and substantial
reason. However, the responsible body would need
to have considered the extent to which the disabled
students behaviour could have been managed. It
would also need to have considered whether
reasonable adjustments could have been made to
its policies and procedures before it could attempt
to justify less favourable treatment.
Example 2
A pupil with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair is
on a fieldtrip. The teachers arrange to take the
class on a 12-mile hike over difficult terrain to look
at particular landforms. Having carried out a risk
assessment, they decide that the pupil who uses a
wheelchair will be unable to accompany the class,
for health and safety reasons.
Based on DDA Code of Practice for Schools
Example 2
This is less favourable treatment for a reason that
relates to the pupil’s cerebral palsy, namely the use
of a wheelchair.
The responsible body is likely to be able to justify
the less favourable treatment for a material and
substantial reason: a risk assessment carried out in
relation to this particular pupil in the particular
setting in which they would have to travel indicated
that the health and safety of the pupil, and their
classmates, could be jeopardised if they were to
attempt the hike. This is likely to be lawful.
Student Quote
Tourette’s Syndrome
‘I try to control the movements [tics] by tensing my
body or concentrate hard on doing different things
but this does not always work. Sometimes I can
hold the tics back but then it is like I am bursting;
the tics explode and go on for a longer time than
usual and then I disrupt the class.’
‘I have only a few close friends which I can
understand as my behaviour embarrasses me so it
must embarrass others.’
Swift (2005)
Developing an Inclusive Curriculum
What are the core requirements of the subject that
you teach?
Begin to formulate a strategy, by addressing the
following questions:
1. How accessible is the curriculum for students
with a range of impairments?
2. How might the curriculum be made more
accessible for students with a range of
impairments?
Developing an Inclusive Curriculum
3. What steps would need to be taken to
implement the ways identified to enhance
access to the curriculum?
4. What barriers are there to achieving the
changes you have identified and what can be
done about them?
5. How can the ways in which the curriculum is
particularly accessible or inaccessible be made
known to potential students with a range of
impairments?
Teachability (2000)
http://www.teachability.strath.ac.uk/
Developing an Inclusive Curriculum
‘Resources are needed to buy specialist equipment,
but there are many things that teachers can do
which do not cost money or require too much time.
In fact it is often the subtle changes to the craft of
teaching that make all the difference’
Swift (2005)
Student Quote
Dyslexia
‘Fieldwork is the best thing about geography, a
good way to learn, but it’s difficult for me to make
notes in the field. Please put more information in
the handout and remember that it is hard for me to
read and write in bright sunlight.’
Swift (2005)
Fieldwork
‘When designing fieldwork activities we have it in
our gift to integrate accessible learning
opportunities and to design out barriers to outdoor
learning. This is both liberating and intimidating’
Swift (2005)
Fieldwork: Supporting Strategies
• Make sure that the learning objectives are clear
• Provide clear sequential instructions prior to
fieldwork (in multiple formats as necessary) to
reduce anxiety
• Provide clear instructions on the day (orally and
visually)
• Consider the weather conditions when asking
students to write (e.g. bright sunlight)
• Allow enough time for writing notes, and consider
whether providing a structure would help
Fieldwork: Supporting Strategies
• May have to help with left / right and directions
• Use a ‘buddy’ system so that students not on their
own (with possibly poor sense of direction)
• Review the nature of the terrain
• Provide clear guidelines for behaviour
• Consider whether a tape recorder would be
suitable for some students for field notes
• Use digital images to reinforce important points
• Talk to the student about effective strategies
Dovedale Fieldtrip
Differentiation of Task
1. Worksheets were designed in a dyslexia-friendly
way with lots of space and no clutter on the
sheets. Written work was kept to a minimum.
2. Activities planned included the use of discovery
cards, pupils randomly choose a discovery card
and talk about that particular issue being raised
from the card. The discovery cards are multisensory.
3. A teaching assistant accompanied each group of
pupils to help anyone who needed support.
Dovedale Fieldtrip
Differentiation of Itinerary
4. The three pupils with physical disabilities were
given an outline of the trip before it was finalised
and booked, the pupils and parents were asked
for their views as to the suitability of the trip for
their child. Parents clearly understood what
their children would be expected to do.
5. A thorough pre-visit was completed by staff and
teaching assistants to check the suitability of the
terrain for those pupils with a physical difficulty.
Dovedale Fieldtrip
6. The itinerary was to complete village survey work
in the morning and then to go on to walk along a
river in the afternoon. It was decided that a
smaller group consisting of the three pupils with
physical disabilities and their friends should take
part in a differentiated trip. The pupils complete
work in a village first with the other pupils but the
smaller group would spend less time on this part.
The smaller group then had lunch first and began
the walk 45 minutes earlier than the main party.
The main party split up into groups for the walk
for Health and Safety reasons. Each group then
completed the walk.
Wikki Stix
Cross section of the Malvern Hills using Wikki Stix
Summary and Conclusions
• When planning any activity, consider the core
requirements of the learning outcomes that you
are trying to achieve
• Provide as much information as possible in
advance of an activity / fieldtrip, and preferably
have this available in electronic format
• If in doubt, ask the student – they often know the
strategies that work best for them
• By eliminating barriers to learning, disabled
students become … students
References
• CSIE (Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education)
(2000) Index for Inclusion: developing learning and
participation in schools
• GDN (Geography Discipline Network) (2002) Learning
Support for Disabled Students Undertaking Fieldwork
or Related Activities,
http://www.glos.ac.uk/gdn/disabil/
• Gloucestershire LSC (2004) A Review of the Provision
of Learning for Young Learners with Learning
Difficulties and/or Disabilities, conducted by Red Box
Research on behalf of Gloucestershire LSC
http://www.lsc.gov.uk/gloucestershire/Documents/
SubjectListing/Research/reviewofprovision.htm
References
• Kitchin, R. (2000) Disability, Space and Society,
Geographical Association
• NDT / Skill (2004) Aspiration Raising and Transition of
Disabled Students from Further Education to Higher
Education
http://www.natdisteam.ac.uk/resources.php?id=587
• Swift, D. (2005) Meeting Special Needs in Geography,
David Fulton Publishers with the Geographical
Association Valuing Paces Project