C&G 7401 Regent College

1. C&G 7401Regent College ICT and SEN

2. Why use ICT for pupils with learning difficulties?“For most people, technology makes things easier. For people with disabilities, however, technology makes things POSSIBLE” Mary Radabaugh (1988) • Learner centred • ICT enables the pupil to be an active participant in the classroom - Removes barriers to learning • ICT offers opportunities for differing learning styles to be met; • ICT is a motivating medium…Its engaging and fun

3. Why use ICT for pupils with learning difficulties? • Allows for pupils to experiment, and to edit their work; • ICT alleviates some of the physical pressures: automaticity; • ICT enables pupils to develop independence; Anywhere; Anytime learning. Tools and assistive technologies • ICT affords privacy to work and develop at the learner’s own pace; • ICT can facilitate social communication and interaction, including pupils in a wider community; • ICT can support the production of well-presented, high-quality outcomes;

4. And for educators… • ICT provides a tool for differentiation by tailoring and adapting tasks to a pupil's abilities and skills; • ICT provides a means for SEN pupils to publish for a wider audience; • ICT provides a readily available range of hardware and software to support and include all pupils and subjects; • ICT facilitates continuity and progression; • Allows teaching staff to focus on the process rather than the product

5. And for educators… • ICT enables teachers to produce appropriate materials; • ICT enables teachers to access adaptable, freely available materials to support SEN in electronic form from a wide source; • ICT facilitates a collaborative mode of working, where teachers can share resources and materials using the Web and e-mail; • ICT provides a means of keeping records of individual progress;

6. Government Initiatives • E-strategy - Harnessing Technology describes the use of digital and interactive technologies to achieve a more personalized approach within all areas of education and children's serviceshttp://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/e-strategy/ • 14 – 19 Education and skills (DFES) We want a world-beating system of 14-19 education; a system where all young people have opportunities to learn in ways which motivate and engage them and through hard work position themselves for success in life. Yesterday's publication of the Tomlinson report, the Working Group on 14-19 Reform, highlights ICT at the centre of his plan for a new four-level diploma system in UK education. http://www.dfes.gov.uk/14-19/

7. Government Initiatives • Skills for life – employability. E-Skills are basic employability skills The 14 – 19 White Paper sits in a wider policy framework that recognises the need to improve the life chances of disabled people and highlights the fact that disabled people remain severely disadvantaged in the labour market because of low attainment in education http://www.labourmarketfocus.co.uk/content/default.asp?PageId=2971 Lifelong Learning Minister Ivan Lewis said: “Having ICT skills is not a luxury in today’s society; it is an essential skill in terms of employability”. http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/Database/ICTEngland.html). QIA Excellence gateway http://excellence.qia.org.uk/page.aspx?o=home • Learner Voice Learner voice is about empowering learners by providing appropriate ways of listening to their concerns, interests and needs in order to develop educational experiences better suited to those individuals http://www.futurelab.org.uk

8. Where we need to go • Shift Happens • Use IT in engaging and stimulating ways • Use the technologies to engage with the learner on their platforms • Focus on the “How to use” • Asynchronous learning Current situation • Digital Divide • Too few teaching staff use ICT in active creative ways • Are comfortable with Office applications but fearful of web2 technologies • Emphasis on the “How to do”

9. Examples • Mindmapping students build visual diagrams such as concept maps, mind maps and other diagrams to develop strong thinking and organisational skills and thus improve their academic performance and creativity. http://www.inspiration.com/ • Sound facilitates student voice. Allows those that have literacy difficulties to record and access information. Can be embedded into PowerPoint and Word. • ScreenReaders for visually impaired (Read and Write) • TechdisToolbar a free toolbar that allows a web user to make web pages more accessible. Can customize background and font colours http://techdis.ac.uk/index.php?p=1_29 • Backgroundcolours a simple method to make office document more accessible • Dropdownboxesinword: interactive assessment tool (http://www.preston.ac.uk/ilt4teachers/resources/Session5-Using%20Drop%20Down%20Menus.doc )

10. Examples • Microsoft Accessibility Wizards: customize profiles • Interactive Whiteboards: need to use effectively. 53 Interesting things to do with an Interactive Whiteboard http://www.rsc-northwest.ac.uk/Staff%20Development/53things.htm • E-Portfolios • Puzzles and quizzes Hot Potatoeshttp://ferl.qia.org.uk/display.cfm?page=194 • Moviemaker: Personal student centred activities. Embraces many different learning styles • Hyperlinks: provide web links in office documents for the learner to do their own research and feedback (Months of the year game or numbers)

11. Web 2 Definition: Second generation of web-based applications which facilitates collaboration and sharing between users • Blogs • Wikis • Podcasts • RSS feeds • Social networking sites

12. Exiting e-learning http://www.techdis.ac.uk/community/course/view.php?id=53