Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs)

1. Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs) Dr Jane McKay Faculty of Education & Children’s Services University of Chester

2. Definitions SpLDis an umbrella term used to cover a range of frequently co-occurring difficulties, more commonly: • Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, • Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, • Auditory Processing Disorder. • SpLDs can also co-occur with difficulties on the autistic spectrum such as Asperger Syndrome. SpLDsaffect the way information is learned and processed: • They are neurological (rather than psychological) and are usually genetically transferred. • They occur independently of intelligence. • They can have significant impact on education and learning and particularly on the acquisition of literacy skills. • Source: (British Dyslexia Association)

3. Incidence • UK population - approximately 10% with around 4% of people suffering serious affect, making it the largest disability group in the UK. • The proportion of individuals in offender units who have specific learning difficulties is within the range 46-60% (BDA, 2004). • School population- the most up to date statistics from the DfE (2012-13)

4. As at Jan 2013: School pupils (England) with SEN - Statements = 229,390 (incidence 2.8%) - Action Plus = 473,035 (incidence 5.7%) - SpLD = approx. 18% of children with SEN

5. Incidence in Higher Education • Difficult to provide accurate statistics… • UK domiciled students (undergraduate) • 1995-96 – 0.5-1.0% HE students with dyslexia (Dearing, 1997; Richardson & Wydell, 2003) • 2005-6 – 2.6% HE students with dyslexia (HESA, n.d.) • 2012-13 – 6.5% with SpLD (1st years) (HESA, 2014) • University of Chester: • 2013-14 – 693 enrolled students with a declared SpLD • Not all of these are from recognised diagnosis – 61 students referred for assessment

6. Pre/post entry to HE diagnosis • Pre-HE diagnosis will almost always have resulted from school-based assessment by educational psychologist, and student may well have been in receipt of support through school. • Evidence of diagnosis being brought into HE must have been obtained post-16. • SASC (SpLD Assessment Standards Committee) provide guidance on assessment of SpLDs in HE students (relates to application for DSA – Disabled Students Allowance). • Assessment and diagnosis can only be conducted by appropriately qualified practitioners (see SASC website http://www.sasc.org.uk/Default.aspx ) • In a UK study of over 100 institutions, 43% of the total dyslexic population were diagnosed as dyslexic after admission to university (Reid & Kirk, 2005:19).

7. Legal requirements and implications • Disability Discrimination Act (1995) and Special Educational Needs & Disability Act (2002) • Required HE institutions to provide reasonable adjustments to enable students to access curriculum equitably • Equality Act (2010) • Supersedes SENDA (2002) and DDA (1995) • States it is ‘illegal to treat a disabled person less favourably than others for a reason that relates to their disability without justification, and in some cases, it may be legitimate to treat a disabled person more favourably’ • The QAA Code of Practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education recommends that: • "Academic assessment practices ensure that disabled students are given the opportunity to demonstrate the achievement of competence standards and learning outcomes." (Section 3 Precept 11, Mar 2010)

8. Principles of reasonable adjustment • The Equality Act 2010 requires institutions to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, which includes dyslexia/SpLDs. • Reasonable adjustments refer to implementation of modifications to enable students to demonstrate their abilities and achieve their full potential academically. • These should be anticipatory.

9. What does ‘reasonable adjustment’ mean? • Structuraleg. Modifications/changes to the learning environment – inside or outside • Resourceseg. Learning materials etc. • Using IT; alternative methods of dissemination • The learning environment – classroom alterations • Pedagogy – training for staff; lesson planning; inclusive activities and materials; admissions etc • In practice this means doing things differently if the usual way would substantially disadvantage a disabled person.

10. What is meant by ‘substantial disadvantage’? • The reasonable adjustments duty is triggered only where there is a need to avoid ‘substantial disadvantage’. • Substantial is defined as being anything more than minor or trivial. • Whether or not a disabled student is at a substantial disadvantage or not will depend on the individual situation. • The student must be at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with non-disabled students.

11. The Disability Rights Commission (2007) state: • The measure of what is a reasonable adjustment will depend on an institution’s circumstances in relation to the: • resources available • cost of the adjustment • practicality of the changes • potential benefit to other staff, students and visitors

12. Financial support • Disabled Students Allowance • Paid in addition to regular student finance • Requires evidence of diagnosis • Applications through Student Finance England (or SF Wales)

13. Useful websites: • ADSHE – Association of Dyslexia Specialists in Higher Education http://adshe.org.uk/ • ADDISS – Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service http://www.addiss.co.uk • BDA – British Dyslexia Association http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/ • Dyspraxia Foundation – http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/ • Equality Challenge Unit - http://www.ecu.ac.uk/ • SASC – SpLDAssessment Standards Committee http://www.sasc.org.uk/

14. References • ADSHE. (2009). Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Specialist Support for Students with SpLDs in Higher Education: http://www.adshe.org.uk/WordDocs/ReasonableAdjustments.doc • British Dyslexia Association/Bradford Youth Offending Team (BDA/Bradford YOT) (2004). Unrecognised Dyslexia and the Route to Offending. British Dyslexia Association. • Dearing, R. (Chair) (1997). Higher Education in the Learning Society. Report of the Committee of Enquiry into Higher Education. London: DfEE • Department for Education. (2013). Statistical First Release 42/2013 • Equality Challenge Unit (2010) Managing Reasonable Adjustments in Higher Education

15. Equality and Human Rights Commission (2011) What equality means for you as an education provider – further and higher education. Manchester: EHRC • HESA (n.d.) Statistical First releases on Student Numbers http://www.hesa.ac.uk/content/view/1897/239/ • Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2010). Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in Higher Education:. Section 3: Disabled Students. Mansfield: Linney Direct • Reid, G., & Kirk, J. (2005). Dyslexia in Adults: Education and Employment. Chichester: Wiley. • Richardson, J. & Wydell, T. (2003). The representation and attainment of students with dyslexia in UK Higher Education, Reading and writing: an interdisciplinary journal, 16: 475-503