ATANET

Sheila Baillie

Tuesday 5th July 2011

AMBDA SpLD Tutor

Patoss SpLD Assessor

AbilityNet and Brite training

DSA Assessor

Inclusion project Coordinator

me

Causal Model of Dyslexia and SpLDs (from Morton and Frith, 1995)

BiologicalLeft temporal lobe(word form area)

BehaviouralProblem dealing with written communication

Cognitive Phonological processing

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sound /ʤ / George and judge

Morton, J. & Frith, U. (1995) Causal modelling: A structural approach to developmental psychopathology. In: D. Cicchetti and D.J. Cohen (eds), Manual Developmental Psychopathology (pp.357-390) New York, Psychological Assessment of Dyslexia and John Wiley & Sons

Content

Stats and Facts well kinda

Tutor Support and AT

Inclusive technology

Scottish HEI Stats 2009-2010

237,765

Total Student Population

Total Disabled Students

17,330

7.3%

Dyslexia/SpLD Students

7,260

41.9%

DSA Figures

5,560

32.1%

56.7% do not claim DSA

11.2% unknown if DSA claimedSource: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics

• Funding of DSA in its current format is a topical issue especially so as:– Some SpLD students in receipt of DSA do not use their

equipment as recommended; if at all in some cases (Litterick, 2006)

– Low attendance figures for AT training

• Q. Why is this?• A. discuss

The ‘Well Kinda’ Stats

Student voice

• Some students feel overwhelmed by having to complete AT training whilst coping with the demands of an HE level course

(Draffan, 2009; in Pollak, 2009)

“ I did feel like I was doing two courses and that was, frankly, too much. I had to stay with my old bad habits because I just didn’t feel I had the time to take out to learn something new to help me. It was a vicious circle, really.”

Draffan, E.A. (2009) Assistive technology. In: D. Pollak (Ed) Neurodiversity in Higher Education. Positive Responses to Specific learning Differences. John Wiley & Sons, West Sussex

What’s the answer?

• We need to find a way to encourage SpLD students to attend AT training

• Why?– AT can enhance learning of students with SpLD

and offers them independence (McKissock & Pritcher 2010)

• How?– Make AT training relevant to:

• Context in which kit will be used• Students preferences and skills

McKissock, C & Pritcher, M. (2010) Applying Technology to assist Study Skills Development. Patoss Bulletin The Journal of the Professional Association of Teachers of Students with Specific learning Difficulties. Vol.23 No. 1

Can we…

• Liaise and coordinate AT training with SpLD study skills support?

• Why?– Dyslexia Professionals vary in their knowledge of AT and

many may wish more AT professional input/training in their continued work with students

– DSA assessments and AT training are generally topic driven but workload is the main driver for students so technology is only part of the support needed

– SpLD students need to develop metacognitive skills for success in HE

TASS

There are few courses that explicitly combine academic skills and assistive technology:

• Iansyst are involved with TASS (Teaching Technology Assisted Study Skills) (McKissock & Pritcher 2010)

• Such courses/programmes are needed particularly so as students come to HE with a wealth of experience using real world technology (especially mobile technologies)

• Of 238 respondents :– 17% said their mobile was more important than their computer– 74% use their phone calendar– 62% use the internet on their phone– 78% plus interact with text based information on their phone

James, A. (2010). Latest trends in assistive technology solutions. First national Iansyst assistive technology conference. http://www.slideshare.net/NeilMilliken/applying-technology-to-assist-study-skills-development

McKissock, C & Pritcher, M. (2010) Applying Technology to assist Study Skills Development. Patoss Bulletin The Journal of the Professional Association of Teachers of Students with Specific learning Difficulties. Vol.23 No. 1

Principles of SpLD 1:1 Support

• ADSHE 7 guiding principles:

– Metacognitive– Multisensory– Motivational– Relevant– Modelling– Over learning– Little and Often

• Solution focused – skill audits, ILP, templates, technology

Constructivist

Approach

SpLD and learning how to learn

• Students who have SpLDs often have difficulty developing metacogntive skills without guidance and support

• Role of SpLD tutor is to facilitate this

Note taking

SpLD students often need to:• learn to be active listener• Allocate limited cognitive resources to different tasks

and then assimilate in quick time• learn how to structure and organise thoughts and

information with fluency and clarity• understand plagiarism• monitor and attend to specific detail• Develop efficient clerical skills

Note taking

Skill Metacognition AT

Active listening engagement concentration

Learn about signpost languageTemplates for structure(Maps, Cornell or 4x4 method)

Recording device/ Audionotetaker on LT, NB, SPMapping program for interactive engagement

MultitaskingReading overheads, listening and writing

Awareness of Learning Styles and StrategiesTemplates for structure(Maps, Cornell or 4x4 method)

Recording device/ Audionotetaker on LT, NB, SPMapping program for verbal into visual

Technical literacy Develop consistent shorthandTouch typingSpelling strategiesVerbal into visual

Auto spellcheckers/predictionMapping program for verbal into visualVersatile Tablet LT/I Pad

Awareness of plagiarism Paragraph structureParaphrasingVisual into verbalRecord keeping and filing

Mapping program for keywords and easy file storageWeb tutorials on plagiarism

Issue with AT

• There might be no better replacement for good old fashioned paper and pen

• Some students prefer hard copy e.g. visual stress

• Some programs/applications are over-complex or bloated (Draffan, 2009)

• Should we use the term AT in light of mainstream technologies at our disposal that can be easily adapted to our unique needs?

Brite Usability Criteria

• Effective - How well individual performs with and without product?

• Efficient – How much effort is required to learn to use it to perform a task?

• Relevant – Will it help perform task?

• Comfortable – Will there be any detriment in using product?

• Safety - Will there be any detriment in using product?

Cox, A. (2011) Lecture on Usability. vFILS Session 4 24th March 2011

Inclusive Technology - the way forward

• HEA Change project

• 16 universities involved - Abertay being one of them

• Inclusive use of technology is one area that Abertay is interested in. With the help of Craig Mil from RSC:

– Accessapps now available via disability service – but need to persuade IT Services to relax lockdown

– Create&Convert being piloted for creating Alt formats – ? roll out

• Next step is to complete the Online Accessibility Self Assessment Service (OASES) created by the JISC TechDis service audits

http://www.techdis.ac.uk/getevaluated.

What is Inclusion?

• Consideration and response to diverse needs of all (staff and students)

• Not about alternative provision or integration• By design where possible/practicable• Needs whole institution approach – led top

down then cascading• No compromise of academic standards

Inclusive technology• Utopia is computing facilities for all students – laptop for all?• Open source programs/applications are the way forward especially as we move from AT

to mainstream technology (mobile) • Need to address IT lock down in our institutions• Need to embed IT/AT skills in T&L context and employability for transition into workplace• Diversity = more need than ever for combined IT and metacogntive approach to

supporting students in HE

www.rsc-ne-scotland.ac.uk/eduapps/mystudybar

Thank you for listening

Any questions?