ICT and InclusionWhole-school issues

J Taylor – BECTa On-line Conference Nov 2001

RememberEvery pupil is entitled to • a broad and balanced programme of ICT in line with

statutory requirements• ICT experiences and the use of technology across the

curriculum to extend learning

Pupils with special educational needs are also entitled to • ICT to help them access the curriculum• ICT to help learn particular skills or compensate for

individual difficulties

A curriculum that includes everyone A good

variety of topic based software, ICT equipment and regular software often available

Well chosen materials, purpose built, localised resources

Good access to ICT, individual access solutions and equipment

But for effective learning this must be set within an inclusive cultureMost of the ideas and opinions here are my own, reflecting ‘values’ training, visits to many schools and contact with self-advocates and parents of children with disabilitiesThese thoughts were clarified during time spent at Batheaston Primary School – a school working effectively to include children with a genuine diversity of need and ability

Luckily these ideas also sit well with thosethat underpin the Index for Inclusion

So - many thanks to the children and staff at Batheaston for the time taken to talk and think things through, for hanging on in there (its not always easy) and their permission to use these photos – many of them taken by the children themselves

An Inclusive Culture• genuinely welcomes and cares about each individual pupil and her family

• places a high priority on spiritual and social aspects of development

• ensures consistency from all adults in the school community by having crystal clear guidelines and frequent opportunities to share information, triumphs and concerns

• is confident to admit to problems and makes quality time to address these with individuals, class or staff groups before they have time to fester and grow

• where appropriate, roots the curriculum in the local community, capitalising on skills and talents and making it relevant to individuals and giving pupils a real stake in their learning

• listens to (and asks) parents, pupils, therapists, friends about things that work

• makes learning challenging and fun by looking beyond the immediate school environment for new opportunities

ICT can help, for example • by contributing to a valued learning environment and

showing pupils and families that they are important and welcome

• by providing good opportunities to work together and make an individual contribution

• by helping people share information quickly and easily

• by giving pupils opportunities to explore and express their feelings in a less threatening context

• by helping adults to make localised and personalised curriculum resources for individuals, groups or topics

• by speeding up the process of getting and sharing information about cultures, conditions, technologies, resources

• by ensuring that the school gets timely information about funding, national and local initiatives, events

Valuing everyone• Giving pupils access to good technology helps to raise their profile within

school and their self-esteem. Remember HOWEVER GOOD you think the resources are on older machines almost everyone knows that they are second best and risk damaging or reinforcing a low image of pupils at risk.

• Everyone deserves appropriate access. This includes pupils with challenging behaviour – it’s not allowed to deny them access as a punishment

• Reading books which include pictures of children themselves and even better their families can reach out across chasms! Remarkable bridges have been built between disaffected parents and schools when they see this type of material. A Traveller mother spoke to a teacher for the first time to ask for more copies, when children had made these with a mobile teacher. The children subsequently went to school.

• Get children to write letters home. A Midlands School for children with learning difficulties to write letter home using Writing with Symbols and they started getting much better response. Not only had the children got a greater stake in making sure that they reached parents but many parents with limited English and literacy skills could now understand them.

Up-to-date classroom technologyGood and monitored equality practiceAccessible software

Mind, body and spirit• Celebrate and remember high points with video, photos and

presentations. Pupils subject to distraction or distress, little English, low self-esteem or few literacy skills may tend to forget some of the good stuff or not share it with significant adults. High profile, high graphic content helps.

• Make assemblies memorable. Use good music, interesting multimedia presentations, record opinions and contributions

• Share the school’s philosophy and activities through web publishing and good quality bulletins. You may find that there are lots of firms, colleges, other people in the community ready to help with this. Many schools have produced very attractive prospectuses, information to parents about early reading skills or curriculum resources with funding and support from local industry.

• Everyone can (and did) contribute….

Video, cameras, data-projector, InternetTeacher and pupil skills with appropriate multimedia and web design software

Clarity and consistency• Wordprocessing speeds up policy writing and helps to provide consistency

between documents. Using a standard format frees people up to concentrate on the important elements of policy and makes them easier to navigate and understand.

• Photocopying, electronic notice boards and email help people share information quickly and succinctly. Beware breaching confidentiality and think when face-to-face communication is more helpful.

• Interesting and valued resources engage adults too and encourage them to take an important role in reinforcing social messages as well as in the leaning process. Here children look at pictures taken earlier in the week of people around school ready for a class reading book. The cook is shown her photo. Most of this group are reading names and high frequency words, one is just beginning to say short phrases and recognise adults outside her immediate family and support staff.

Good access to equipment for staffTemplates and e-prompts for developing school documents

Problem solving• Search for some excellent resources on the Internet about bullying.

Some good information on-line, freebies to support bullies and the bullied, contributions from different projects and voluntary agencies

• Use ICT lessons to explore some difficult issues. A Y9 group in an EBD school replayed a real incident and took digital photos and put onto PowerPoint with real voices over – amazing results and what bravery! Also well used for social stories involving known adults and children.

• Use clipart to annotate work, allowing pupils to express how they felt about it. Often reluctant learners are more open to consider and edit work on the computer screen

Good teacher ICT skills, software and equipmentUseful (sorted) clipart or symbols

A community curriculum -

• Make a web site. Make information relevant and important to community members, parents and children. Keep it updated so it’s worth logging on. Surprises and challenges help too. Everyone will log on to see themselves, their friends or their children featured

• Allow pupils to use tape recorders, digital cameras or videos for recording. Maybe instead of writing up a science experiment, an alternative drafting technique for creative or investigative work, or a tool for capturing immediate experiences. This can build localised resources for future lessons, Helps pupils capture the thinking and language too.

• Digital photography allows local images to be used for – making literacy materials, demonstrating geography concepts, illustrating written work, setting homework challenges and engaging families in pupils work

• Scan – historic documents like ration books or demob papers and old photos brought from home – it’ll keep them safe. Use children’s own line drawings or computer graphics.

Routine classroom access to digital camera, scanner, video and tape recorders

Sharing information -• Target boards and tracking – making sure that

pupils and parents know how well each pupils is doing and what they need to do next. Motivating graphs of progress – rising achievement and decrease in incidents

• Phone calls, emails, photocopies of good work, photos to show new skills – share the good news frequently as well as problems.

• Use the Internet to find out about new resources and teaching technologies. Parents may make a significant contribution through their own support organisations – here are two PEACH and the Downs Syndrome Association

• On-line communities can help schools feel less alone. BECTa hosts several… but you may find others too

Good access to photocopier (and paper!), phones, InternetTemplates and good teacher ICT skills to help track progress

Beyond the school gate• Use the Internet to find out about new funding streams from

the DfES and EEC – more money REALLY helps. One small school has just bought 8 new computers from money for study skills classes after school. Batheaston have an EEC module for older pupils that includes exchange visits to Greece and France

• Look on your LEA intranet for events and initiatives. Maths and philosophy for high attainers, joint ventures with with other schools, technology challenges

• Check what’s going on in your nearest big city. Bands, films, theatres, sporting events, special exhibitions. You may be lucky enough to arrange a visit, but even if you don’t pupils can be encouraged, parents told and any pictures and information will have extra relevance

• Make email links for pupils with others from different backgrounds, places and cultures. There are also opportunities to talk to adults too, for example authors and poets

Good access to Internet for adults and pupilsHelpful links and bookmarks

… so what?• This has been a cursory glance at some of the ways in which technology

can assist in building an inclusive community

• Equipment to reproduce materials, to give instant graphic or sound recording not only helps effective learning, it also motivates and engages teachers, parents and other community members. But it needs to be there for EVERYONE, not just those in the ICT coordinators class. Can this remain a priority in times of staff shortages and budget cuts?

• Where people are clear about policy, practice and channels of communication technology can speed routine processes. Does this make more time for human contact or just become another way of making people work harder and faster and become increasingly stressed?

• The Internet is a phenomenal source of teaching resources, information and professional contacts. Do schools have the access that they need? Are LEA services blocking this? Is it actually a snare and delusion and a waste of valuable time?