Inclusiveness in Training and Education

Inclusiveness in Education

What is inclusiveness in education?   Once education was a privilege is it now a right? Who is excluded from education - is it those with special needs or disadvantaged or does exclusion go deeper?  With the introduction of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) does everyone who wishes to gain a third level qualification now have the opportunity? Or does Massive Open Online Courses take away the experience of higher education, which many would agree is as valuable as the qualification itself?  

I recently found out I had a dyspraxic and dyslexic student in my class but didn't know this until after Christmas as he had not notified the college or indeed me as his lecturer. 
  

After completing the module on inclusiveness I was much more aware of what I could do to make his learning experience more effective in my class.  Simply things like changing the colour of my slides, providing information in advance of class and giving him alternative options for CA assignments. 

For his last two assignments I offered him longer and the option to submit verbal alternatives.  However, he turned me down on all offers. I don't know if he just wanted to be treated like everyone else or if he felt he didn't need the support.

The whole module of inclusiveness has made we review my teaching over the last couple of years. There are a number of students in my classes that are probably on the spectrum but have never been diagnosed.  I wonder if psychometric testing becomes prevalent in third level maybe there is room to also test for dyslexia and comprehension.  Is this acceptable?  Or like my student this year would some students rather remain under the parapet? 

But this leads me to question is it right to take a student onto a marketing degree course if he/she cannot write or spell? Is it setting that student up to fail?  Having worked in the marketing industry for a considerable amount of time, I am well aware that some of the most brilliant practitioners (who could not write) were in essence creatives - it was their ability to look at brands from a different perspective and create marketing solutions that made them invaluable to the business...but they were exceptions not the rule in my experience. I don't have the answers but I do believe every student must be given the chance to succeed!

I did my assignment on visual impairment in education.  I know Caroline Casey the Irish Social Entrepreneur and disability advocate.  She is a phenomenal rolemodel, although legally blind it has not stopped her in any way.

“I never needed eyes to see — never. I simply needed vision and belief.”

 — Caroline Casey, Irish Social Entrepreneur and disability advocate. 

Challenges Faced by Students who are visually impaired

The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) the college and university admissions scheme which offers places on a reduced points basis to school leavers under 23 years old with disabilities who have completed an Irish Leaving Certificate, highlighted the academic challenges faced by visually impaired students. They compiled these findings from second level students who had applied to enter higher education through the DARE programme, as follows:

Creating an effective learning environment within the classroom

To ensure best practice in the classroom (within the lecturers domain) there are a number of initiatives that can be incorporated into a teaching plan to make the learning environment more effective and inclusive. The Charter for Inclusive Teaching and Learning (published by AHEAD and the Higher Education Authority) gives us a roadmap in The Seven Principles of Universal Design (ibid). These guidelines suggest that students with disabilities can participate in all activities with minimal intervention or additional adjustment.

•  The Lecturer should use a clicker in class to ensure that he or she is facing the group at all times when speaking.
• The use of various mediums to record notes, such as, cassette recorders, laptops with adaptive technology, Braille and Speak and/or note-takers.
• Lecturers should speak directly to students, not their interpreter or note-taking assistant.
• Prioritised reading lists available in advance so that students have sufficient time to translate the material into an accessible format.
• Advance copies of lecture notes and/or PowerPoints in larger font formats and/or in audio format where appropriate.
• Flexibility can be given with regards to assignment deadlines and formats – for example, audio assignments instead of written.
• A reader or a recorder should be assigned for a visually impaired student’s exam. That person should have competence on the topic.
• Provide a separate exam room and give student extra time.
• Students should be exempt from questions with diagrams  or graphs or they should be adapted accordingly for exams.
• Background noise within the classroom can be kept to a minimum.
• Formative learning modules can be constructed to be inclusive.

It is clear these initiatives cover many of the principles within the guidelines, including those of equitable use, flexibility, perceptible information and keeping things simple and intuitive where possible.  It should be said that research does show lecturers need to be given dedicated instruction on working with students with disabilities. Visiting lecturers should be encouraged and a dedicated resource within institutions is invaluable for visually impaired students.

Interesting technology

As you move your finger along the test the moniter reads it out loud.

References

AHEAD-Association for Higher Education Access & Disability. Available at: http://www.ahead.ie/inclusiveeducation_legislation_2005act.php (Accessed March 13, 2014].

AHEAD -Charter for Inclusive Teaching and Learning (2009). Available at: http://www.ahead.ie (Accessed March 18, 2014)