understanding specific learning difficulties (splds)

15
Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs) Dr Jane McKay Faculty of Education & Children’s Services University of Chester

Upload: tiara

Post on 17-Jan-2016

61 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

DESCRIPTION

Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs). Dr Jane McKay Faculty of Education & Children’s Services University of Chester. Definitions. SpLD is an umbrella term used to cover a range of frequently co-occurring difficulties, more commonly : Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs)

Dr Jane McKayFaculty of Education & Children’s ServicesUniversity of Chester

Page 2: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

Definitions

Page 3: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

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)

Page 4: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

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

Page 5: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

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

Page 6: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

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).

Page 7: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

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)

Page 8: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

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.

Page 9: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

What does ‘reasonable adjustment’ mean? Structural eg. Modifications/changes to the

learning environment – inside or outside Resources eg. 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.

Page 10: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

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.

Page 11: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

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

Page 12: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

Financial support Disabled Students Allowance

Paid in addition to regular student finance Requires evidence of diagnosis Applications through Student Finance England (or

SF Wales)

Undergraduate allowances Full time students Part time students

  2013-14 2014-15 2013-14 2014-15

Specialist equipment allowance £5161 £5212 £5161 £5212

Non-medical helper allowance £20520 £20725 £15390 £15543

General allowance £1724 £1741 £1293 £1305

Postgraduate allowance £10260 £10362  

Page 13: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

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 – SpLD Assessment Standards Committee

http://www.sasc.org.uk/

Page 14: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

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

Page 15: Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties  (SpLDs)

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