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Peterson and Pennington (2015; p.284) characterise Dyslexia as "difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition and spelling despite instruction and intelligence".

The above video shows how people with dyslexia explain their own disability.

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Technologies to assist those with Dyslexia

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Technologies to assist those with Dyslexia

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There are many technologies which can assist students with Dyslexia. For example, the immersive reader function on Microsoft can lessen the burden of reading on students with Dyslexia, as it reads the text aloud for the student.

Above, is a playlist put together by Dyslexia Ireland in which they share a range of assistive technologies which may be useful to students with Dyslexia, along with how to use them effectively.

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Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

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Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

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Milton (2012; p.2) outlines the definition of Autism as "a triad of impairments: in social communication, social interaction and imagination".

In a real-world context, this means students will encounter social and emotional problems which may manifest itself in a variety of ways. Please see the above video which outlines what Autism is and how it can affect a student in the school setting.

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Autistic Children in School Settings | Nicole Yeung | TEDxKids@BC

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Things can often become overwhelming to those with Autism. The entire IEP process is quite cumbersome, and may have a negative impact on a student with Autism. Thankfully, AsIAm, Ireland's national Autism charity have created a handbook, as linked above, for teenagers with Autism to aid them in navigating adolescence, which includes a section on their assessment and IEP.

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Lewis et al (2004; p.26 terms visual impairment as a "broad term that describes a wide continuum of loss in visual function".

Inevitably, education will impose challenges to students with disabilities. These challenges were outlined in a recent report by the NCBI, which is linked above.

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Assistive Technologies to assist those with visual impairments

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Assistive Technologies to assist those with visual impairments

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There are a range of assistive technologies available to aid students with visual impairments in the classroom. For example, Microsoft has a Magnifier tool which magnifies text and images.

Fighting Blindness has compiled a list of assistive technologies and devices that are available for students with visual impairments, which is linked above.

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Assistive technology can be any device, software or piece of equipment that enables you to maintain or increase functional capabilities when living with sight loss. There are many different types of devices and equipment available. If possible, it's a good idea to try out a device first and make sure it is the right option for you, some can be expensive so it's important to make the right choice.

In some cases, you may be able to claim a VAT refund on certain aids and appliances hat help you carry out daily activities at home or at work. You will find more information about VAT refunds on the Citizens Information website.

The Fighting Blindness Technology Exchange Club is an informal gathering of people living with varying degrees of sight loss who wish to improve their daily lives through assistive technology. Members share their experience of how they found solutions to problems accessing technology, and ask for support with any technological difficulties that may arise. If you would like more information on how to get involved with the group, please contact us at 01 674 6496 or insight@fightingblindness.ie.

Please follow the links below for more information about assistive technology and devices.

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Assistive technology and devices - Fighting Blindness

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Find out about the devices and tools that can make your life easier. Assistive technology can be any device, software or piece of equipment that enables you to maintain or increase functional capabilities when living with sight loss.

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What is ADHD? (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

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What is ADHD? (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is commonly characterised as a "group of symptoms representing a final common behavioral pathway for a gamut of emotional, psychological, and/or learning problems" (Furman, 2005; p.994). It is a complex condition, however the above video is beneficial in explaining ADHD and how it manifests.

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ADHD is a complex condition to deal with in the classroom, as it can be hard to distinguish when a student is simply misbehaving and when a student is manifesting symptoms of ADHD. However, ADHD Ireland have compiled a useful webpage for teachers on how to effectively manage ADHD in the classroom, and how to make their classroom accessible and accepting for those with ADHD.

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ADHD can have a negative effect on how well a child does at school.

May often be out of their seat

Can't wait their turn

Doesn't follow instructions

Seems disinterested

Makes careless mistakes

Gets involved in and interrupts other children's work

Gets into trouble constantly in the playground

Is fidgety and restless

Doesn't finish tasks

Can't seem to be in the right class at the right time with the right books

Doesn't have the homework written down from each class

Doesn't structure their work properly

Can not organise study for exams

Can't start homework

Can't sustain the attention required to finish homework, projects etc.

May simply avoid tasks that seem too onerous, despite that fact that this may mean detention etc.

Does not do as well in exams as would be expected according to their ability

Here are some simple strategies for teachers and carers of children with ADHD in a group/classroom situation. Children with ADHD need the following three things, above all else, to cope with classroom life!

STRUCTURE, STRUCTURE AND MORE STRUCTURE!

From the Beginning

Always try to sit the student with ADHD in a part of the room with the least amount of distractions - up the front, away from doors and windows, in front of you but don't stigmatise the student by isolating them

Clear the desk or work area of all items not needed for the designated task at hand

Break the task down into steps from start to finish and reward after each stage, no matter how small each stage is

Allow for physical movement during the steps of completion of task e.g. to go and get the books from the shelf, etc.

Talk to the student and try to stoop to their level and use eye contact and gestures

Ascertain that you have the child's attention when starting to give oral instruction

Encourage the child to use oral footnoting as he/she repeats the instruction back to you

Set limits clearly- children with ADHD find it difficult to quantify time, the use of a small visual clock, stopwatch or egg timers are a useful too

Insist on completion of task

Find their special or strongest interest and use it to engage the child in other activities e.g.; he/she is good at art- perhaps allow the child to draw what he/she hears in history class

Keep a routine in the room

Keep a visual record of Good Behaviour and Good Work. Catch the child being good and reward on a chart

Praise the student

Find his/her "Good Time" of the day - perhaps the child is on medication and monitoring is necessary, watch for changes in behaviour throughout the day

Provide an atmosphere of acceptance

Use of different colours, graphics and animation for instruction can prove useful

Uses of computer programmes are also useful ADHD children respond well to them and it encourages them to self-monitor

For older students

Encourage the student - to write it down, break it down

Keep a diary or "to do list"

Encourage colour coding e.g. in the homework journal

Set up a work station away from the desk

Use his/her wrist watch as a reminder

Praise the student

Say it, write it and repeat it when giving oral instruction

Monitor skills development and build on it

Give advance notice of upcoming tasks, e.g. projects and lessons

Outline what you expect and how you expect it to be completed

Change your tone of voice and pace - keep them interested

Encourage them for feed-back to reinforce the given instruction

Time out breaks

Seat breaks- allow movement in the room

Establish a private signal in advance so they know that their behaviour is inappropriate e.g. tapping the desk

Use positive language e.g. "Doin' great", "you're nearly there"

Coach the student to completion

Re-assure

Click here to view our booklet on 'Including Pupils with ADHD: A Practical Guide for Student Teachers on School Placement'.

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ADHD can have a negative effect on how well a child does at school.

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Students with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

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Students with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

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Ponsford et al. (2012; p.1) term a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as an "alteration in brain function, or other evidence of brain pathology, as a result of external force. In this way, students with a TBI are very different to those with other disabilities, as although TBI is considered a disability, it is acquired rather than inherited. As a result, there is often a lot of trauma linked to students' TBI.

Please see the above video, which outlines just one story of someone with a TBI, and highlights how different TBIs can be from person to person.

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A brain injury is like a fingerprint, no two are alike | Kevin Pearce | TEDxLincolnSquare

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How to write an effective IEP for students with TBI?

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How to write an effective IEP for students with TBI?

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As TBI is often a very new disability for teachers to deal with, it can be hard to visualise what should go into an IEP for students with a TBI. Luckily, the University of Oregon have put together a resource which includes sample goals for IEPs for children with TBIs, which linked above.

However, we must remember the principles of IEP development which were mentioned in the PowerPoint, which highlighted how IEPs should be personalised to each student. Thus, this is only a guide and not to be copied from directly!

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Key to successful IEP planning and implementation

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Key to successful IEP planning and implementation

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As Clark (2000; p.56) argues "successful planning for students' full or partial involvement in all aspects of the general curriculum can ensure that students with disabilities have meaningful participation in the life of the school community". The key to this planning being successful involves collaboration and understanding between the IEP team, parents and the student themselves. The student must have an understanding of the process and of their IEP to maximise the benefit of their IEP. Above is a video which summarise the process of creating and implementing an IEP in an accessible way for students.

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Making teaching and learning more accessible through Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

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Making teaching and learning more accessible through Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

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Firstly, what is Universal Design for Learning?

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a "set of principles for curriculum that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn" (Rose, 2000; p.47).

What does this mean in practice?

In practice there are three cire elements of UDL: multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation and multiple means of action/expression.

1. Multiple means of engagement - this means providing students a choice as to how they access the material e.g., visual, audio etc.

2. Multiple means of representation - this means supporting students with specific learning needs within your planning and teaching.

3. Multiple means of action/expression - this means providing students a choice as to how they demonstrate their learning through a choice of assessments.

Please see the above website to further investigate UDL, how to get the UDL badge and further resources for implementing UDL in your classroom.

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Providing a fully inclusive learning environment is complex and creating a culture of engagement and inclusion that works for all students requires a shift in thinking and a change of behavior at an institutional level. In this ever changing and increasingly diverse further and higher education landscape, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides an effective framework to improve the learning experience of all students within the mainstream teaching environment.

UDL - What is it?

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn, including Students with Disabilities. UDL aims to improve the educational experience of all students by introducing more flexible methods of teaching, assessment and service provision to cater for the diversity of learners in our classrooms. This approach is underpinned by research in the field of neuroscience and is designed to improve the learning experience and outcomes for all students.

Watch the video below get a 3 minute introduction to the concept of universal design for learning.