AELP Event

DfE SEND/Assistive Technology Event

Date: Tuesday, 3 March 2015
Venue: Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), Manchester
This event is complimentary to attend

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Overview

AELP is aware that the provision of vocational learning opportunities for young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND) challenges is of central concern to policy-makers. The availability of suitable provision can be limited by a combination of a lack of, or incorrect, identification of learner needs by providers, a fear of “doing the wrong thing” where needs are identified, and a lack of knowledge about the types of support available. This can lead to a “honey pot” effect whereby SEND learners tend to cluster around particular institutions not because of the scope of learning on offer, but because they are perhaps one of only a very few such organisations that have the wherewithal to appropriately support their needs. 

The Children and Families Act provides an important opportunity to ensure that all young people with learning difficulties or disabilities are on a suitable learning programme and get such support. It is very important therefore that providers are helped to better identify SEND learners with support strategies to give them the best chance of progression.

Aims

This event will provide an overview of SEND provision and policy with regard to youth programmes, with a particular focus on the application of assistive technology. It will bring together existing examples of best practice from around the sector and give awareness of strategies and tools that providers can consider building into their delivery programmes. This will not only enhance existing provision but will aim to spark innovative thinking about how to extend provision to cater for more SEND learners where this might be appropriate. 

Whilst many providers may know in the abstract that such technological assistance to learning delivery exists, we believe that being able to see at first-hand how relatively simple such adaptations can be and what a powerful effect they can have on the ability of learners to access a curriculum would have real impact with attendees. 

Attendees will ‘build their own agenda’ choosing to attend a mixture of the sessions which best suit their individual needs, priorities and interests. Across the rolling presentations and workshops the event will cover information, guidance and best practice in areas such as:

  • Current legal requirements
  • Identification of need 
  • Common misconceptions surrounding special needs and disabilities
  • Learner support strategies, both pastorally and in teaching and learning 
  • SEND learner views of provision
  • Arrangement and support of Supported Internships and other work experience for SEND learners
  • The availability and application of assistive technologies in delivering youth provision

Objectives 

The objective of this event is to instil confidence amongst providers to engage with and provide the best possible service to all individuals.

Audience

All providers delivering the Study Programme will want to improve their services to make them more accessible to all not just those with disabilities.