Culture Change in an HEI: the SENDA Agenda

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Culture Change in an HEI the SENDA Agenda

• Helen Masterton
• Sara Doherty

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Presentation

• Context
• HEI Case study
• Research
• Conclusions

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Context

• Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001
• Most radical form of legislation within education
  in England and Wales to date.
• Inclusion debate on the agenda for all areas of
  education provision.

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Compulsory education sector

• History of legislation within compulsory
  education sector concerning inclusion.
• Significant period of time since the beginning of
  the integration/inclusion debate Warnock 1978
• A range of models of inclusion have been explored
  within academic debate.

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Compulsory education sector

• Inclusive practice can be evidenced within the
  compulsory education sector.
• Process of change embedded in culture.
• Perceived commitment in terms of training and
  finances at central level.

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Higher Education

• Focus on research for professionals working
  within compulsory education sector.
• Exclusive rather than inclusive.
• SENDA will force rapid change.
• Lessons can be drawn from other sectors.

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Research

• Work in progress.
• Data drawn from one HEI
• Training programme implemented.
• Evaluations from initial training.
• Pilot study
• Questionnaires

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SENDA Action Plan

• Legislative / QAA drivers
• Central approach
• Embedded in integrated strategies
• Cross institution implementation
• Central funding for initial training
• Restructuring of support services to appoint
  central responsibility

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Areas

• Marketing Admissions
• Planning
• Learning teaching
• Assessment
• Approval review
• Work learning
• Learning resources

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• Student support
• Physical environment
• Catering accommodation
• Development communication

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Actions

• All staff initial training
• Accessible curricula
• Accessible resources
• Alternative assessments
• Committee reporting
• School coordinators
• Disability awareness for staff students
• Admission procedures

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• Support procedures
• Disclosure / Non-disclosure
• Confidentiality DPA
• Assessment of Needs
• Learning Support provision
• Physical environment
• Student voice

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Into actionInitial SENDA Training

• Approved Cross University Action Plan
• Senior Management briefing
• Audit tool / How to guide to support
• Estates Audit actioned

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SENDA Training February - September 2003

• Series of awaydays to cover legislative
  responsibilities and internal support procedures
  for
• Academic Schools
• Service areas
• College Staff

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Responses

• Acceptance / resignation
• Procedural
• Enthusiasm
• Anger / resentment
• Protectionist
• Understanding
• Misconception

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Evaluations

• Sample comments
• Clarification of reasonable adjustments
  academic standards and boundaries of support.
• Reconsider language of disability to move away
  from deficit model
• Firm awareness of legal requirements and support
  framework
• Enabled some lateral thinking about pedagogic and
  access aspects of the Act
• Former student with a disability provided a real
  sense of what this means
• Opportunity to flag up previously unconsidered
  areas
• Feel much more comfortable about requirements of
  legislation / dont understand why some staff are
  hostile to legislation.
• Feel better able to advise students now and what
  actions to take

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• No coffee!
• Outstanding issues of assessment
  differentiation
• More expected from lecturers time which is
  already in high demand
• Good biscuits
• Ignores good practice already in School

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Embedding change

• HR compulsory Diversity Induction for all new
  staff.
• Educational Development sessions
• PG Cert LT sessions
• PG Cert in Disability Assessment in HE
• Approval Review procedures
• Support communication procedures
• Physical environment
• School Coordinators

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Assessing the Impact June 2004

• Pilot questionnaire to key staff in service areas
  and schools
• 18 questionnaires sent
• 5 responses

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Continuing the conversation

• External drivers
• Quality issues
• Monitoring through committee structure
• Professional development of staff
• Student voice
• Curriculum transformation
• Multi-media approach to learning

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Culture change.?

• Coercion by legislation
• Some hearts minds
• Fear of litigation
• Fees customer focus
• Professional standards in learning teaching
• Catching up with compulsory sector?

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Contact

• Helen Masterton
• H.Masterton_at_roehampton.ac.uk
• Sara Doherty
• S.Doherty_at_roehampton.ac.uk