Making Learning Inclusive

1
Making Learning Inclusive

• How The Additional Learning Support Service at
  West Nottinghamshire College gained a Beacon Award

2
AoC Beacon Awards 2006-2007

• Background
• The Awards
• Recognise imaginative and exemplary teaching and
  learning practice in colleges.
• Draw attention to provision which encourages and
  supports learners to approach challenges
  positively and creatively.
• Support learning and continuous improvement
  through the dissemination of Award-bearing
  practice.

3
The Mencap and RNIB Inclusive Learning Award for
Students with Learning Difficulties and/or
Disabilities

• 2007 Award Winner
• West Nottinghamshire College
• Additional Learning Support Service

4
The process

• April Prospectus distributed to
  colleges.
• 25 July Closing date for applications
• Aug-Sep First stage (short listing)
• Sep-Oct Second stage (site visits)
• October Third stage and final selection
  by AoC Beacon Awards Steering
  Group
• November
• AoC Beacon Award Winners
  announced

5
What do we do

• Promote Access, Inclusion and Independence.
• We are a cross college service which started in
  1995 employing 4 general learning support
  assistants. We now employ more than 80 staff in
  5 specialist teams-
• Dyslexia Visual Impairment Hearing Impairment
  Physical Disability Emotional, Behavioural or
  Mental Health Difficulties or an Autistic
  Spectrum Disorder plus a mini team for Assistive
  and Augmentative Technology.

6
A brief history

• 1995 4 staff supporting learners with physical
  disabilities
• 1997 Communication Support Workers employed to
  support D/deaf or hearing impaired
• 2000 Qualified Teacher of the Visually Impaired
  employed to set up a service for visually
  impaired learners
• 2001 Dyslexia team put in place
• 2003 new team to support with behavioural and
  emotional problems or an Autistic Spectrum
  Disorder
• 2004 new post to support assistive and
  augmentative technology
• 2005 Communications Forum set up to look at
  development and use of signs and symbols for LDD
• 2007 new post to develop services for learners
  with mental health difficulties

7
Target Group

• Our service is aimed primarily at learners with
  learning difficulties and disabilities who wish
  to access college provision at any level and who
  would benefit from specialist support.
• Each team actively promotes its own work and will
  contact learners who have identified themselves
  or by referral from a tutor.
• We also develop new provision to meet demand e.g.
  mental health, enhanced provision for ASD and
  further development of communication aids and
  signs and symbols for SLDD learners.

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Aims and Objectives

• To provide advice, advocacy and specialist
  support
• To change attitudes to LDD by increasing
  participation and improving retention and
  achievement
• To ensure that reasonable adjustments are made in
  terms of modification, differentiation,
  concessions etc
• On a daily basis we work with learners to
• Develop independence where possible
• Help to achieve short, medium and long term goals
• Encourage participation in and enjoyment of
  activities which form part of college life
• Change attitudes to disability by enabling
  success and promoting a truly inclusive learning
  and social environment

9
What does this award mean to us?

• Recognition for learners and staff
• Recognition of the support of partners
• Raised our profile in the college
• Recruitment
• Centre for training
• Contact from other colleges
• Sharing of good practice