Welcome to Accessible Schools:

1
Welcome to Accessible Schools

• Some ideas to help schools with planning to
  increase access to schools for disabled pupils

2
The Planning Duty

• Increase the extent to which disabled pupils can
  participate in the school curriculum
• Improving the physical environment of schools
• Improving the delivery of information to disabled
  pupils

3
Develop an Accessibility Plan

• Access audit
• Review of current actions
• Identify actions needed for improvement
• Set goals and targets
• Consult on the plan
• Publish the plan
• Implementation
• Evaluation

4
Identifying Barriers to Access

• A checklist 1

QUESTION YES NO
Do you ensure that teachers and teaching assistants have the necessary training to teach and support disabled pupils?
Are your classrooms optimally organised for disabled pupils?
Do lessons provide opportunities for all pupils to achieve?
Are lessons responsive to pupil diversity?
Do lessons involve work to be done by individuals, pairs, groups and the whole class?
Are all pupils encouraged to take part in music, drama and physical activities?
Do staff recognise and allow for the mental effort expended by some disabled pupils, for example using lip reading?
Do staff recognise and allow for the additional time required by some disabled pupils to use equipment in practical work?
Do staff provide alternative ways of giving access to experience or understanding for disabled pupils who cannot engage in particular activities, for example some forms of exercise in physical education?
Do you provide access to computer technology appropriate of students with disabilities?
Are school visits, including overseas visits, made accessible to all pupils irrespective of attainment or impairment?
Are there high expectations of all pupils?
Do staff seek to remove all barriers to learning and participation?
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Identifying Barriers to Access

• A checklist 2

QUESTION YES NO
Does the size and layout of areas including all academic, sporting, play, social facilities classrooms, the assembly hall, canteen, library, gymnasium and outdoor sporting facilities, playgrounds and common rooms allow access for all pupils?
Can pupils who use wheelchairs move around the school without experiencing barriers to access such as those caused by doorways, steps and stairs, toilet facilities and showers?
Are pathways of travel around the school site and parking arrangements safe, routes logical and well signed?
Are emergency and evacuation systems set up to inform ALL pupils, including pupils with SEN and disabilities including alarms with both visual and auditory components?
Are non-visual guides used, to assist people to use buildings including lifts with tactile buttons?
Could any of the décor or signage be considered to be confusing or disorientating for disabled pupils with visual impairment, autism or epilepsy?
Are areas to which pupils should have access well lit?
Are steps made to reduce background noise for hearing impaired pupils such as considering a rooms acoustics and noisy equipment?
Is furniture and equipment selected, adjusted and located appropriately?
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Identifying Barriers to Access

• A checklist 3

QUESTION YES NO
Do you provide information in simple language, symbols, large print, on audiotape or in Braille for pupils and prospective pupils who may have difficulty with standard forms of printed information?
Do you ensure that information is presented to groups in a way which is user friendly for people with disabilities e.g. by reading aloud overhead projections and describing diagrams?
Do you have the facilities such as ICT to produce written information in different formats?
Do you ensure that staff are familiar with technology and practices developed to assist people with disabilities?
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Access for children with autistic spectrum
disorders

• Autism is a common disorder
• Any mainstream school is likely to have at least
  one child with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD)

8
Access issues for pupils with ASD - 1

• People with ASD have particular ways of thinking
• They often like more structure and predictability
  than other people
• They will usually find the social world harder to
  cope with than most of us do
• Some of them have difficulty sorting out sensory
  information

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Access issues for pupils with ASD - 2

• You will need to differentiate in the curriculum
• A visual work structure will help. Look at the
  booklet a child with autism in my class
• Dont phase out structures too early - and dont
  assume the pupil will transfer knowledge and work
  habits between situations

10
Access issues for pupils with ASD - 3

• You will need to structure the day in time and
  space
• Visual timetables are often helpful, showing the
  pupil what to expect through the day in pictures

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Access issues for pupils with ASD - 4

• People with ASD need help to access social
  situations (maybe circles of friends, buddy
  systems, etc)
• They may need special protection from bullying
• Because they have special, different,
  personalities, they may need alone time and
  refuge arrangements at times in the school day

12
Access for children with dyslexia

• Dyslexia (specific literacy difficulties) is a
  common disorder
• Any mainstream class is likely to have pupils
  with dyslexic difficulties.
• These may be in the mild, moderate or severe
  range

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Access for children with dyslexia - 1

• All Derbyshire Schools
• have a copy of
• The Derbyshire File for
• Dyslexia Friendly Schools
• which contains detailed
• information about
• strategies for identifying,
• assessing, teaching and
• supporting pupils with
• dyslexia.

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Access issues for pupils with dyslexia - 2

• People with dyslexia have particular ways of
  thinking and learning
• Not all pupils with dyslexia have the same
  clusters of abilities or difficulties
• Screening and assessment procedures should be
  utilised to produce a profile of abilities,
  difficulties and learning styles
• IEPs need to be specific - allowing pupils to
  work with their strengths - while focussed
  teaching concentrates on improving areas of
  weakness

15
Access issues for pupils with dyslexia - 3

• You will need to use multi-sensory teaching to
  ensure that pupils are able to learn using
  visual, auditory, oral and tactile/kinaesthetic
  skills
• The more pieces of the multi-sensory jigsaw that
  are simultaneously included in the
  teaching/learning situation - the more effective
  the learning will be for pupils

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Access issues for pupils with dyslexia - 4

• To support effective reading and spelling, you
  will need to ensure that the pupils develop
• phonological skills
• knowledge of the alphabet
• phoneme-grapheme awareness
• awareness of spelling choices
• Dont phase out structured teaching too early
• Build in frequent consolidation and revision of
  new skills
• Teach to ensure transfer and generalisation of
  skills and knowledge

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Access issues for pupils with dyslexia - 5

• You will need to differentiate the curriculum and
  offer consistent levels of support for
• SPELLING - provide subject high
  frequency vocabulary lists
• WRITING - reduce / support
  note-taking recording
• HOMEWORK - ensure tasks are clarified
  realistic
• MEMORY - provide strategies prompts to
  compensate for weakness
• STUDY SKILLS - expect to support and teach
  explicitly the skills which other pupils
  acquire as a matter of course
• ORGANISATION - provide strategies for
  organisation of ideas knowledge personal
  possessions time

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Access issues for pupils with dyslexia - 6

• Inclusive schools recognise the emotional needs
  of pupils with dyslexia and work to reduce
  vulnerability by
• recognising and accommodating individual learning
  styles
• encouraging pupils to be active learning partners
• having realistic expectations
• acknowledging effort
• supporting and developing self esteem

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Access for Children with Physical Impairment

• A child with a physical impairment encounters
  difficulty with some aspect of movement i.e.
  locomotion, fine motor skills, or communication
  skills.
• Not all physically impaired children are
  wheelchair users. In some instances the
  impairment will not be immediately obvious.
• Even within a single disabling condition i.e.
  Cerebral Palsy, no two children will have
  identical needs.

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The Curriculum (1)

• Depending on the type and degree of
• impairment the child may need
• Time opportunity to respond
• An alternative method of recording
• Support (particularly in practical sessions)
• Specialist or adapted equipment which may be low
  or high tech
• Specialist furniture i.e. rise fall tables or
  seating.

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The Curriculum (2)

• Consideration should be given to
• Timetabling the childs class
• Ensuring the child has easy and ready access to
  equipment
• Delivery of the lesson (speed, content,
  language)
• Requesting less quantity of work from the child
  to maintain quality
• Grouping of pupils to help the child feel more
  included
• Parallel or alternative activities i.e.
  photography in place of brush work in Art.
• Think can do!

22
The Physical Environment

• Physical access is about more than just ramps!
• Its about
• How pupils approach buildings, enter, move
  function within, and exit
• Height of desks, resources, door handles, light
  switches and even food in the dinner hall
• Seating
• How classrooms are laid out and classes
  timetabled.
• Its about
• the pupil being independent and fully included in
  ALL activities!

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Equipment and Resources

• The child may require a lot of equipment i.e.
• Curriculum resources - lap-top / specialist
  software, adapted pens, scissors, rulers, sloping
  writing boards etc
• Communication aid
• Hoist
• Standing frame
• Changing couch
• Specialist cutlery.
• Thought needs to be given to storage and
  maintenance.

24
Moving and Handling

• Some children with more significant impairment
  will need moving and handling assistance.
• To ensure their safety and the safety of staff
  each child will need to have a Personal Handling
  Risk Assessment.
• Staff will need moving handling training which
  should be updated annually.

25
Socialisation

• The child may need help to access maintain
  friendships.
• If they need an exercise programme do it at a
  time outside break and lunch time
• Check your school trip / activity is accessible
  for all if not run a parallel trip /activity
  and give all children a choice
• Acknowledging safety, allow the child his /her
  own space and time with peers
• Consider circle of friends
• If the child signs encourage other pupils to sign
  whilst speaking.

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Further information

• Support Service for Children with Physical
  Impairment
• Support Services Centre,
• Brookside Road,
• Breadsall,
• Derbyshire. DE21 5LF
• 01332 834782
• physical.impairment_at_derbyshire.gov.uk
• Trisha Bowen (Head of Service)

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Access Issues for children who are Deaf and
Hearing Impaired The Visual Environment

• Good lighting Needed for lip reading and for
  good visual clues to what is said.
• Anti glare windows Reduces glare so that pupils
  can see to lip read.
• Plain, or non-Jazzy patterned walls No
  distractions from the teachers face for lip
  reading.
• Good clear displays Provide visual clues and
  reinforce what is said.
• Classrooms which allow people to be seen clearly
  at all times, not with areas where the speakers
  may not be seen.

28
The Acoustic Environment for Deaf and hearing
Impaired

• Carpets, curtains and soft furnishings Cut down
  on reverberation and background noise.
• Low ceilings Cut down on reverberation and give
  better listening conditions
• Quiet heating systems Not noisy intermittent air
  blowers. Reduce background noise making better
  listening conditions.

29
Acoustic environment for Deaf and hearing
Impaired continued

• Rubber stoppers on the bottom of chairs to cut
  down on background noise.
• Enclosed classrooms Children find it difficult
  to isolate the teachers voice in open plan
  environments.
• Acoustic ceiling tiles Absorb ambient noise.
• Soft covers on work surfaces Cut down on the
  noise of pens, books etc on the desk surface.

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Good Practice for Deaf and hearing Impaired

• Ensure background noise level is as low as
  possible.
• Encourage only one person to speak at once.
• Get the childs attention before speaking.
• Use visual clues to back up what is said as much
  as possible.
• Always be in vision when speaking, walking around
  the classroom while speaking makes it difficult
  to follow.
• Using an overhead projector rather than a
  black/white board allows you to face the child
  and write at the same time.
• Good clear handouts. They may not be able to
  make notes and watch what you are saying at the
  same time.

31
Good practice for Deaf and hearing Impaired
continued

• Never cover your mouth or face while speaking.
• Allow the pupil to sit where they can see the
  teacher and also scan the class when others are
  speaking. To the side and near to the front.
• Indicate who is speaking, or get the speaker to
  identify when they begin so that the pupil can
  locate them and look at them while they speak.

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Good practice for Deaf and hearing Impaired
continued

• Do not take it for granted that the pupil has
  understood what you have said, always check and
  reinforce.
• Group discussions are difficult, repeat what
  other pupils say to provide access.
• Reinforce new vocabulary and technical
  language.

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Further information

• Support Service for Deaf and Hearing Impaired,
• Support Services Centre,
• Brookside Road,
• Breadsall,
• Derbyshire. DE21 5LF
• 01332 833958
• Debbie Marston (Head of Service)

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Access Issues for Children with Visual
ImpairmentTerms of visual impairment

• Visual impairment is an umbrella term covering
  blind and partially sighted pupils.
• A visually impaired pupil is one whose impairment
  interferes with his or her optimum learning and
  achievement unless adaptations are made in the
  methods of presenting learning experiences, or in
  the learning environment.

35
Access Issues for Children with Visual
ImpairmentTerms of visual impairment

• Visual impairment is an umbrella term covering
  blind and partially sighted pupils.
• A visually impaired pupil is one whose impairment
  interferes with his or her optimum learning and
  achievement unless adaptations are made in the
  methods of presenting learning experiences, or in
  the learning environment.

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It has been estimated that 80 of learning is via
the visual pathways
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Everyday use of vision

• See clearly near to and at a distance
• Maintain binocular vision near to and at a
  distance
• Have a visual memory
• Change fixation easily from one place to another
  e.g. up/down or side to side
• Perceive general form differences and likeness

38
Environmental considerations

• Aim for contrast between door frame and wall and
  the door and handle.
• Handrail should contrast with wall
• Glare is a major problem medium weight vertical
  blinds should be fitted at windows.
• Need for good natural lighting
• Lighting in corridors is often very poor
• Door signs should contrast with background and be
  at eye level

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Exams

• Exam papers can be supplied in modified, enlarged
  or Braille formats.
• Extra time can be applied for (up to 50)
• Exam boards should be approached early on if
  differentiated papers are needed before
  Christmas for June exams
• Answers can be dictated or typed

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Further information

• Support Service for Children with Visual
  Impairment
• High Peak and Derbyshire Dales
• Area Education Office
• Kents Bank Road
• Buxton
• Derbyshire DE5 3JE
• 01298 26121
• Head of Service Tony Bowyer

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An Example of an Accessibility Plan
Targets Strategies Outcomes Timeframes Goals Achieved
Short Term Availability of written materials in alternative formats Use large print. Tape messages for non-reading parents or VI pupils. Contact Support Service for Visual Impairment for Braille materials 01246 204851 If needed the school can provide written information in alternative forms. Term 3 2002 / 03 Delivery of information to disabled pupils improved.
Medium Term Incorporation of appropriate colour schemes when refurbishing to benefit pupils with visual impairments and install window blinds. Paint walls, doors, and door frames in contrasting colours. Door handles contrast with doors. Contact the Support Service for Visual Impairment for further advice 01246 204851 Several classrooms are made more accessible for visually impaired children Term 1 2003 / 04 Physical accessibility to school increased.
Training for teachers on differentiating the curriculum Training need identified after school skills audit. Consider accessing DAIS central training requesting training from LIO service, or identifying this as a development area with the SSSEN. 01629 580000 Teachers are able to more fully meet the requirements of disabled childrens needs with regards to accessing the curriculum. Term 2 2003 / 2004 Increase in access to the National Curriculum
Long Term School plans to improve access to designated areas over successive financial years. The school decides which of its exits and entrances have priority and plans to fit ramps and handrails to all of these. Planned use of minor capital delegated resources and discuss with the LEA using School Access initiative funding. Having secured capital resources from the LEA, over a three year period the schools entry areas will be fully accessible. Term 3 2004 / 2005 Physical accessibility of school increased.