SHARING INNOVATION IN

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SHARING INNOVATION IN PLACEMENT LEARNING
IMPROVING ACCESS TO PRACTICE LEARNING FOR
DISABLED STUDENTS USING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
Deirdre Ford, Lecturer in Social Work
Faculty of Health Social Work
University of Plymouth
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What is assistive technology?
Assistive technology is technology used by
individuals with disabilities in order to perform
functions that might otherwise be difficult or
impossible. Assistive technology can include
mobility devices such as walkers and wheelchairs,
as well as hardware and software that assist
people with disabilities to access computers or
other information technologies. For example,
people with limited hand function may use a
keyboard with large keys or a special mouse to
operate a computer, people who are blind may use
software that reads text on the screen in a
computer-generated voice, people with low vision
may use software that enlarges screen content,
people who are deaf may use a TTY (text
telephone), or people with speech impairments may
use a device that speaks out loud as they enter
text via a keyboard.
(Taken from University of
Washington website)
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What is TechDis?
The JISC TechDis Service aims to be the leading
educational advisory service, working across the
UK, in the fields of accessibility and inclusion.
Our mission is to support the education sector
in achieving greater accessibility and inclusion
by stimulating innovation and providing expert
advice and guidance on disability and technology.
TechDis is a JISC-funded Advisory Service (Joint
Information Systems Committee). Welcome to JISC
TechDis. Techdis URL http//www.techdis.ac.uk/ind
ex.php?p1 Viewed 23, Apr 2008
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It is informed by the social model of disability
recognising that people are excluded and
restricted by societal and attitudinal barriers.
CEPPL Development Activity
Supporting Disabled Students

• Aims
• to promote disability equality and access for
  students
• to assist the CEPPL through its various
  activities to improve placement
• opportunities and support for disabled students
• to dismantle barriers that confront students in
  placement settings
• to build on national initiatives and the
  achievements of Plymouth
• Universitys Disability Assist Service whose
  Director,
• Judith Waterfield, is a National Teaching
  Fellow.
• The CEPPL is informed by the social model of
  disability recognising that
• people are excluded and restricted by societal
  and attitudinal barriers.

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The idea for this project came from Disability
Assist and a Plymouth nursing student with
dyslexia who identified his electronic organiser
as crucial to the success of his placement.

• A successful bid was made to TechDis for 8 HP
  IPAQ Personal Digital Assistants and compatible
  folding Bluetooth keyboards. The benefits of this
  equipment for disabled students on placement were
  identified as follows
• portability
• aides to personal organisation and time
  management using
• the electronic organiser and calendar
• recording audio notes which can then be
  transferred to
• another medium
• a typing facility using a portable keyboard
  which is a
• cheaper and more user-friendly option than
  using a PDA
• with an integral keyboard

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Recruitment6 students
with declared disabilities, mainly with a
diagnosis of dyslexia from the second year of BSc
(Hons) Social Work programme. The
project team includedNeeds Assessor from
Disability Assist, CEPPL Learning Technologist
Practice Learning Manager (Practice
Educator).We have all met with students to
offer ongoing support. The Practice learning
Manger also received a PDA and keyboard in order
to provide advice tailored to placement
requirements. He is currently assisting one of
the students to develop an e-portfolio as an
alternative assessment.A CEPPL Research Fellow
agreed to assist with the evaluation of the
pilot. CEPPL funding paid for sim cards.
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Student placementsPractice
learning began in late October Variety of
settings, both public sector and
private/voluntaryRanging from a community
mental health team to a residential care facility
for older people Students were both city-based
and in rural locations with variable access to IT
through the workplace A typical student comment
wasI really want to take part in this and have
considered using DSA to purchase a PDA so I would
like the opportunity to see just how effectively
I can use such resources.
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Some uses of the PDA 1. MP3
player enables you to play back books, podcasts
or lecture recordings   2. View E-books,
journals, magazines, newspapers articles etc.
downloaded through the sync. process   3. View
PowerPoint in lecture at same time as module
teacher   4. Maintain records in a legible
format which can be sent to agency computers via
email   5. Access university resources, such as
Metalib on the move or at the placement  
Mp3
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6. Schedule your time. The device can structure
your day, alerting you to each appointment. 7.
Depending on device, use as a tool to record
meetings on placement where memory is an issue.
Less invasive than separate Dictaphone. 8. Task
option allows you to set daily and weekly tasks,
prioritising specific things where necessary.
This minimises the problems of forgetting
appointments etc. It compensates for memory or
recall difficulties. 9. Update placement records
on the move, limiting the reliance on memory.
Spell, grammar and format check files leave you
feeling less reliant on others.
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10.  Use in car to play verbal files, through
standard tape player, using a 3.5 to tape
adaptation or a double male 3.5 audio cable 11. 
Make notes at university or work placement, while
in meetings (discreetly!!) 12. Share files
through Bluetooth, with other students, saving
the need to repeat time lengthy tasks such as
recording books.   13. Watch downloaded
documentaries on subject.   14. Maintain running
documents as a link between your main device and
the work placement. Jonathan Mitchell, 2nd year
student BSc (Hons) Social Work, Plymouth
University
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Findings

• Students need preparation before the placement
  about the particular PDA model. One student
  reported self-teaching was the best way to
  learn but it took two weeks to transfer files,
  documents etc. to the PDA.
• Students need support to configure settings on
  the PDA to establish the Bluetooth connection
  with the portable keyboard, and to access the
  university intranet and email accounts as well as
  to synchronise with home computers.
• The IPAQs internal memory is too small for the
  amount of material downloaded so additional SD
  cards needed.
• TechDis funded project run by Dr Karen Gresty
  Plymouth University, about the use of digital
  recorders http//www.techdis.ac.uk/index.php?p2_
  1_7_6.

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Findings continued

• A CEPPL funded initiative, The Use of Mobile
  Technology to Support the Development of
  Evidenced Based Practice in the Clinical
  Setting, Dr Jenny Morris and Dr Veronica
  Maynard, Plymouth University, is also helpful.
  http//www.ebp-case-study.org.uk
• Students reported that Inspiration and
  Dragon are both power-hungry, and the battery
  life of the devices is limited.
• With the personal organiser, students report that
  the calendar/vibration alarm led to fewer overdue
  books and library fines.
• 2 students said that a dual sim card would
  integrate personal and professional use into one
  device
• Placement sites should be prepared with
  information about assistive technology

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This presentation is dedicated to the memory of
Serina Ashworth, 2nd year student, BSc (Hons)
Social Work and an active participant in this
project who died November 2007.