EMINENT IV Geneva 2003

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EMINENT IV Geneva 2003

• INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AS A
  TOOL FOR PROMOTING EQUITY FOR PEOPLE WITH
  SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (SEN).

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European Agency for Development in Special Needs
Education

• Improvement of quality in special needs education
  and the creation of a long-term framework for
  extended European collaboration in the field.
• www.european-agency.org
• amanda_at_european-agency.org

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Issues to clarify when debating Equity

• Terminology SEN / low achiever / disadvantaged
• Acknowledgement of country specific situations
• The fact that definitions and identification of
  SEN impacts upon strategies and results
• Mainstreaming / inclusion philosophies and
  practices

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Background

• 10 (a conservative estimate) of European
  population has some form of disability
• SEN - 1 to 20 of the total school population
  (temporary or permanent educational problems)
• ICT is increasingly seen as a major tool in
  meeting individual pupils needs
• ICT for SEN can be assistive technology and/or a
  learning tool
• Information Society for All is far from a reality
  for all European school pupils

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ICT in SNE Project (1999 onwards)

• ICT in SNE survey relating to ICT SNE policy
  and practice in special education situations in
  17 European countries educational not
  technological focus
• Web database of country overview information
  collected via a network of ICT in SNE experts
• ICT examples of practice database
• Report highlighting the trends in ICT in SNE
• Future visions conference, Lisbon 2002

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Key Issues from an SNE perspective

• Policies that direct the availability and use of
  ICT and how they are implemented
• Support and training available in ICT for SNE
  teachers and how the limitations in support and
  training place constraints upon the introduction
  of new ICTs classrooms
• Current and perceived future developments in the
  field and how they may impact on SNE
• Information sources available for special
  educators

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Policies

• Explicit links between respective ICT and SNE
  policies are rare
• Only four countries identified that there was a
  National ICT Strategy that had a direct influence
  upon ICT in SNE
• None of the countries identified explicit links
  between educational ICT policies and IST or RD
  policies or initiatives
• Disjointed thinking and approaches at policy
  level has a direct impact on practical use of ICT
  that can promote equity

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ICT Support

• The availability of appropriate support in using
  ICT is as important as having the appropriate
  hardware and software
• Some general ICT courses for teachers, but
  specialist training is rare - specialist initial
  teacher training is hardly available in-service
  training developing in some in countries
• Training is more important than access to the
  latest technological developments
• Equipment does not guarantee its implementation
  teachers need to be trained and supported in its
  effective use

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Common Issues

• Hard and Software requirements
• Internet Access
• Compatibility/application issues
• Pedagogical research not necessarily ICT
  related!!
• Access to appropriate information is in itself a
  key source of support for teachers and
  professionals who support them

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• Thematic Network project supported by the
  European Community under the Information Society
  Technologies (IST) programme
• Opening the lines of communication between
  teachers as ordinary users of technology and
  researchers in order to make access to the right
  sort of technology a more likely proposition for
  more pupils with SEN
• If the dialogue between these two groups can be
  facilitated to a greater extent, then a real step
  forward will have been made towards achieving a
  genuine information society that includes all
  citizens

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Prospects for ICT in SNE Policies?

• Policies should be trans-sectoral and underpinned
  by the philosophy of
• Meeting individual learners needs
• Promoting a School for All
• Promoting inclusion within all educational
  sectors
• Policies need to provide the long term vision,
  but be flexible enough to reflect local level
  needs and major initiatives in all educational
  sector

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Prospects for ICT in SNE Practice?

• Development of regional, national and
  international networks to facilitate the
  connections between resource centres and
  individuals
• An in depth analysis and description of the
  factors leading to good practice in order to
  develop guidelines for support structures
• More co-ordinated information about technology
  resources
• Creation of virtual resource centres in
  connection with physical resource centres
• Virtual and physical possibilities for exchanges
  between all professionals in the field

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• All schools have opportunities to join networks
  and partnership projects
• Specialist, pedagogy based ICT in SNE training
  needs to be extended
• More support for school development and change
  initiatives
• Establish guidelines concerning use of ICT as a
  means of supporting inclusion and facilitating
  access to the curriculum
• Support team work between teachers and other
  professionals
• Ensure all hardware and software follows the
  principles of design for all

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Prospects for Research Development?

• RD focus should be upon learning and how to
  improve it
• Designing and developing Inclusive Technology to
  facilitate participation taking account of
  diverse user groups, user roles, cultures,
  languages
• Instead of reacting, educationalists should be
  active participants in shaping R D
• New developments both technological and
  educational should be based on research outcomes
• Facilitation of greater interaction between all
  actors

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• Basic and applied research is needed, the latter
  being practical and realistic
• Common procedures, guidelines, evaluation
  criteria, standards, policies should be developed
• There needs to be a balance between market forces
  and regulations
• A multi-disciplinary approach is required
• Communication and exchange platforms and
  networking of researchers (e.g. via conferences,
  technical platforms) are necessary
• Development of an effective knowledge base
• Development of guidelines regarding inclusiveness

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Challenge access to ICT solutions for all

• Salamanca Statement (1994)
• regular schools with (an) inclusive orientation
  are the most effective means of combating
  discriminatory attitudes, creating welcoming
  communities, building an inclusive society and
  achieving education for all
• ensure that special needs education forms part
  of every discussion dealing with education for
  all in various forums
• An information society for all needs to consider
  and meet the needs of the least, as well as most
  able of its citizens
• Should access to appropriate ICT be seen as a
  question of entitlement?

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ICT meeting SEN within inclusive settings

• Inclusive schooling is a strategic approach that
  began with grassroots pressure in many societies
• It is based on a philosophy of entitlement and
  equality of opportunity
• ICT appewars to be a good tool for supporting
  inclusion
• An increase in the digital divide that currently
  exists for pupils with special needs will
  increase discrimination and exclusion

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SEN and the Digital Divide

• People with SEN are at risk of being doubly
  disadvantaged if their access to appropriate ICT
  is not supported.
• They risk becoming one of the main groups
  experiencing the growing digital divide.
• In addition, if some of their basic needs that
  could be addressed through the use of adaptive
  technology are not be met, they risk further
  social exclusion.

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Can ICT lead to more inclusive learning?

• Yes if
• We dont exclude an estimated 20 of learners
  from our thinking
• We broaden the sphere of actors involved in
  research and development
• We let pedagogy lead the development of technical
  tricks
• We maximise the potential of ICT as a tool that
  can be truly adaptable and can be individualised
  to meet personal learning needs for everyone

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Equity - realities and philosophies

• SEN (and low achievement) will always be with us
• What can change is our philosophies of how we
  deal with these realities
• More inclusive philosophies are not just about
  raising achievement levels, but are based upon
  principles of equality of opportunity within the
  practice of accepting differences

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Sources

• ICT in SNE database
• www.european-agency.org/ict_sen_db/index.html
• SEN-IST-Net www.senist.net
• EC, DG Education and Culture
• http//europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/education_culture/