DART Project

1
DART Project Beaumont College, Lancaster Rohan
Slaughter 17/5/11
2
About Beaumont College

• Independent Specialist College based in Lancaster
• 91 learners, 330 FTE staff
• Ofsted Outstanding
• LSIS Beacon Status
• Curriculum focussed on personal development,
  independence, skills for life
• Creative arts specialism

3
The DART Project

• DART Disseminating Assistive Roles and
  Technology
• Working in partnership, Beaumont College and
  National Star College
• Funded by the LSIS flexibility and innovation
  fund

4
The DART Project

• The project aims to
• Improve Assistive Technology practice in the
  sector
• Enable the replication of the innovative
  Assistive Technologist role
• Disseminate the Beaumont College Technology
  service model
• Produce Assistive Technology case studies for the
  sector

5
The DART Project

• The Assistive Technologist
• Sits at the interface of people and technology
• Works as part of a trans-disciplinary team, which
  includes OT, SLT, teachers, social care staff
• A new hybrid role that does not replace any
  existing role
• The technologist becomes the chief integrator
  of the assistive technology solution provided to
  the student

6
The DART Project

• The Assistive Technologist
• This role was developed during the Wheeltop
  Project at Beaumont College
• Funded by BT from 2007-2010
• Integrate off the shelf Tablet PC technology in
  place of dedicated communication aids
• Reduced the cost of the hardware and increased
  flexibility of solutions
• The technologist role was the most important
  development from the Wheeltop Project

7
The DART Project

• Disseminate the Beaumont College Technology
  service model
• Beaumont unifies mainstream IT support and
  assistive technology support into a single team
• Team is run from the Senior Management Team
• This arrangement but serves the college well, and
  avoids the divide that can exist between
  technical staff and teaching staff
• The team includes two technologists, two network
  technicians, an IT technician, Media technician
  and a technical learning support worker

8
The DART Project

• Disseminate the Beaumont College Technology
  service model
• Beaumont has a robust modern IT system that has
  been developed over a number of years
• Assistive Technology and AAC expertise
• We are active in networks such as the JISC RSC
  NW, the Technology Exemplar Network, TechDIS,
  LSIS, NATSPEC groups
• Have been involved in a number of sector projects

9
The DART Project

• Molenet3 MOVE Mobile Video Evidence (supports
  the e-portfolio initiative)
• Innovation 3 Supports the Staff VLE development
• Karten 2 The Beaumont Digital Arts Centre
• LSIS ISC e-leadership program e-safety and
  e-maturity
• Successor towheeltop project. Scope and BT are
  again working together on the Connect to Control
  project, focus on Environmental Control Systems
• Technology Exemplar Network
• TSB Mobility Bridge
• LSIS Flexibility and Innovation fund replicate
  the Technologist role, our technology service
  profile and disseminate case studies of our
  assistive tech.
• JISC InfoNET Strategy Work

10
The DART Project

• Produce assistive technology case studies
• Examples of assistive technology solutions in
  place at both National Star College and Beaumont
• Examples of technology in use at partner colleges
• Examples of how we have worked with partner
  colleges (training, support, technology)

11
The DART Project

• Produce assistive technology case studies
• For example, using a windows 7 tablet in place of
  a communication aid

• Benefits
• Lower Cost
• Flexible
• Runs The Grid 2 Software
• Easy to mount or use hand held
• Can be supported by anyone with PC knowledge

12
The DART Project

• The project
• Convened a project board to oversee the project
• Sought partners in both mainstream and FE
  colleges
• We had assistance from both the JISC RSCs and
  TechDIS to publicise the project
• We had a massive response, in all 24 enquiries
  were made prior to the deadline, more enquires
  since
• It is clear that there is an unmet need
• We have engaged with 8 colleges

13
The DART Project

• The Partner Colleges
• Beaumont College
• Runshaw FE College
• Dovestones at Tameside
• Henshaws ISC
• Wirral FE
• National Star College
• Bournemouth and Pool FE College
• Swindon FE College
• Oakwood Court ISC
• South Bristol Skills Academy (FE)

14
The DART Project

• The Partner Colleges
• Initial visits have already taken place with many
  colleges
• Identify what the college wishes to develop as
  part of the project, could include
• Elements of the Technologist role to be embedded
  in an existing role
• Transfer of assistive technology knowledge to
  specific staff, work shadowing etc
• Training and development for staff in the partner
  colleges
• Advice on sourcing equipment, software etc
• Advice on adapting mainstream hardware

15
The DART Project

• The Partner Colleges
• Beaumont College and National Star will work to
  develop a program of activities with each college
  individually
• At least four days will be spent with each
  college
• Opportunity to review, adapt and change direction
  as emergent needs are identified
• Intended to foster two way learning, we wish to
  learn from all partner colleges
• The project is intended to have a legacy of web
  based resources that can be used by the sector
  more widely

16
The DART Project

• The Project website
• Hosts information about the project
• Will be updated regularly
• Has a number of case studies available now
• Accessible media centre
• Computer access for visually impaired switch
  users
• Switch access to digital SLR cameras
• More case studies to be added soon
• http//dart.beaumontcollege.ac.uk/

17
The DART Project

• Thank you for listening
• Any Questions?