The Department for Education has said assistive technology (AT) is currently under-utilised in supporting children with special educational needs (SEND).
It has pointed to the shortcoming in a newly published review that brings together a range of research on the subject, saying the evidence is that the technology can improve educational outcomes and quality of life, but that it is not used as widely as needed.
The publication has been accompanied by Children and Families Minister Vicky Ford telling the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Assistive Technology that the review could help schools in applying assistive tech.
The review says the right type of AT can help pupils complete tasks that have previously been beyond them, and that its potential will only be realised with maximised application.
But it adds: “At this time, AT is an under-utilised intervention to provide pupils and students with special needs and disabilities as a means for accessing and engaging in the curriculum in ways that are representative of the ubiquitous nature of technology in society.”
Achievement during lockdown
It highlights the importance of accessible educational materials, saying they have played a big role in maintaining education during the pandemic lockdown, but that SEND pupils have run into obstacles in using them.
These have included barriers in online learning management systems, web pages and multimedia that are not accessible, and a lack of AT devices and services in some teaching activities.
The review says a first step in overcoming this should be for parents and educators to explore the accessibility features on their devices, and that significant progress will require a co-ordinated effort to increase the number of pupils receiving support.
In a keynote address to the APPG, Ford (pictured) said: “Assistive technology can be life changing and for many it is vital to communication, learning and overall independence.
“In recent months, the importance of assistive technology has been demonstrated like never before. The essential collaboration provided by groups such as this APPG is vital to ensure that we make policy which is informed by as much research and evidence as possible.
“Our review will give schools and colleges a helping hand by providing greater transparency in what tools and interventions can improve outcomes of SEND students and bridge the gap from education into employment.
“It will also support the technology sector in embedding accessibility features – such as text to voice tools – as part of their service development, and policymakers to better embed inclusion into their policies and services. This will lead to real, meaningful differences in the quality of education for children and young people.”
Image by Richard Townshend, CC BY 3.0
