University expertise used to help deaf children learn

The University of Nottingham has teamed up with the Ear Foundation to provide training for teachers, parents and carers of children with cochlear implants. 

The life-changing technology has been giving deaf people the gift of hearing for over 20 years but training to help teachers, parents and carers of children with the devices has lagged behind,

The JISC/HEA funded ‘Promoting Academic Resources in Society’ (PARiS) project, will increase the number of Open Educational Resources (OER) available to help children with an implant to communicate and develop spoken language.

 With over 80,000 people fitted with cochlear implants worldwide, the Ear Foundation says demand for its education programme inevitably outstrips the available resources. 

It is hoped that the new online modules will help the foundation to support more teachers and carers of deaf students, as well as the wider mainstream teaching community.

The chief executive of the Ear Foundation, Sue Archbold, said: “Deafness in childhood and adulthood has a devastating effect on language and communication developments. Today we have the best possible hearing technologies such as cochlear implants which have transformed the opportunities for deaf children. 

“However, with more deaf children going to mainstream schools there is an urgent need for information as to how to maximise the benefits in teaching. These online resources will help thousands of children and their families all around the world.”

The resources include: an overview of cochlear implantation; the impact of deafness on communication and language; the challenges of using technology at home and school; maximising the benefit of the technology in education; monitoring progress and the family role in language learning.

More information is available from Open Learning support officer Steven Stapleton e-mail steven.stapleton@nottingham.ac.uk and The Ear Foundation website http://www.earfoundation.org.uk/index.php.

Autism competition winners

The winners of the national art competition, Create! Art for Autism 2012, have been unveiled at an awards ceremony at Beechwood College, near Cardiff.

 More than 550 entries were received across the four categories – 2D Art, 3D Art, Digital Art and Poetry. 

The judging panel was led by actress Jane Asher and television and radio presenter Gaby Roslin.

Now in its second year, the competition is open to all young people aged 11-25 years that have formally been diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Condition. 

The fifth category – the People’s Choice – was open for votes from the public in partnership with the Times Educational Supplement and received a total of 1,040 votes.

 Beechwood College, one of the UK’s leading specialist residential colleges for students with ASC, launched this year’s competition in March at a parliamentary reception. 

Following the awards ceremony, the finalists’ artwork will be rolled out on a national art tour visiting Cardiff, Bristol, Birmingham and London.

The winners of Create! Art for Autism 2012 included: 2D: David Greenberg, 16, Inscape House School, ‘Scottish Pipers’

3D: Patrick Pearce, 16, Sunnydown School,‘Coral Reefs’

Digital: Photography, Luke Tuckwell, 18, Broomhayes School, ‘Toy Cars’. Animation, Lewis Davies, 16, Risca Community Comprehensive, ‘ She’s Leaving Home’

Poetry: Alexander Philip Nickisson, 15, Woodhey High School, ‘ My Mind’

The People’s Choice: Oliver Coatsworth, 11, Evergreen Primary School, ‘The Owls’

The artwork can be viewed at http://www.beechwoodcollege.co.uk/finalists

Patrick Pearce’s winning ‘Coral Reefs’

Internships pilot to help young people with SEN into work

Thousands of young people with special education needs are to get help into long term paid employment through a new government programme.

Supported internships for 16 - 25 year olds who have complex learning difficulties or disabilities will be trialled at 14 colleges in England this autumn.

If successful the study scheme could be adopted by all further education colleges from September 2013.

The programme is backed by £3 million from the department for education and expert job coaches will support interns and employers. Placements, tailored to the individual needs of the young person, will be provided for example at a restaurant, library or clothes retailer. 

The aim is to give the interns the platform to break down negative attitudes and show employers what they can do. 

Sarah Teather the minister for children and families, said: “We have to be more ambitious and tap into huge potential in people with learning needs. We can’t leave the most vulnerable on the scrapheap, without a way of getting a job and being able to live as independently as they can.

“With appropriate mentoring, even young people with complex needs can shine in a successful business.”

The minister saw how this works in practice at the Rose Project at Havering College of Further & Higher Education in east London, which has operated a supported employment programme for young adults with special educational needs for several years.  

ADASS endorses community equipment code

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, ADASS, has added its name to the list of organisations supporting a code of practice to improve the provision of disability equipment.

The aim of the Code of Practice for Community Equipment – known as CECOPS – is to improve the expertise of providers and commissioners in supplying the right equipment.

It covers the provision of everything from children’s postural support chairs to daily living aids, sensory equipment, adaptations such as ramps and grab rails to wheelchairs for short term use and telecare.

CECOPS, a not for profit organisation was set up to manage registration, training and accreditation of users of the Code. To assist those who supply the equipment in bringing a high quality service to disabled children and adults, including elderly people.

The Code, a recently written handbook, is essentially a quality framework for the procurement and provision of services. It is relevant for health and social care providers, care homes, special schools, retailers and clinical and professional teams including therapists. 

Brian Donnelly the chief executive of CECOPS said: “ADASS has recognised the real value the Code will bring to service users and its member’s organisations. 

“We are already working with some local authorities, and will be contacting others in the coming weeks and months to help them register with CECOPS.”

The Code is already officially supported by the care regulator the Care Quality Commission and it fits with their Essential Standards. 

For further details and to read the executive summary of the paper CECOPS sent to ADASS introducing them to the Code download a copy of the paper http://tinyurl.com/bp8juv2

Epilepsy charity open day

Young Epilepsy is inviting parents and carers to a free open day so they can learn more about its specialist school, college and medical facilities.

It takes place at the charity’s 60-acre rural headquarters in Lingfield, Surrey, on Wednesday, 11 July. 

 There will be the opportunity to find out about the charity’s education services and also the National Centre for Young Epilepsy which offers a range of diagnostic, assessment and rehabilitation services.  

 Anyone wishing to attend should e- mail openday@youngepilepsy.org.uk or call Mandy Richmond telephone 01342 831 348. To find out more about Young Epilepsy see www.youngepilepsy.org.uk or find it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/youngepilepsy

Learning disabled role – a first for academia

A journal has been published with a selection of articles edited and peer reviewed by people with learning disabilities, in what is thought to be a first for academia anywhere in the world.

A University of Manchester team of academics and people with learning disabilities worked together on the British Journal of Learning Disabilities edition, which is published this week.

Team member Dr Rohhss Chapman said the project shows it is possible to make research into learning disability much more inclusive.

Lou Townson, works with People First, which helps people with  learning difficulties in Cumbria, is one of five members of The University of Manchester team who has learning difficulties. She said: “As someone with learning difficulties, I feel that there is nothing we can’t do, we just might need a bit more support.

“In terms of working with researchers, it’s isn’t usually  the information which is difficult to understand  but the way it is presented. We learned a lot by working on this on this journal.

“People with learning difficulties do have a valuable contribution to make to academic research into learning difficulty and I hope our work helps to make the case.”

The editor of the Journal, Professor Duncan Mitchell who is based at Manchester Metropolitan University said: “This special edition is significant because it explores ways in which people with learning disabilities can engage in research and ensure that papers that are about them are written and reviewed by them.”

Team leave for the challenge of a lifetime

Ten students with complex emotional issues, their teachers and celebrity chef, Anthony Worral Thompson, are to embark on a nine day trek across the floor of the Great Rift Valley in Tanzania in 40 degree heat.

Calum Carter, 15, from Springfields Academy, a special needs school, in Wiltshire, will be narrating and acting as a pupil mentor for the BBC documentary ‘The Hottest Classroom’ which is due to be aired later this year.

The main purpose of the trip is to raise people’s awareness about emotional and behavioural learning difficulties EBD.

A graduate of the Dore Programme, a personalised, drug free programme for dyslexia, Calum was unable to read or write when he was younger but he is now much more confident – playing rugby at a competitive level and about to sit his GCSEs.

‘The Hottest Classroom’, is one of a series of observational documentaries under the banner of ‘The Extreme Classroom’, devised and developed by Springfields Academy principal and chair of the Dore Foundation Trystan Williams, and vice principal Jon Hamp in the belief that ‘only by challenging students will they exceed expectations.’ 

Trystan Williams said: “The trip has been organised by two charities Engage in the Future and the Dore Foundation who share a similar set of principles which are compatible with what we are trying to do.”

This is a story of hope and an eagerly awaited viewing after last year’s instalment entitled ‘The Coldest Classroom’. 

“Calum is a perfect example of what we are trying to achieve. He is a true success story and has turned his young life around.”

Calum said: “I’m very excited and nervous at the same time. My life has been turned around and this is part of an incredible journey I just wouldn’t have been able to do once. I did well on the last trip but am wary of the heat this time – I think it will be the biggest challenge.”