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Computer Science: Active Learning in Computing (ALiC)

Activity 5: Support for Special Needs Students

Activity name 5. Support for Special Needs Students
Participants LeedsMet (Mentor)
Durham (transfer site) 		Aims Covered: 4
Timescales October 05 - July 06 - further development and transfer
Tool support work - See Activity 11
Background The introduction of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA, 2001) and the Disability Discrimination Act part IV (DDA, 1995) provide an opportunity and incentive to review T&L methods and see how the requirements of the students with special needs can be addressed. Through the adoption of emerging guidelines, together with investigations into the impact of assessment approaches on students with special needs, ALiC seeks to minimise the risks for such students.
Activity Transfer - Durham
Durham will take the output of the LeedsMet work and investigate its suitability for transfer to another institution. We will, for instance, attempt to integrate the recommendations of LeedsMet on assisting students with dyslexia to form a document and slide template. We will then evaluate its uptake from staff and the benefit it offers to students. The Techno-Café will provide appropriate facilities for students with disabilities.

New Developments - LeedsMet
We wish to support and develop such support for students with special needs as these students are particularly at risk during AL exercises. We will, initially, focus on students with special needs but will expand this into investigating support for part-time, HND and FD students. This will investigate the impact of different forms of assessment.

Evaluation
  • Measure uptake from staff and problems identified with templates.
  • Individually interview special needs students to identify benefits for students.
  • Evaluate assessment approaches by undertaking statistical analysis of results and the identification of issues associated with different forms of assessment.
Expected outcomes
  1. Guidelines for preparing suitable IT learning materials for special needs students.
  2. Methodology for analysing student results to identify potential performance differentials between these and other students.
  3. Guidelines on assessment approaches for supporting special needs students.
Risks
  • Staff may choose not to adopt these special needs support materials. Mitigation: staff have already been approached and are keen to trial the materials.
  • Support templates may be too restrictive for some topics such as maths. Mitigation: identify problem areas and develop specialised approaches.