All students have different learning needs – this we know. However, for students with any level of SEND, it can sometimes feel like there are too many locks and not enough keys when it comes to teaching and learning in ways that reach them or enable them to participate fully.
It is not always obvious what those “ways” are, but technology can offer possibilities to try things differently and open the door to more inclusive learning.
Official figures tell us that there are more than 1.5 million SEND students in England’s schools, and speech, language and communication are some of the most common areas where they require extra support (DfE, 2023).
While not a silver bullet, edtech solutions can make a tangible difference to a SEND student’s school experience, offering different methods to access content, engage with their learning and achieve real progress.
Accessibility before engagement
I wholeheartedly agree with the Education Endowment Foundation when it states: “To a great extent, good teaching for pupils with SEND is good teaching for all.” (Davies & Henderson, 2020).
Well-designed edtech solutions certainly play their part in realising this. From the teacher’s perspective, they can enable content and learning personalisation that meets all students where they are – not just those with visual, auditory, cognitive or motor conditions – and supports their progress and motivation once they start to see what they can achieve for themselves.
The first step to better engaging SEND students in the secondary classroom is accessibility. If content and resources aren’t accessible, then engaging with them is a non-starter.
It starts with staff training, so accessibility becomes embedded and is never an afterthought. Schools can find accessibility tools within the operating systems of their various devices, but if staff don’t know they are there, students miss out.
For example, Microsoft’s Ease of Access settings include a multitude of tools and controls – everything from text zoom rate; screen brightness; changing the default text size and volume; how long notifications stay on screen; colour filters for colour blindness; contrast, caption, dictation, eye control, keyboard and screen reader settings, and much more.
For students, learning about these adaptations and how they work in practice not only equips them with essential digital skills to participate in their learning but also provides solutions they can apply as they need to – in and out of the school environment.
Of course, other edtech solutions also have their superpowers, e.g., enabling staff to guide and support students by channelling their focus and reducing distractions, which is especially helpful for those students who may experience sensory overload or social overwhelm.
Technology can offer teachers more oversight over their students and control over lessons, enabling them to share resources, access students’ devices remotely or open or close their applications when needed. Less is most definitely more when helping SEND students to concentrate, and these quick edtech tools can set them up to become engaged in their learning.
Widening communication
Communication is integral to education. It is also the key to better inclusion and wellbeing, so ensuring the availability of a range of communication channels is worth the effort, especially as it is a recognised area of difficulty for so many.
Whether communication barriers are physical or mental, there are all kinds of edtech solutions to transition learning from a passive experience to one that is active and meaningful, placing the SEND student on a par with their peers.
From solutions like screen readers, braille displays and eye gaze technology to adaptive switch devices and more, there's sure to be an option available to ensure students are part of an inclusive classroom.
Voice-based assistive technology is now becoming commonplace, and many of today’s media-experienced students will find it easy to use. In turn, they may prefer to receive audio feedback from their teacher rather than reading text.
But for those who can’t speak, for whatever reason, text-based chat, messaging and survey tools ensure they remain part of the class.
Being 'SEND safe' online
The statutory Keeping children safe in education guidance states that schools should maintain a safe learning environment with appropriate tools for filtering and monitoring activity. Setting this against giving students the freedom to learn online in safety can be tricky, and restricting everything is not the answer.
After all, school is where students need to acquire digital citizenship skills that will see them into their adult lives.
Yet the risks on the internet increase for SEND students, especially if they spend a lot of time online: cyber-bullying, inappropriate or violent content, exploitation, abuse – the list goes on.
This is a situation where creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for discussion is more powerful than the technology per se. Ensuring SEND students understand the online terminology and “rules” is vital. For example, is a new online “friend” really a friend? How can you tell?
That said, there are various edtech choices for schools to investigate that allow all students to learn online in safety and under supervision, alerting staff to any red flags in a student’s activity so they can step in to support them as appropriate.
Opening the door to learning
While wellbeing aligns closely with learning and progress for all students, it is particularly critical for SEND students, who often feel different and excluded. Accessibility tools are the first step to ensuring they not only feel part of the school community but can also participate in it, while other edtech solutions can support that process.
Finding the right edtech path for each individual SEND student will have a profound effect on their education – improving their learning engagement, building their technology confidence, and perhaps enabling them to choose how they learn for the first time. Now, how empowering is that?
- Al Kingsley is the independent chair of Peterborough City Council SEND Executive Board. He is also an edtech author, podcaster, speaker, MAT chair and CEO of NetSupport. Read his previous articles for SecEd via www.sec-ed.co.uk/authors/al-kingsley
Further information & resources
- Davies & Henderson: Special educational needs in mainstream schools, EEF, 2020: http://tinyurl.com/4u8bkbte
- DfE: Academic year 2022/23: Special educational needs in England, 2023: http://tinyurl.com/bdff2t79