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Planning to Improve Access to Education for Pupils with Disabilities
Guidance on Preparing Accessibility Strategies
Chapter 2 - The Three Duties
Introduction
37. This chapter will look in turn at each of the three aspects of improvements which accessibility strategies must address: access to the curriculum, the school environment and school communication. There is clear overlap across the three duties. It is up to responsible bodies, in drafting their strategies, whether or not they wish to include their improvements under separate headings or all together or in any other way (for example, improvements may be detailed under each school which will benefit from them, with a separate heading for authority-wide initiatives).
38. When combined, the three strands should work to improve access to education and associated services for pupils with disabilities. Education and associated services should be interpreted widely to encompass all aspects of a child's educational experience. Chapter 4 of the DRC Code of Practice for Schools provides examples as guidance on what should be considered within the broad definition of education and associated services. The examples in the Code include: preparation for entry to the school, the curriculum, teaching and learning, classroom organisation, timetabling, grouping of pupils, homework, access to school facilities, activities to supplement the curriculum (such as a drama group visiting the school), school sports, school policies, breaks and lunchtimes, the serving of school meals, interaction with peers, assessment and exam arrangements, school discipline and sanctions, exclusion procedures, school clubs and activities, school trips, the school's arrangements for working with other agencies, and preparation of pupils for the next phase of education.
39. Responsible bodies should also take account of any out of school care services provided on school premises (even though it may be a voluntary or private organisation providing this) and work with the group providing the out of school care to ensure that these facilities are accessible to pupils with disabilities.
Access to the Curriculum
40. Pupils with disabilities should as far as possible have access to a full and broad curriculum, similar to that followed by their non-disabled peers. At the same time, many of these pupils may need additional support and/or different approaches to teaching to enable them to learn and to benefit from the curriculum. Clearly many adjustments to allow pupils to access a full curriculum will still need to be provided on the basis of individual pupils' needs and therefore will continue to be made available through the SEN Framework or in response to the new Disability Discrimination Act duties.
41. However, many of the barriers to full participation may be similar for groups of children and therefore it will be useful for the responsible body to take a strategic approach to removing these barriers. For example, an authority may wish to consider in its accessibility strategy how learning support and auxiliary provision could be better distributed across the authority's schools. Alternatively, responsible bodies may wish to establish a policy for the provision of auxiliary aids, such as specialist equipment, for pupils with certain disabilities and to negotiate new contracts, where necessary, for supplying auxiliary aids. Similarly, they could consider implementing a strategy to make curriculum resources, that are currently paper-based (such as textbooks or worksheets), available in common electronic forms to assist pupils with visual or learning difficulties.
42. Accessibility strategies must include details of how the responsible body intends to help increase the extent to which pupils with disabilities can fully access the curriculum by securing staff training and considering the use of alternative approaches for teaching and support. Schools should also be encouraged to share good practice and collaborate on initiatives with other schools or agencies, such as therapists and other health professionals. Therefore, in consultations during the preparation of strategies, school staff should be encouraged to tell the planning group preparing the strategy not just about areas where improvements are needed, but also about examples of good practice, where initiatives are working well.
43. As far as possible, especially for pupils with complex education and health and/or social needs, local authorities should aim to ensure that their accessibility strategies plan for an integrated approach to delivering improved access to the curriculum. New community schools offer a good approach to joined-up working between professionals, but local authorities can also ensure that other schools have good access to support from health and social work services wherever necessary. Joint training will help to promote integrated working. It is clearly very important that health professionals and social workers are fully involved and consulted in the preparation of the strategy.
44. Although non-local authority schools may not have pupils with very complex needs, unless they are special schools, they should also consider their arrangements for working with health professionals and other agencies.
45. In considering how pupils' access to the curriculum can be improved, responsible bodies should not just look at the more 'formal' aspects of the curriculum - traditional subjects, such as English, mathematics, languages, sciences, music and physical education. They should also consider the wider aspects of the curriculum and pupils' social development. Therefore, their planning should include initiatives to overcome any barriers which prevent or make it difficult for pupils to participate fully in school trips and extra curricular activities, such as school plays and after school clubs. Responsible bodies should also consider facilities, such as study support clubs, where pupils can access additional support in relation to homework.
46. Many minor improvements should be carried out at school level under the new DDA provisions because they will involve reasonable adjustments for individual pupils. However, accessibility strategies should look at larger changes or authority-wide policies on, for example: ensuring that pupils can be involved in all after school services; or ensuring that special arrangements are in place for all pupils with special educational needs and disabilities to sit examinations and tests, whether external or internal.
Information and Communications Technology
47. Through the National Grid for Learning, new computers and networks are being installed in schools across Scotland to allow pupils to benefit from the use of ICT in learning. At the moment, various service providers are being contracted to install the network, but some pupils with disabilities are unable to use these computers for a variety of reasons.
48. Therefore, as part of their accessibility strategies, responsible bodies should make certain that contracts for any future supply of computers or upgrade of existing stock ensure that the computers (and associated furniture) are accessible or can easily be modified to be accessible to pupils with disabilities. They should also ensure that teaching staff are aware and can receive specialist advice on the use of accessible software and websites which are available (accessibility approval systems can provide information about these). For example, DAISY (Digital Audio Information System) has been trialed successfully in Scottish schools.
In reviewing existing contracts and, if necessary, negotiating new ones, a commissioning body should ensure that: - specialised items of hardware and software, such as an alternative keyboard, mouse or switches can be added easily;
- software needed by pupils with disabilities, such as speech output or screen magnification, can be installed;
- the full range of accessibility options within the operating system can be utilised, for example, to slow down mouse speed or keyboard repeat rate, or to enlarge screen fonts or reduce screen clutter;
- equipment can be placed in accessible locations, for example, so that wheelchair users can reach the keyboard and see the screen;
- access privileges are flexible enough to enable staff to make necessary changes to afford access (for example, to adjust control panels or save individual settings for specific programs).
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49. Local members of ICT Support for Learning in Scotland (ICTSLS) can advise on ICT and inclusion, as can Learning and Teaching Scotland. The CALL (Communication Aids for Language and Learning) Centre can also provide more information on any complex improvements to ICT. For their contact details, see Annex B.
Different disabilities
50. In considering barriers to full participation in the curriculum and short, medium and long-term priorities, responsible bodies must consider pupils with different types of disabilities. They should look in turn at the needs of pupils with: communication difficulties, specific learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia and developmental co-ordination disorders, including dyspraxia), other learning difficulties, specific language impairment, autistic spectrum disorders, hearing impairments, visual impairments and physical disabilities/motor impairments. Although most of these difficulties are on a continuum and, therefore, not all pupils with these difficulties will be defined as 'disabled' under the DDA, these broad groups should all be considered. Some of these groups may need additional support from school staff or other professionals and possibly different methods of curriculum delivery. Others may needs auxiliary aids or specialist equipment to help them access the curriculum. Improvements here may also contribute to improving the physical environment of the school (for example, where classroom furniture is adapted) or to improving the provision of school information (for example, where a child is given textbooks and handouts in large print or in Braille).
51. Independent, grant-aided and self-governing schools should consider similar issues to those suggested above in improving access to the curriculum, such as staff training, the availability of auxiliary aids, the accessibility of ICT to pupils with disabilities. They might also look at how the curriculum can be delivered in different ways and consult other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, for advice.
For example, pupils learn in different ways. Many pupils may benefit from more information being given through the use of pictures and symbols. This will especially benefit those with learning difficulties, but may also benefit other pupils in the school, who do not have a disability. Similarly, giving information orally, rather than through text books/handouts will especially help visually impaired pupils and those with learning difficulties, but other pupils may also prefer this style of learning. Changes to the way in which the curriculum is delivered by schools could therefore be considered through the accessibility strategy. |
Access to the Physical Environment of Schools
52. The second area which accessibility strategies must cover is improvements to the physical environment of schools and pre-school provision to increase the extent to which pupils with disabilities can participate in the education and associated services provided by the school. The physical environment includes the accessibility of school buildings and also entrances to the school and outdoor facilities, such as playing fields, and any boarding houses/residential facilities. In a similar way to its considerations under the 'access to the curriculum' category, the responsible body preparing the strategy should take a broad approach and also look to improve access outside as well as within schools; for example, through a policy and negotiated contract to ensure that buses provided for all school trips are accessible to pupils with physical disabilities. The responsible body should also think about whether changes are needed to their policy on transport for pupils, to and from school.
53. In considering access to the physical environment, the responsible body will look at improvements to enable children with disabilities to be able to attend, wherever possible, the school of their choice and to be able to access all the areas and activities of the school.
54. Improvements will include:
- physical access (such as architectural planning for accessibility: the installation of ramps, handrails, widened doorways, lifts, automatic doors, accessible toilets, showers and changing areas, adapted/adjustable furniture and equipment, ensuring sufficient space for manoeuvring and storing equipment, floor coverings and evacuation procedures)
- access for pupils with visual impairments (such as: improvements to signage, route finding systems to enable pupils to find their way round a school easily, colour constrasting for e.g. door handles and steps to enable pupils to make best use of their residual vision, adjustable lighting, blinds, tactile paving outside the school, evacuation procedures)
- access for pupils with hearing impairments (such as: induction loops/radio systems/infrared systems, adjustable lighting, sound insulation for walls, floors and ceilings, evacuation procedures, floor coverings)
- access for pupils with other disabilities (such as requirements for space: the provision of pupil support bases, quiet rooms, sensory rooms/play areas, therapy rooms, etc. and way finding systems)
Occupational therapists and access officers should, wherever possible, be consulted for advice.
55. Many of these issues, where they are reasonable adjustments, are likely to be tackled by those responsible for schools when considering individual cases under the new DDA duties.
For example, schools will have in place their own specific evacuation procedures in case of fire or other emergency. However, the local authority might feel it would be useful to draw up a policy on evacuation procedures for pupils with disabilities (if they do not already have one), which it would then issue to all schools in its area to ensure that all school staff are clear about recommended procedures for pupils with disabilities. The local authority might also arrange, for example, for visual alarm systems to be installed in a number of schools catering (or which are likely in future to cater) for deaf pupils. |
56. Alternatively, reasonable adjustments may be made under the DDA as interim improvements until long-term improvements can be put in place.
For example, in some schools, lifts may be necessary to make the whole school fully accessible to pupils who use wheelchairs. However, such an adjustment is likely to be costly and could be difficult to make within the existing school layout and therefore may not be possible for some time. Whilst clearly it would be preferable for pupils to be able to access the upstairs rooms, it may be possible, as an interim solution, to alter the timetabling to allow the pupil's (or pupils') classes to take place on the ground floor and to move facilities, such as a music room or a science laboratory, downstairs. This could be arranged by schools themselves or as a short-term priority through the accessibility strategy (especially if similar changes to timetabling are likely to happen in a number of schools). |
57. In planning improvements, responsible bodies should remember that, they may require planning or other consents and in particular, if any of their buildings are 'listed buildings' due to their historical or architectural significance, they will need to ensure that any changes they make are permissible for listed buildings. Other options may need to be considered for listed buildings. Any structural changes will also clearly need to comply with building regulations and other relevant legislation, such as health and safety regulations.
58. Most responsible bodies, especially local authorities, are likely to link projects for large structural changes to their schools to other capital building work, either through ongoing capital allocations or through public/private partnership projects.
For example, where school buildings are due to be refurbished (or new schools are being built) the responsible body should use this as an opportunity to improve access to the school. This may avoid too much disruption to school classes if all refurbishments can be carried out at the same time and should be more cost effective, especially where, for example, the classrooms were due to be painted anyway. The accessibility strategy can ensure that new colour schemes incorporate colour contrasting for pupils with visual impairments and use appropriate colours to create a stimulating/soothing environment, depending upon the needs of the pupils in the school. |
59. It is worth noting that, although the responsible body will normally own the school/nursery class premises for which they are planning, this will not necessarily always be the case. If the responsible body does not own a school or the land on which it is built, they will clearly need to discuss any physical alterations they wish to make with the owner and secure his or her agreement. If the owner does not want alterations to be made to the structure (for a specified reason), this will obviously limit what the responsible body can do and the responsible body may need to consider other options and perhaps focus instead on improving access to the curriculum and communication with pupils.
60. If no capital building work is planned for the near future, the responsible body will have to consider bringing forward its own refurbishment projects.
For example, a local authority planning group might assess the accessibility of all its schools and then plan in its strategy to carry out a full adaptation of one school in each area or neighbourhood each year to improve physical access for a range of children. This should enable nearly all children to be able to attend a school or nursery school close to their home. Clearly rural authorities face a greater challenge here and they may, instead, need to respond more on the basis of immediate demand. If this approach is not considered suitable, the planning group may wish instead to focus on improving the physical environment across all schools for pupils with a certain type of disability, where perhaps the demand for mainstream places is increasing. |
61. Bodies responsible for other schools should take a similar approach to that of local authorities, although clearly the work they carry out will be on a much smaller scale. They may prefer to start by tackling minor adaptations which are needed in their school. They could then link any more expensive adaptations which are needed to planned refurbishments or building works, where new facilities are being installed or older ones replaced.
Improving communication and the delivery of school information
62. The third duty requires responsible bodies to improve communication with pupils with disabilities. Responsible bodies should take steps to improve how these pupils can give their views on any issue about which they have an interest, gather in those views and consider them. Consideration should be given to whether class work or homework could be given in alternative forms and, also, consider how any homework, or other work pupils do in alternative forms, can best be marked/commented on by school staff. Pupils' communication with teaching and auxiliary staff as part of their learning should also be considered under the "access to the curriculum" duty.
63. However, there will be other non-curricular activities, which pupils will be informed about and pupils with disabilities should be able to give their views or ask questions about these activities in the same way as their peers. Pupils should also be able to communicate with other staff, pupils or people working in a school, for example, in the dining room or in the school office.
Responsible bodies should consider how improving communication can be addressed through, for example, ensuring that awareness is raised amongst all school staff about the difficulties pupils with particular disabilities may have in communicating with other people. |
64. In particular, this communication duty covers the delivery of information normally provided to pupils in writing. This 'school information' includes any information given to pupils by the school, such as: handouts and worksheets, textbooks, timetables, handbooks, test and examination papers, posters around the school, information about school events. Responsible bodies should ensure that any information that is important to enable pupils to learn or to be able to participate in school activities can be provided in an alternative form if the pupil may have difficulty reading information provided in standard written form.
65. Information may need to be provided in alternative forms, such as: providing information orally (for example, to ensure that a pupil has understood information provided on posters or in their timetable), in Braille, in large print, in audio formats, through ICT, through sign language (either on video or by using appropriately qualified teachers or auxiliary staff) or through a recognised symbol system (such as Makaton). The responsible body should ensure that this information is provided within a reasonable time so that it does not place pupils with disabilities at a disadvantage in relation to other pupils. Therefore, demands would have to be anticipated in advance and school staff would need make sure that any materials to be provided in alternative forms, such as Braille, large print, audio tape, video signing and electronic files were provided for translation well in advance of the time when they will be needed.
66. In addition to this, responsible bodies may wish to explore the use of new communication technologies, such as videotelephony, which can help deaf pupils to communicate and to access information. Many of the organisations listed in Annex B, such as RNIB Scotland, offer advice about how to provide information in alternative formats, and can direct schools to the right service providers.
67. The form chosen should take into account the preferences of individual pupils or their parents and, may often be provided through the SEN Framework or by the school (for example, for information provided orally) under the new DDA duties.
However, a local authority may wish, for example, to include in their accessibility strategy a commitment to establish contracts with specialist providers to ensure that information can easily and quickly be translated into a variety of forms, such as Braille or audio tapes, at discount rates. This contract could also be used to provide copies of accessibility strategies in alternative forms on request. |
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