NADP Annual Conference & AGM 2007
Theme: Supporting the Practitioner
Date: Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th July 2007
Venue: Paramount Hotel, Daventry
Presentations and workshops given at the conference
Members can download some of the presentations in the Members' section.
Keynote Presentation: Psychology and Disability Studies - Making Enabling Connections
This presentation explores possibilities for enabling connections for Disability Practitioners through bringing together critical ideas and resources for disability studies and psychology. What kinds of understandings of the person help our work? What psychological concepts are useful to theory and practice? How can disability studies inform Psychology in ways that make it an enabling rather an disabling discipline?
Dyslexia Tuition: Monitoring the Quality
Dyslexia tuition is a key disability service provided in higher education and yet by its nature it is an isolated process that takes place between tutor and student. How can we ensure that 1 - 1 tuition is focused, appropriate and effective? Should tuition meet the expectations of students with dyslexia or should it exceed them? This session, primarily aimed at line managers for dyslexia tutors, explores the process of setting standards and monitoring the quality of dyslexia tuition. Participants will examine three models for evaluating performance and providing feedback to dyslexia tutors, based on observation of tuition sessions. Documents will be available that participants can use or adapt for their setting. This workshop will be of particular interest to managers who do not currently have an observation procedure for dyslexia tuition but who wish to introduce one.
During the session delegates will work in small groups, based on personal interest, to examine one model of dyslexia tuition observation in detail. They will identify the strengths and drawbacks of their chosen model based on its suitability for their own institution. Delegates will then create an individual action plan for introducing dyslexia tuition observation.
By the end of the session delegates will:
- have explored three approaches to tuition observation and selected the most appropriate.
- have determined their level of commitment to introducing observation and produced an action plan.
Disability proofing teaching, learning and assessment in Higher Education: The progress achieved in partnership between the University of Bradford and the Disability Rights Commission
This session will explore the process used to examine the impact of teaching, learning and assessment policy and practice on disabled students in HE and, with the involvement of disabled people, the methods used to make improvements.
During the session delegates will understand how the University of Bradford the DRC worked together to improve teaching, learning and assessment for disabled students in mainstream university policy and practice.
By the end of the session delegates will:
- gain insight into the university process used to improve policy and practice;
- learn about our actions to eliminate disability discrimination from teaching, learning and assessment.
'Been there, done that, got the t-shirt' - Peer mentoring to assist the transition from FE to HE
The session will provide an overview of an Aimhigher funded project - 'Curriculum Choices for Disabled Students' which commenced with an action research project. This has identified 2 major barriers for disabled students making the transition from FE to HE.
The findings will be shared and the extension of the project will highlight how the barriers have been addressed focussing on peer mentoring as an effective way of assisting the transition for disabled students from FE to HE.
Student participation from mentors and mentees will enable a first hand account of the students' experiences and enable good practice to be shared from the mentoring programme. Various elements of the programme will provide a structure and model of good practice for delegates to apply to their own institutions with the emphasis of regular review meetings demonstrating research in progress to highlight the strengths and weaknesses, effectiveness and areas for improvement. The session will highlight the impact of the peer mentoring programme on individuals and the institution.
During the session delegates will be actively encouraged to debate issues around developing a mentoring programme within their own institution. This will demonstrate key areas fundamental to the success of a peer mentoring programme specifically for disabled students.
By the end of the session delegates will:
- understand the benefits of a peer mentoring programme for assisting disabled students making the transition from FE to HE;
- have considered the implications of developing a successful and sustainable peer mentoring programme to assist disabled students their own institution.
Marking the work of students with specific learning difficulties. Incorporating support for dyslexic students into institution-wide guidelines for good assessment practice
This session will set the context by exploring the debate on approaches to marking guidelines with a report on a brief local survey, and elicit approaches taken by the represented institutions. It will consider the requirements of SENDA in any approach, as well as the standards set by professional bodies. There will be a short report on the collaboration with academics from the Centre for the Development of Learning and Teaching and group work will allow opportunities to consider different types of assessment, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of an inclusive learning approach. It will also consider ways of publicising the adopted approach to both staff and students.
During the session delegates will have an opportunity to experience the challenge of determining and balancing equal opportunity learning outcomes with the increasing demands for robust professional standards, through discussion, group work and a short activity.
By the end of the session delegates will:
- have an understanding of the pros and cons and implications of different approaches to supporting students with SpLD through the marking of their work;
- have explored methods of incorporating support for dyslexic students into institution-wide guidelines for good assessment practice for all students.
Duty of Care in relation to students with mental health difficulties. Engaging University staff and developing institutional good practice
This session will consider how disability staff, including mental health specialists, can most effectively support staff across institutions to meet their duty of care to students who are experiencing sever mental health difficulties. The session will draw on ongoing research into institutional duty of care and the effectiveness of institutional mental health guidance and how this can be improved to be more effective for all users.
The session will consider the roles of pastoral staff and specialist disability staff and the importance of clarifying roles and boundaries both internally and with external services. The session will draw on case examples to consider how specialist staff can share their expertise with academic staff to ensure a consistent approach towards individual students and to examine the limits and difficulties posed by duty of care issues.
During the session delegates will be encouraged to participate in discussion about key themes, and asked to comment on case studies. Delegates will be asked to identify action points for their own institutions.
By the end of the session delegates will:
- have considered the usefulness of their own mental health guidance;
- identified at least one action point for their own institution.
The Management Challenge. Different perspectives, conflicting tensions
The workshop will consider current and emerging issues for Manager of Disability Services. Using techniques of self review, we will explore:
- Different stakeholder perceptions
- Management Expectations
- Conflicting tensions
Strategies for a way forward will be discussed.
During the session delegates will consider self review questions and participate in discussion.
By the end of the session delegates will:
- Have a greater understanding of their own management practices.
Update from UCAS. Supporting the applications process
An update on the changes to the UCAS system for 2007/08 including Post Qualification Applications, provision of Unit Grade information, Admissions Tests and information essential to those advising applicants with disabilities through the UCAS system.
During the session delegates will have the opportunity to examine and discuss changes to the UCAS application, with particular reference to how updates meet developments within the 14-19 curriculum and address Government's proposed improvements to the higher education application process.
By the end of the session delegates will:
- Gain an insight into the UCAS process with specific reference to recent updates and changes;
- Be more able to advise applicants on the UCAS process.
DED Action Plan Review - Taking on the Duty
This session will allow delegates to review the progress made on the DED within the institution - 7 months on. It will enable delegates to assess what is working well within their institutions DES action plan, identify the challenges/barriers to success and generate practical solutions to overcome these.
The delegates will work in small groups to share good practice examples in achieving the duty. This session will provide delegates with starting point on what to consider in the DES first year review.
During the session delegates will be asked to work in small discussion groups to share experiences and then give feedback to the wider group for more general discussion.
By the end of the session delegates will:
- be able to identify positive progress made in-line with the institutions' DED action plans, which should in turn be useful for the first year DES review;
- be equipped with practical solutions to address barriers/challenges to actions.
Communication Support Services. The Practicalities of provision in Higher Education
Increasing demands for communication support coupled with a rise in expectation over what services can achieve have impacted on the practicalities of access provision. Through a consideration of effective practices, this session will focus on the running of a communication support services in higher education. This will include a deliberation on the issue of balancing access requirements with available funding and the interaction between student assessments and existing services. The session will also look at the processes involved in the recruitment, training and employment of support workers as well as the potential benefits of encouraging collaboration within the institution. Finally the session will take account of the limitations of provision and the impact this may have on both disabled students and higher education institutions.
During the session delegates will discuss the key issues identified in the session, share and evaluate existing practices and develop an inventory of concerns for future consideration.
By the end of the session delegates will:
- Initiated a network of relevant practitioners
- Actively engaged with current working practices