Student Attainment and Experience Conference University of Derby

1. Student Attainment and Experience ConferenceUniversity of Derby What are students’ perceptions of learning support for their hidden disabilities in higher education classrooms? A cross sectional study in an East Midlands university in the UK. Rosemary Shepherd, 22nd June 2015 r.shepherd@derby.ac.uk

2. Points for discussion • Literature and policy underpinning the research • Feedback from students on the learning support they are receiving in higher education • What might be some of the concerns and/or dilemmas for tutors in managing the needs of students with learning support plans?

3. EdD research on student perception of learning support • Research into students’ perceptions of the support they receive for hidden disabilities in higher education classrooms. • A steady rise in the numbers of students entering higher education with both physical and hidden disabilities (Gibson, 2012; Madriaga et al. 2011; VanBergeijk et al, 2008; Konur, 2006; Avramidis and Skidmore, 2004) • The driving force for the increased numbers of students entering higher education with ‘disabilities’ is the legislation and policies to provide better equal opportunities for students with disabilities. (Konur 2006) • Disabled Students Allowance 1993 (currently under scrutiny)

4. Statistics for University of Derby 2002 – 2012Higher Education Standards Agency HESA www.derby.ac.uk/education

5. HE policy and inclusive practice • Dearing Report in 1997 - a ‘more socially representative university sector’ to ‘remove barriers to citizens’ social and economic participation’ (Sheeran, Brown and Baker 2007:249). • ‘Elitism to Inclusion’ 1998 - to move from what had been seen as a ‘discriminatory attitude on the part of [some] tutors’ to the making of reasonable adjustments to students with declared disabilities. • Disability and Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 updated in 2005 to ensure equality for disabled people in education, SENDA 2001 • Equality Act 2010 - Direct/indirect discrimination, discrimination by association or discrimination by perception www.derby.ac.uk/education

6. EdD research - Sample and themes • 14 semi-structured interviews - Stages 1, 2 and 3 • 9 JHS, 5 Single honours EDS • Age 20 – 50 plus • 12 females, 2 males. One Jamaican female, 13 White British • Dyslexia, Epilepsy, Dyspraxia, Bi-Polar, Depression/Anxiety, ME, Bone disease • Themes discussed • Diagnosis of hidden disability, • Study needs assessment and equipment provided - DSA • Approaching tutors about support plans • Teaching methods in the classrooms - what works best, where do students struggle? • Student strategies • Key theme mental health issues www.derby.ac.uk/education

7. Feedback on Student Wellbeing Services and provision of equipment • Different levels of support – severity of disability - mixed messages • Equipment for some but not for others - confusion • Difficulty accessing training for equipment use • Pending discussions with student wellbeing www.derby.ac.uk/education

8. Accessing the learning support plan – a ‘misty’ area • The learning support plan is emailed to student • Module leader alerted by email • Details can be viewed on peoplesoft - on the class list www.derby.ac.uk/education

9. Click on Related Content www.derby.ac.uk/education

10. Click on Requirements www.derby.ac.uk/education

11. Notes details for the student www.derby.ac.uk/education

12. How are learning support plans used? • What happens next? What do tutors do with support plans? • Are students meeting tutors to discuss learning needs and reasonable adjustments? www.derby.ac.uk/education

13. Discussions on the learning support plan • Students with learning support plans often avoid approaching tutor to discuss learning needs • Didn’t know they had to talk to tutor about their learning needs • Assumed tutor would know • Didn’t want to. • Worried or embarrassed about approaching tutor • Tinklin, Riddell and Wilson, (2004) informs us that students may experience anxiety and the fear of exposure or failure if they discuss their disability.

14. www.derby.ac.uk/education

15. Approaching tutors about the support plan www.derby.ac.uk/education

16. Difficulties experienced in the classroom www.derby.ac.uk/education

17. Positives in the classroom www.derby.ac.uk/education

18. Teaching methods - Inclusive practice • Inclusive pedagogy - teaching approaches that address the learning of all learners to accommodate a range of needs (Le Roux and Graham 1998; Florian and Linklater 2010; Florian and Black-Hawkins 2011) • Focusing on ways of extending what is already in place in terms of materials and delivery styles, and which responds to the differences between learners rather than ‘specifically individualizing for some’ (Florian and Linklater 2010:370). • A ‘shift’ from the traditional directive delivery of information, to thinking about teaching methods that work for most learners with some add on methods that support students who are experiencing learning difficulties (Long, 2011) . www.derby.ac.uk/education

19. Disable Students Allowance -Cuts • David Willets (April 2014) Minister for Universities and Science • Written Ministerial statement… • “We believe that HEIs are better placed to consider how to respond in many cases, including giving greater consideration to the delivery of their courses and how to provide support” • Cuts delayed until 2016/7 • How will universities and tutors respond? www.derby.ac.uk/education

20. Summary • There is a rise in students coming into higher education with special educational deeds and disabilities • Tutors need more awareness of a range of learning needs • Need to ensure inclusive practice for all students • Communication between Wellbeing services/student/tutor • Strategies for students • Managing the cuts in DSA…. Mental Health Issues www.derby.ac.uk/education

21. References 1 • Avramidis, E. and Skidmore, D. (2004) Reappraising Learning Support in Higher Education, Research in Post-Compulsory EducationVol 9 No 1 pp63 – 82 • Florian, L. and Linklater, H. (2010): Preparing teachers for inclusive education: using inclusive pedagogy to enhance teaching and learning for all, Cambridge Journal of Education, 40:4, pp369-386  • Florian, L. and Black-Hawkins, K. (2011): Exploring inclusive pedagogy, British Educational Research Journal, 37:5, pp 813-828  • Holbrook, T., Moore, C., and Zoss, M. (2010) Equitable intent: reflections on Universal Design in education as an ethic of care. Reflective Practice, Vol 11, No 5 pp 681-692 • Gibson, S. (2012): Narrative accounts of university education: sociocultural perspectives of students with disabilities, Disability & Society, 27:3, 353-369 • Konur, O., (2006) Teaching disabled students in higher education, Teaching in Higher Education. Vol. 11:3, pp. 351-363

22. References 2 • Long, M., Wood, C., Littleton, K., Passenger, T., and Sheehy, K., (2011) The Psychology of Education, 2nd Ed. London: Routledge. • Madriaga, M., Hanson, K., Kay, H., and Walker, A., (2011) Marking-out normalcy and disability in higher education. British Journal of Sociology of Education. Vol. 32:6 pp 901-92 • Sheeran, Y., Brown, B.J., and Baker, S., (2007) Conflicting philosophies of inclusion: the contestation of knowledge in widening participation. London Review of Education 5, (3): 249-263, https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/2086/2431/sheeran2%20(2).pdf?sequence=1Accessed June 2015 • Silver, P., Bourke, A., & Strehorn, K., (1998): Universal Instructional Design in Higher Education: An Approach for Inclusion, Equity & Excellence in Education, 31:2, pp47-51 • VanBergeijk, E., Klin, A., & Volkmar, F., (2008) Supporting More Able Students on the Autism Spectrum: College and Beyond, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Vol. 38:7, pp1359–1370 • Willets, D. (2014) Written Ministerial Statement (modernising the DSA) http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-vote-office/April%202014/7%20April%202014/1.BIS-HE-Student-Support.pdf June 2015 www.derby.ac.uk/education