Ensuring the provision of equal access to high quality education so that all learners can fulfil their potential and that the curriculum is truly inclusive and representative is of paramount importance.
Technology can and is playing a vital part in improving accessibility, with every major operating system now coming with assistive technology built in as standard. Assistive technology products and services can provide support for children, young people and adults, helping them to develop independence, and develop life skills.
SEND covers a broad spectrum of student learning difficulties and are grouped in the following areas; communication and interaction difficulties; cognition and learning; social, emotional and mental health needs; and physical and sensory needs.
DfE state that there are 1.4 million pupils in England with SEND with the percentage of pupils with SEN support has increased, from 12.1% in 2020 to 12.2%, continuing an increasing trend.
Ensuring that your SEND pupils feel welcome, included, supported and enabled to learn is a considerable challenge, especially against a background of budget cuts and staff recruitment. Class teachers, especially newly qualified teachers, need support to understand each of these broad areas of need, but more importantly to understand how they can adjust their teaching to support ALL students in their class.