Many thanks to all who replied to my query I posted to lis-link
concerning special needs publishers. The information was extremely
useful. I have reproduced the original e-mail below followed by a
summary of the responses.  

 

 

I am looking for resources which might be suitable for our special needs
students. The students are adults but have limited reading abilities.
Therefore the books need to be very visual and not too wordy - ideally
one or two lines of text per page. Any visual resources such as videos
and CD ROMS would also be ideal.  I am particularly looking for books or
resources on topics which focus on life skills such as managing money,
crossing roads, going to the doctors, finding a job, answering a
telephone, anything which will help the students gain independence.

 

I am also looking for books/resources about real people with learning
difficulties who've succeeded. Additionally the students are on
vocational courses which include car valeting, floristry, gardening and
creative arts. Therefore any books/resources which cover these topics
would also be ideal.

 

Can anybody recommend any publishers or suppliers which might cover any
of these areas?

 

SUMMARY

 

AVANTI Books www.avantibooks.com <http://www.avantibooks.com/>  - the
most frequently recommended publisher. It covers basic skills teaching
in many areas and in relation to my query has a particularly good
fiction section providing picture books aimed at adults with minimal
text.

 

SpeakUp Self Advocacy for videos - www.speakup.org.uk/list_of_videos.htm
- Videos which provide information and help teach life skills to people
with learning disabilities who cannot read.

 

BILD (British Institute of Learning Difficulties) www.bild.org.uk
<http://www.bild.org.uk/> 

 

Books beyond Words -
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/publications/bbw/bbwtitlecat.htm - published by
the Royal College of Psychiatrists these are picture books with
supporting text on health issues, emotions, lifestyle and the law.

 

www.semerc.com <http://www.semerc.com/>  - Click link to onestop
education.co.uk then SEN then Older Learners

 

www.skillbuild.co.uk <http://www.skillbuild.co.uk/>  - Publishes a basic
skills for life series.  

 

www.gatehousebooks.org.uk <http://www.gatehousebooks.org.uk/>   -
produce books for adults with reading and writing difficulties which are
actually written by basic skills students and ESOL students.

 

Basic Skills Agency - http://www.basic-skills.co.uk/site/page.php?cms=0
- produces its own materials and links to other suppliers

 

Jessica Kingsley - www.jkp.com <http://www.jkp.com/>  - publishes some
"true life success stories" for students who have Aspergers or other
Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

 

Mencap - produces some resources for adults with learning difficulties
although the majority of their material is aimed at carers and
professionals.

 

www.pavpub.com <http://www.pavpub.com/>  - produce learning difficulties
publications.

 

www.speechmark.net <http://www.speechmark.net/>  - produce colourcards
to stimulate discussion

 

www.dfes.gov.uk/readwriteplus/disabilities_publications - Links to
"Living our Lives" which is a pack of books written by adults with
learning difficulties plus all on accompanying CD for audio version.

 

www.thrive.gov.uk <http://www.thrive.gov.uk/> 

Has excellent packs and leaflets for gardening/horticulture.

 

Kar2ouche 

http://www.kar2ouche.com/

Something quite different and useful for media students with learning
difficulties. 

 

www.nln.ac.uk/materials - FE, specialist and six form colleges should be
able to get access to material on the National Learning Network which
has some useful materials.

 

 

The following are aimed more for children but are still useful for
special needs students:

 

Doring Kindersley's Eyewitness series - are very visual, have lovely
colour photos and simple text. Aimed at children but not "baby books". 

 

www.ldalearning.com <http://www.ldalearning.com/>  

 

Franklin Watts publishers - www.wattspub.co.uk
<http://www.wattspub.co.uk/>  and Hodder Wayland publishers -
http://www.hodderwayland.co.uk/

 

 

Also the literacy trust website, www.literacytrust.org.uk
<http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/>  gives sources of appropriate books.
Look in the adult learning section

 

Thanks once again to everybody who replied.

 

Louise Humphries

Learning Resource Manager

Deptford Learning Centre

Lewisham College

2 Deptford Church Street

London SE8 4RZ

 

Tel : 0208 694 3467

 



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