It does seem to me that there is a significant lack of contact between
education and health, at all levels, but I think the problem stems from the
very top with lack of coordination between DfES and the DoH, although we're
probably all guilty, myself included.
Here's a few examples of a lack of joined up thinking at a policy level:
The Audit Commission report on "Assistive Technology: Independence and Well
Being 4" (www.audit-commission.gov.uk/assistivetechnology) there is little
about working with education, or of the benefits that AT can have for those
in education: the report talks about 'a vision emerging of an AT and ICT
supported health and social care system' (p. 43) - no mention of education.
The ICES Integrating Community Equipment Services www.icesdoh.org.uk
initiative is for health and social services only.
The MHRA report on "Specialist computer controls - Alternatives to the
standard keyboard and mouse"
http://devices.mhra.gov.uk/mda/mdawebsitev2.nsf/webvwDisabilityEquipmentAsse
ssments/3BE5465B5185A9F680256F49003E655D?OPEN evaluated devices with people
aged 32 to 77 (p. 13) - no children.
The statement on the front page of the Rehabilitation Services on the pasa
web site makes no mention of the education sector
http://www.pasa.doh.gov.uk/rehabilitation/
Our Centre's funding is predominantly from education, although we do get a
small grant from health.
What to do about it?
Work together, as people have already said. Attend events across
disciplines. Lobby to change policy to reflect the way we want to practice,
rather than having our practices imposed by ill-advised policy. Use existing
legislative levers, e.g. "Health authorities, subject to the reasonableness
of the request in the light of the resources available to them, must comply
with a request for help from an LEA in connection with children with special
educational needs, unless they consider that the help is not necessary for
the exercise of the LEA's functions." SEN Code of Practice, p. 144,
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=3724 (although when I did
a search for 'mobility' or 'wheelchair' I found no mention of either...)
The CAP project in England and Wales seems to be one very good model where
agencies have come together to provide AT for children - see
http://cap.becta.org.uk/. As far as I can see, the carrot of providing
funding for kit has brought together cross agency assessment teams and
forced multidisciplinary working - maybe this is a good model to promote?
Free events on AT in the education sector that are worth attending:
ICT and Inclusion - 27/28/29 April in Scotland, see
http://callcentre.education.ed.ac.uk/
The BETT show in London in January, http://www.bettshow.co.uk/
SETT in Glasgow in September http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/sett/
The Communication Matters symposium brings together professionals across
disciplines working in AAC, see http://www.communicationmatters.org.uk/
Sources of information:
http://www.becta.org.uk/ - huge amount of information on ICT - do a search
for Inclusion or special educational needs
ACE has a great database of AAC devices:
http://www.ace-centre.org.uk/vocapages/main.asp
Enough for now....
Paul
__________________________________
Paul D. Nisbet, CEng MIEE
Senior Research Fellow / Joint Coordinator
CALL Centre, University of Edinburgh
Paterson's Land, Holyrood Road
Edinburgh EH8 8AQ
Tel. 0131 651 6236
Fax. 0131 651 6234
[log in to unmask]
http://www.callcentrescotland.org
__________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: A discussion list for Assistive Technology professionals.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Ian F.
Sent: 06 April 2005 02:45
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: AT in Education
The JISCMAIL based listserv dis-forum is the main forum for disability
officers working in universities and colleges. Many education-based
assistive tech people also subscribe to this list.
If someone posts details of the RAATE conference to this list, the message
can be forwarded onto dis-forum.
Ian
----- Original Message -----
From: "Harbach Geoff" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2005 6:02 PM
Subject: Re: AT in Education
> How many other listservers are there, a number of other people/professions
> cross post to ASSISTECH, why don't we do the same in return, (perhaps we
> do
> already).
>
> This would seem to be an inexpensive way of advertising the forthcoming
> RAATE conference.
>
> Perhaps we could have a theme of "Broadening the Boundaries" and invite
> some
> AT practitioners from the field of education or maybe some teachers/head
> teachers etc.
>
> Given the drive for social inclusion, with the DDA and the SENDA, perhaps
> we
> should pro-actively be going to the schools and colleges and saying,
> "look,
> this is what technology could do for your students!"
>
> Just a thought,
>
> Geoff
>
> G.J.Harbach I.Eng MIED IIPEM
> Clinical Technologist
> Special Controls Service Manager
> Posture & Mobility Services
> West Midlands Rehabilitation Centre
> 91 Oak Tree Lane, Selly Oak
> Birmingham, B29 6JA
> Tel 0121 627 8941
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: A discussion list for Assistive Technology professionals.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Colin Clayton
> Sent: 05 April 2005 17:45
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: AT in Education
>
>
> It could be - if it wasn't. It certainly tries to but advertising is
> expensive.
>
> At 11:02 05/04/2005, you wrote:
>>Simon
>>
>>Any multi sector meeting with a good agenda would be useful & well
>>attended. Is the RAATE meeting advertised multi sector, I wonder?
>>
>>Barry
>>
>>Barry Taylor, Clinical Scientist
>>Medical Physics Department
>>Tulley Medical Physics Building, Hull Royal Infirmary
>>Anlaby Road, Hull HU3 2JZ
>>Tel 01482 675928, fax 01482 675750
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: A discussion list for Assistive Technology professionals.
>>[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Judge Simon
>>Sent: 05 April 2005 09:29
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: AT in Education
>>
>>
>>Yes, I thought the last meeting was useful, if only for actually meeting
>>some people from other sectors that i'd not met before. Your AT qual is
>>an
>>excellent example of ways of pulling people in from other sectors. It'd
>>be
>>a challenge to bash out a decent agenda and decide the objectives of the
>>meeting
>>
>>Such a meeting would work if we could guarantee people from other
>>sectors -
>>i.e. maybe advertising on SENIT / IT-ASSIST / AbilityNet / .... ?
>>
>>Anyone else interested? (-:
>>
>>Cheers
>>
>>Simon
>>
>>Clinical Scientist
>>ACT
>>0121 627 1627 ex 53245
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: A discussion list for Assistive Technology professionals.
>>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul Doyle
>>Sent: 04 April 2005 15:08
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: AT in Education
>>
>>
>>Simon,
>>
>>You and Guy have highlighted a need for some type of gathering to
>>establish
>>a dialogue between all relevant and interested groups (it surely must be
>>bigger than the social medical and educational sectors). Last year
>>Hereward
>>College hosted a multi disciplinary meeting in order to assess the need
>>for
>>accreditied training in AT. Do you chaps, and the Assistech gang think
>>another open forum style meeting would be of use? It would give us an
>>opportunity to get the ball rolling with the communication issue. As well
> as
>>let anyone who is interested see where we have got to in terms of
>>producing
>>a generic AT qual. This is just a suggestion and we would need to sort out
>>funding etc. but I am willing to put my money... (meeting room really!)
>>where my mouth is.
>>
>>Let us know what you think.
>>
>>Cheers
>>
>>Paul
>
>
>
> Colin Clayton BSc, CEng, MIEE, MIPEM
> Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children
> The Wolfson Centre
> Mecklenburgh Square
> London WC1N 2AP
> Tel: 020 7837 7618
> Fax: 020 7833 9469
> visit www.wisedx.com
> email: [log in to unmask]
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