Life after school – moving into adulthood

1. VIEW March, 2014 Graeme Douglas (and Rachel Hewett) VICTARDepartment of Disability Inclusion and Special Needs, University of Birmingham Life after school – moving into adulthood

2. Overview • Context • Think about what schools are for! • What happens after school? • Some of the findings from the ‘Transition Project’ – particularly around young people’s views of independence and experiences at university. • ‘Professional views of access questionnaire’: a way helping teachers reflect upon their practice

3. What are schools for? • Lots of things, but target outcomes that most educational systems would recognise are: • Achievement / Attainment in a range of core curriculum areas. • Happiness. • Independence. • Challenge of finding the balance for all. • See Douglas et al (2012) Measuring Educational Engagement, Progress and Outcomes for Children with Special Educational Needs: A Review. National Council for Special Education (NCSE), Trim, Ireland.http://www.ncse.ie/research/researchreports.asp

4. How does visual impairment fit in? • In our field, a common distinction made is: • Core curriculum • Additional curriculum (‘curriculum+’, ‘expanded core curriculum’) • Additional curriculum includes: • Mobility and independence; ICT skills; low vision skills; social and emotional inclusion; self advocacy.

5. Access: finding the balance • Access to Learning • Emphasis is on the adult’s role in providing the child with accessible core curriculum materials to enable learning. • Learning to Access • Emphasis is on child independence. The adult’s role is in providing opportunities for ‘learning to access’ so that the child develops independence. The additional curriculum.

6. Increased independence; Emphasis upon additional curriculum Providing ‘Access to Learning’ Teaching ‘Learning to Access’ Child’s age / developmental level (Time)

7. Life after school – FE / college • More independent learning is developed and expected • Different levels of support • Section 139a • Transition from college may be particularly hard as specialist knowledge may be absent (e.g. access to work, DSA at university).

8. Life after school – University • Independent learning is assumed • Different levels of support • Living independently • Moving from home (often), and making new friends • Disabled Student Allowance (DSA)

9. Life after school – Employment • Employment is a challenge • Educational qualifications linked to employment • But also take a look at: • Action / RNIB new employment toolkit • RNIB pre-employment programme • RNIB Wales, 5 years, £1M, Future In-sight BLF project • See RNIB websites

10. Longitudinal Study of Transitions Experiences • 5-year research study • 80 young people • 14-16 year olds to 19-21 year olds • Three years in • Recent interview focussed upon independence, also experiences at university

11. We have consulted about a number of things • Including: • Definitions of independence • Discussions around to employment-based scenarios • For some, experiences at university and views of disability support officers

12. Priorities • Priorities are hard, and there isn’t agreement

13. Examples: • “There is a point when you need to say ‘no this is what you will get in work’ [..]. There should be a point where you say ‘this is what you get in the real world, try it that way’” • “You should be taught how to access, [like modifying the print size for yourself]. You should be taught how to do that because otherwise you are going to spend an awful lot of time relying on everybody.”

14. Definitions of independence • Generic • Look after yourself, without assistance (35). • Sense of freedom (12) – not being told what do, own decisions. • Independence as aspirational (10) • “I think I believe that I am independent, I am as independent as I can be, I am always pushing to be more independent” • Reference to sighted people: ‘everyone else’ or ‘normal’ (11) • “doing everyday things like everyone else”

15. Definitions of independence • Reference to the addition curriculum (31) – O&M, cooking, ILS, assistive technology, access to written material, studying, dealing with money, shopping. • “In terms of visual impairment, not having to have someone help you cross the road, or [...] someone help you read your work” • Relative term – some emphasised self-advocacy skills and the importance of when to ask for help (or say when help was not required) (11) • “it’s having the confidence and skills and knowledge to know that ‘I’m stuck, I need help’” • “I believe independence is good […] but it’s not wrong to rely on other people at certain points. There are times, there are limits.”

16. University experiences • Preparation for DSA assessment • Understanding how they want to work; self advocacy. • Assumptions should not be made (by student or DSA assessors) that needs will be the same as at school • E.g. visit Sight Village • Apply for DSA as early as possible • Time is often needed to revisit the assessment (check the assessment of needs before accepting) • Enables time to allow training before course starts

17. University experiences • There are no review meetings necessarily... • Attend open days – start to research and negotiate in advance. • Living accommodation • Be cautious of ‘special accommodation’ • Avoid being isolated • Universities do have responsibilities for reasonable adjustment • Other local providers (e.g. social services locally) • BUT: Are independence skills in place?

18. Reflecting upon practice: • ‘Professional views of access questionnaire’: Teachers on a specialist teacher training programme with Rory Cobb • 16 items, in pairs, ‘Likert’ scale, e.g. • “Magnifiers are hard to use so children should not be forced to use them” vrs • “Magnifiers are versatile because they enable children to access any print independently” • “Specialist services for students with VI should prioritise supporting the teaching of (traditional) curriculum areas so they achieve the highest grades.” vrs • Specialist services for students with VI should prioritise teaching of additional curriculum areas (e.g. mobility, low vision work, ICT skills, typing) so they learn skills for life.

20. Scoring and results • Scoring • Learning to access / Teacher of skills (min 16-35) • Access to learning / Provider of access (45-64 max) • Flexible position (36-44) • Dangers and strengths • Range of responses, including extremes • Proved a useful training tool; and scores responded to training

21. Conclusions / messages • Independence (and ‘inter-dependence’) is a crucial educational outcome. • These independence and interpersonal skills (as reflected in the additional curriculum) are extraordinarily useful, empowering and confidence giving. • These skills must be taught – it does not just happen. • Some evidence of these outcomes not being in place for life after school