Creating Accessible Teaching and Support

The motivation behind the development of the Inclusive Practice in 5 was to provide an achievable framework for academic staff trying to implement inclusive practice in their teaching, learning and assessment. This approach recognises the increasing pressures on academic staff in an era where there are growing numbers of students with a consequent increase in diversity of the student cohort (Coaldrake & Stedman, 1999), yet is mindful of the need to adopt an "innovative attitude towards identifying key issues and how these challenges might be incorporated into the day-to-day operation of the institution" (Adams & Brown, 2006, p4).  The framework was also developed with the underpinning philosophy that good inclusive practice is good practice for all students (Adams & Brown, 2006; Barrett, 1999; Doyle & Robson, 2002). In providing a pro-active guide to inclusive practice, the statements aimed also to embed inclusive practice to avoid just in time or ad hoc responses to students with disability.

The Inclusive Practice in 5 'Be Statements' were developed in a multi-stage process. The first involved a scan of the Creating Accessible Teaching and Support resources to categorise areas of activity that could be shaped into five principles that embodied inclusive practice, but were, in themselves accessible and achievable by academics. Once refined by the project team, indicators of good practice were added to each of the Be Statements to illustrate what they may look like in practice. A literature review was then undertaken to ensure that the statements were supported through evidence as presented in the Inclusive Practice literature. The next stage involved a triangulation of the 5 statements with experience of practitioners in the higher education sector. This was through considering the outcomes of the Including Inclusion symposium. In particular, the good practice examples gathered in response to identified challenges were a rich source of data. Similarly, the comments made in the keynote address by Dr Val Chapman (University of Worcester, UK), and in the concluding plenary by students, academic staff and equity practitioners were noted, and matched to the indicators where relevant. At each of the successive stages, the indicators were refined to reflect the evidence being considered. This process is summarised in the table below.  Once the Be Statements and indicators were developed, they were then shared with academic staff at the University of Tasmania to enable the supporting vignettes to be written. In all cases, the vignettes were adapted from an actual case, or were seen as accurately representing what could be achieved in teaching, learning and assessment.

Adams, M. & Brown, S.  (2006). Towards Inclusive Learning in Higher Education. London: Routledge.

Armstrong, J. (200). The Student Perspective.  Retrieved 4^th May, 2010 from http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/education/forum02/student_perspective.htm

Barrett, J. (1999).  Inclusive Practice is Good Practice. University of Tasmania.

Boyce, S. (2008). Valuing difference- an innovative approach to education and the inclusive classroom. Paper presented at Pathways 9 Conference 2008 (VIC) Australia.

Coaldrake, P. and Stedman, L. (1999). Academic Work in the Twenty-first Century Changing roles and policies.  Higher Education Division Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Canberra.

Doyle, C.  & Robson K., ( 2002). Accessible Curricula: Good Practice For All. Cardiff: University of Wales Institute.  

Fernie, T. & Henning, M. (2006). From a disabling world to a new vision. In Adams, M. & Brown, S. (Eds) Towards Inclusive Learning in Higher Education. London: Routledge, pp 23-31.

Fuller, M., Bradley A.  & Healy,  M. (2004). Incorporating disabled students within an inclusive higher education environment, Disability and Society, 19,  455-468.

Gadbow, N. & Dubois, D. (1998). Adult learners with special needs: strategies and resources for postsecondary education and workplace training. Malabar, Fla: Krieger Publishing Company.

Gaze, H. ( 2000). Break down the barriers to disabled students, Nursing schools urged, Nursing Times 96(15), p7.  

Hall, T  & Stahl, S. (2006). Using Universal Design for Learning to expand access to higher education. In Adams, M. & Brown, S. (Eds) Towards Inclusive Learning in Higher Education. London: Routledge, pp 67-78.

Harrison, S. (2003). Creating a successful learning environment for postsecondary students with learning disabilities: policy and practice. Journal of college Reading and Learning 33(2), 131-145.

Healy, M.,  Bradley, A., Fuller, M.  & Hall, T. (2006). Listening to Students: the experience of disabled student of learning at university.  In Adams, M. & Brown, S. (Eds) Towards Inclusive Learning in Higher Education. London: Routledge, pp 32-43.

Hodge, B.  & Preston-Sabin, J. (1997). Accommodations - Or Just Good Teaching? Strategies for Teaching College Students with Disabilities. Westport CT: Praeger Publishers.

Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission (HEROC) (2002). Storm or Sea-Change: Meeting the Challenges of Providing Tertiary Materials for Students with Print Disabilities. Paper presented at the National Forum on Accessible Tertiary Materials, Sydney, May 2002. Retrieved 5th June, 2010 from http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/education/forumdp.htm

Jayram, R. & Scullion, P. (2000). Access to all areas. Nursing management 7(1), 17-19.

Powell, S. (2003). Special teaching in higher education: successful strategies for access and inclusion. London: Kogan Page.

Rose, D. & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning . Alexandria VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.  Retrieved 2 May, 2010 from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter6.cfm.

Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) (2000).  Teachability: Creating an Accessible Curricula for Students with Disabilities. Glasgow: SHEFC

Waterfield, J., West , B. & Parker, M. (2006). Supporting inclusive practice: developing an assessment toolkit. In Adams, M. & Brown, S. (Eds) Towards Inclusive Learning in Higher Education. London: Routledge, pp 79-94.

Wibberley, S. ( 2002). The DLO Perspective. Paper presented at the national Forum on Provision of Accessible Teaching Materials Sydney, May 2002. Retrieved 5th June, 2010 from http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/education/forum02/dlo%20perspective.htm