Assistive technology can make exams fairer and more inclusive, writes Andrew Harland.
One might argue that we all use various forms of technology to assist with our everyday lives and that it has now become so integrated that we no longer recognise it as an “ad-on”, but see technology as essential to everything that we do. Many of us would therefore consider the use of a lap-top at home or at work as a normal way of working, or playing.
That phrase “normal way of working”, however, has been traditionally used by the Joint Curriculum for Qualifications (JCQCIC ), who oversee the code of practice on the delivery of exams in all exam centres, to determine what access arrangements (AA) are given to learners with disabilities and/or SEN when they are undertaking public exams. And it is to these AA that various forms of assistive technology (AT) are attached.
It is therefore not a surprise that AA have grown over the years as more and more learners are being drawn into the public exam system, for example by government policy making passes in GCSE maths and English mandatory and by a growing learner base who have a greater access to education, training and assessment, often through more personalised AT.
A recent survey of exam office personnel by the Examination Officers’ Association (EOA), in collaboration with Texthelp, found that 42 per cent of this community were not aware of any AT software being available or being used in their centres, while 35 per cent said that AT was not being used at all in their exam centres. Only 20 per cent stated that AT was used as their “normal way of working”. These responses might seem quite alarming but part of the problem stems from the fact that exam office staff have focused on exams delivery in the past and are not engaged fully with the “normal way of working” relating to teaching and SENCO staff practice.
In addition, while JCQ publications have gradually embraced assistive technology, the focus has always been historically on those with disabilities and/or more severe learning difficulties which did not impinge on mainstream teaching and learning, until the recent and growing awareness of dyslexia related needs. The report threw up issues over a lack of training for teachers, pupils and the exam office on AT, with confusion over the term “normal way of working”, a culture of fear, due to lack of training and awareness at using AT in both the classroom and the exam hall, and severe budget constraints to encourage AT use at all levels.
Given the need to provide AT in exams delivery, respondents felt that the most significant benefits of using AT were that it allows students to work independently and it reduces the need for a human reader. These findings do indicate a lack of understanding of AT amongst the exam office community and therefore, by extension, a low level of awareness of the changes in JCQ guidelines and a need to reflect practice in centres.
Changing attitudes
Does the definition of the “normal way of working” defined by the JCQ therefore match the actual classroom practice and the requests for AA made by exams offices across the country? If we are to meet the needs of all learners, a cultural shift is needed across the exams delivery community to embrace the benefits which AT can deliver.
Handwriting is going to become much more important, as it is now part of the Ofsted inspection parameters and secondary schools are going to be much more sensitive to the impact that it is going to have on the students’ and the school’s reputation. For students who find handwriting an odious task, this becomes a barrier; it also affects self-esteem, self-actualisation and motivation and can have negative psychosocial consequences and affect development.
Many dyslexics feel disappointed, frustrated, ashamed, fed up, angry and embarrassed by their writing, spelling and reading skills. Young people with speech, language and communication needs also fear failure. A lot of them behave inappropriately in class due to the perceived peer pressure of creating and reading text.
Speech recognition software (SRS) has been available in education for a long time, particularly in further education establishments. It became available to those in mainstream schools from 2013, when it became part of the exam access arrangements – thereby allowing students to use AT to complete their exam papers.
SRS enabled students to demonstrate independent skills, which they can then take forward into the world of work, apprenticeships or university. At present, the students rely on additional staff support to either read or scribe for them. The biggest barrier to children using SRS in mainstream schools is the lack of CPD, money for laptops and headsets, and poor Wi-Fi within the buildings.
Parental influence
Parents are now requesting this technology in schools and students are now using this technology on their mobile phones and tablet computers. Students spend 20 per cent of their time in school and 80 per cent of the time at home and have this technology more readily available, so centres need to focus more on managing the development and use of AT and not on having to provide it all on their centre budgets.
The EOA is working closely with the British Assistive Technology Association (BATA) to help heighten the awareness and use of assistive technology across education establishments. There is a range of very useful products out there at the moment and new products are coming onto the market all the time.
New developments in AT mean that students can now utilise AA that are tailored to their individual needs, without disturbing others in the classroom or exam hall. This technology can provide virtually all students with access not only to exams but to a much broader educational experience which encourages independent learning. Effective use of AT can also reduce costs within the centre and in the delivery of exams.
In conclusion, there needs to be much more specific training and awareness to facilitate the effective use of AT, if this to be used and adopted as the “normal way of working” in classrooms and thereby prepare a seamless transition into the exam system when requests are made for access arrangements. To ensure the effective delivery of AT as part of the teaching and learning experience and as part of the AA process, there has to be a greater level of collaboration within the exams community. In order to maximise the benefits of AT provided by a wide range of manufacturers, clear communication is needed between awarding bodies, SENCOs and the exams office community so that all students can reach their full potential.
Author: Andrew Harland
assistive technology Exam Officers Association
assistive technology
Exam Officers Association
