Dec. 21 2023
Source Page: Assistive technology research and development work: 2022 to 2023Found: Assistive technology research and development work: 2022 to 2023
Dec. 21 2023
Source Page: Assistive technology research and development work: 2022 to 2023Found: Assistive technology research and development work: 2022 to 2023
Dec. 21 2023
Source Page: Assistive technology research and development work: 2022 to 2023Found: Assistive technology research and development work: 2022 to 2023
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the technical capacity of schools to deliver digital support for children with (a) visual and (b) hearing impairment.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
All schools have duties under the Equality Act 2010 towards individual disabled children and young people. They must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services for disabled children to prevent them being put at a substantial disadvantage.
To teach a class of pupils with sensory impairments, a teacher is required to hold the relevant mandatory qualification, which is the Mandatory Qualification in Sensory Impairment (MQSI). Teachers working in an advisory role to support these pupils should also hold the appropriate qualification. The MQSI provides sensory impairment teachers with the specialist expertise needed to ensure that pupils with a visual or hearing impairment are supported effectively, including the use of assistive technology and specialist equipment.
The department commissioned an assistive technology rapid literature review which evaluated studies of assistive technology use with students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. The report concluded that assistive technology is under-utilised and, alongside other recommendations, recommended developing assistive technology training courses for educators.
The department also runs a biennial technology in schools survey to capture up-to-date data on the current state, use and spread of technology within primary and secondary schools in England. Findings from the first survey will be published in 2023.
Following the promising results of a pilot training programme to increase mainstream school staff confidence using assistive technology, the government extended training to capture more detailed data on the impact on teachers and learners. The department will publish the impact report in May 2024.
Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of jobcentres have specialist assistive technology installed on their customer computer kiosks to support those who are (a) deaf and blind and (b) have complex disabilities.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of its commitment to make services accessible to all customers, the Department provides computers for customer use in Jobcentres. All the computers have assistive technology built into those Operating Systems such as screen readers and screen magnification and are managed separately from the wider DWP IT estate.
The Department also provides a range of other items in Jobcentres such as alternative keyboards. Computers for customer use with assistive technology are currently in 635 permanent jobcentres.
Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing his Department's funding for specialist assistive technology in job centres.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of its commitment to make services accessible to all customers, the Department provides computers for customer use in Jobcentres which have assistive technology built into them such as screen readers and screen magnification and are managed separately from the wider DWP IT estate. The Department also provides a range of peripheral items in each Jobcentre such as alternative keyboards.
Customers can also access a wide range of services which can support their needs such as braille and large print documents being made available upon request.
The DWP have also improved access to our Wi-Fi services in all Jobcentres, allowing customers to use their own personal devices if they prefer.
Mentions:
1: Lord Holmes of Richmond (CON - Life peer) Lords in this debate, as a user of assistive technology. - Speech Link
2: Baroness Twycross (LAB - Life peer) technology and how all those who need it should have assistive technology, as he put it, all around - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Marion Fellows (SNP - Motherwell and Wishaw) Centre and CALL Scotland to provide advice and training to school staff on support, including the use of assistive - Speech Link
2: Marion Fellows (SNP - Motherwell and Wishaw) We need not just to have the technology but to train the people to help deaf children.In general, concerns - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Lord Addington (LD - Excepted Hereditary) having more specialists directly available to the school, so that can have accurate diagnosis when those assistive - Speech Link
Mar. 14 2024
Source Page: Freedom of Information responses from the MHRA - week commencing 4 December 2023Found: It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.