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Policymakers, researchers, and developers of assistive technologies may find a new evaluation from the Department for Education (DfE) about an assistive technology training pilot ran in schools earlier this year an insightful and educational read.

The research report, ‘Evaluation of the assistive technology training pilot’, discusses the findings from an assistive technology training pilot that took place from in the first quarter of 2022.

The small-scale pilot involved surveys and interviews with a small number of schools and the assistive technology training pilot delivery partners.

In the context of this evaluation, assistive technologies are specialised products designed for people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Types of assistive technologies used by individuals with SEND could include screen readers, speech-to-text software, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices.

Below are some of the key takeaways from the research report.

Background information

In response to evidence that teachers struggled to use technology to support learners with special educational needs, DfE ran an Assistive Technology Training Pilot programme for 79 schools from January 2022 to March 2022.

The training focused on upskilling school staff in identifying and implementing appropriate assistive technology for pupils with SEND in mainstream schools.

A nominated Assistive Technology (AT) Champion participated in five online live training sessions. An online virtual meeting with senior leaders and AT Champions from each school was held at the start and the end of the pilot to encourage engagement with the programme and embedding learning across the setting. Participating schools also had access to a suite of resources.

CooperGibson Research (CGR) was commissioned by DfE to conduct an independent evaluation of the small-scale pilot which involved surveys and interviews with a small number of schools and the Assistive Technology Training Pilot delivery partners.

Participants were interviewed and surveyed both before and after the training pilot to ascertain changes in perceptions and experiences of the assistive technology training pilot. The surveys and interviews were either done online or via telephone.

Perceptions of the training programme

Overall, the assistive technology training programme was well received by participants. Almost nine in 10 of AT Champions were very or quite satisfied with the training and support they received. 61 percent of AT Champions felt that the training had completely or mostly met their needs.

Most of the AT Champions were either very or quite satisfied with the training content.

Content that focused on raising awareness of the assistive technology available, particularly free technology, and demonstrations of specific assistive technology, was found to be the most useful and most recalled aspect of the training.

In contrast, a greater focus on presenting more examples of assistive technology, and more time spent on the assistive technology that was presented, would have been valued and this was the main improvement suggested by participants. More guidance on sourcing, costs of assistive technology and what represents value for money was also requested.

Looking at the online delivery of assistive technology training, over two-thirds were happy with the format, which encouraged schools to prioritise participation and commit the necessary attention to the training.

The small-group dynamic encouraged open discussions with other participants and was useful for sharing knowledge, experiences, practical tips and support. However, awareness of the opportunity for peer networking was varied and few had actually made use of it at the time of the post-training research, DfE notes.

Although an appetite for networking outside of the training sessions was expressed, some AT Champions noted that local connections were preferable.

Immediate outcomes

By the end of the pilot, the majority of AT Champions were in the early stages of sharing their learnings with their school, raising awareness about assistive technology with staff, having discussions with SLT, or testing the use of newly discovered assistive technology with some pupils.

Many of the AT Champions surveyed felt that the training will help them to tackle some of the key barriers they faced in using assistive technology, in particular:

  • Awareness and understanding of the assistive technology that is available (66 percent)
  • Teacher skills and confidence with utilising assistive technology (67 percent)
  • Support from senior leadership (66 percent)
  • Having the time to learn how to use assistive technology effectively (66 percent)

Interestingly, while AT Champions largely found the assistive technology training helpful, a number of participants reported barriers to wider adoption among schools.

For example, some of the participants felt they needed time to reflect on what they had learned, some felt as though they did not have the influence to encourage adoption of assistive technologies within their school, and some felt they needed to provide specific information to their school on specific assistive technology and how it could be used.

Training pilot impact

Overall, the majority of AT Champions were positive about the impact of their involvement in the Assistive Technology Training Pilot on their own knowledge and confidence.

A significant improvement in awareness and familiarity with a number of different types of assistive technology was seen after participating in the training, particularly for text-to-speech applications, speech-to-text applications, and page display tools, which were discussed in the training sessions.

AT Champions were excited and surprised at how easy it was to access and implement freely available assistive technology tools.

Importantly, a significant increase in AT Champions’ ratings of their confidence after participating in the training was seen across all areas. Confidence was highest after the training for using assistive technology to support pupils in their learning.

Large increases were also seen for assessing the effectiveness and impact of assistive technology used to support pupils and identifying the relevant assistive technology to meet pupils’ needs.

Despite the largely positive outcomes, feelings towards the potential impact of assistive technology use on workload were mixed. Although some of the AT Champions recognised that assistive technology could help to reduce workload, they were yet to see the benefits.

They also acknowledged that workload could temporarily increase, as they adapted to using the technology within their practice. More training on how to use specific assistive technology would help to minimise this impact on schools, the DfE report underlines.

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