About InContexT: SEN

Using ICT to support learning

This extensive compilation of resources is designed to support the professional development of any practitioners who work with children with special educational needs.

This section of the disc provides the guidance documents and linked resources for the four sessions that make up the core INSET programme. The programme has been carefully designed to take account of the varied and particular challenges of working with pupils with SEN and to be of real value to a wide range of practitioners in different settings. Extensive reference is made throughout the sessions to InContexT: Skills, InContexT: Classroom and InContexT: AbilityNet, and their rich content.

To offer additional help, particularly to those working with pupils with severe learning difficulties, there is also an extensive set of resources from Inclusive Consultancy and Training Syndicate (ICTS).

The materials can be used in a variety of ways. This means that individual institutions can create a professional development programme that suits their particular requirements. For example, your school, college or nursery may decide to run the programme:

in-house with one or more of your colleagues acting as your tutor/trainer
using an external tutor/trainer
as a predominantly self-study exercise.

It is important to appreciate that, whatever the approach adopted, InContexT: SEN provides you with a wealth of resources for the programme, your continuing work in supporting learning, and your general professional development. As a consequence, you should feel free to use any of InContexT: SEN whenever a need arises.

Content overview

The INSET programme is delivered in four sessions. The sessions progress from a series of key general principles about both ICT and SEN, to the development and use of classroom kits with pupils. A classroom kit can be thought of as everything required for understanding a specific classroom ICT activity in pursuit of a particular area of learning.

Much of the material is presented as portable document format (PDF) files that can be used onscreen or printed out. The files are not editable, but any of the text may be copied and pasted into other documents. Additional files are provided in a variety of convenient forms; these can be edited by opening them in a suitable program.

Each session can be completed in two and a half hours. The sessions look at supporting learning using ICT and are based around carefully differentiated ideas and activities. Each session includes detailed, well-prepared guidance materials. The activities require completion of onscreen forms, thereby adding to learners' portfolios of evidence. The sessions are:

The resources from ICTS form a series of modules offering supplementary information, exemplification, guidance and activities. These can be used with the sessions or woven into any programme of self-study, as appropriate. They will prove especially useful to practitioners supporting learners with severe and complex difficulties; for example, in special schools or specialist units attached to other institutions.

The material is both detailed and specific, describing the use of selected pieces of hardware and software in particular circumstances and with specific learners. As such, it forms a useful complement to the more generic, principle-led approach of the four sessions. The idea is not to work through the units in order from 1 to 10, but to refer to them individually as the need arises.

Nature of the materials

InContexT: SEN uses a very simple and highly flexible approach. All materials are accessed by making choices from an easy-to-use interface, which runs from within a Web browser. The core of the system, including the interface and training material for the basic skills, can be placed onto and accessed via an Intranet or used directly from the CD-ROM.

The training material itself is presented in portable document format (PDF) and is viewed and used within the Adobe Acrobat Reader program (supplied).

Go to the training materials.



		About InContexT: SEN Using ICT to support learning This extensive compilation of resources is designed to support the professional development of any practitioners who work with children with special educational needs. This section of the disc provides the guidance documents and linked resources for the four sessions that make up the core INSET programme. The programme has been carefully designed to take account of the varied and particular challenges of working with pupils with SEN and to be of real value to a wide range of practitioners in different settings. Extensive reference is made throughout the sessions to InContexT: Skills, InContexT: Classroom and InContexT: AbilityNet, and their rich content. To offer additional help, particularly to those working with pupils with severe learning difficulties, there is also an extensive set of resources from Inclusive Consultancy and Training Syndicate (ICTS). The materials can be used in a variety of ways. This means that individual institutions can create a professional development programme that suits their particular requirements. For example, your school, college or nursery may decide to run the programme: in-house with one or more of your colleagues acting as your tutor/trainer using an external tutor/trainer as a predominantly self-study exercise. It is important to appreciate that, whatever the approach adopted, InContexT: SEN provides you with a wealth of resources for the programme, your continuing work in supporting learning, and your general professional development. As a consequence, you should feel free to use any of InContexT: SEN whenever a need arises. Content overview The INSET programme is delivered in four sessions. The sessions progress from a series of key general principles about both ICT and SEN, to the development and use of classroom kits with pupils. A classroom kit can be thought of as everything required for understanding a specific classroom ICT activity in pursuit of a particular area of learning. Much of the material is presented as portable document format (PDF) files that can be used onscreen or printed out. The files are not editable, but any of the text may be copied and pasted into other documents. Additional files are provided in a variety of convenient forms; these can be edited by opening them in a suitable program. Each session can be completed in two and a half hours. The sessions look at supporting learning using ICT and are based around carefully differentiated ideas and activities. Each session includes detailed, well-prepared guidance materials. The activities require completion of onscreen forms, thereby adding to learners' portfolios of evidence. The sessions are: Session 1: Available ICT and Support Session 2: Profiling Pupils Session 3: ICT and Accessibility Session 4: Adapting Resources for Classroom Use The resources from ICTS form a series of modules offering supplementary information, exemplification, guidance and activities. These can be used with the sessions or woven into any programme of self-study, as appropriate. They will prove especially useful to practitioners supporting learners with severe and complex difficulties; for example, in special schools or specialist units attached to other institutions. The material is both detailed and specific, describing the use of selected pieces of hardware and software in particular circumstances and with specific learners. As such, it forms a useful complement to the more generic, principle-led approach of the four sessions. The idea is not to work through the units in order from 1 to 10, but to refer to them individually as the need arises. Nature of the materials InContexT: SEN uses a very simple and highly flexible approach. All materials are accessed by making choices from an easy-to-use interface, which runs from within a Web browser. The core of the system, including the interface and training material for the basic skills, can be placed onto and accessed via an Intranet or used directly from the CD-ROM. The training material itself is presented in portable document format (PDF) and is viewed and used within the Adobe Acrobat Reader program (supplied). Go to the training materials.