Learning Resources and Inclusion

Learning Resources and Inclusion

Having now looked at some of the basic problems learners may have with ICT use in the classroom (previous blog has a link to barriers of using ICT equipment) I have also looked at the benefits of using ICT for learners with specific disabilities and needs as part of my analysis of learning resources that promote inclusion. Some of the aids I came across included; speech to text voice recognition software which helps people who find typing or using a mouse difficult or have difficulties relating to dyslexia, voice output communication aids which assist people to participate in communication and adapted specialised keyboards which allow access to computers to those with physical impairments. There are of course many more resources and developments being made as a result of developments in ICT in general which will enable wider participation and inclusion throughout education.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 states that inclusive teaching is a requirement that should be provided through reasonable adjustments. According to the Higher Education Academy (2009 online) true inclusion means providing every learner, including disabled learners an entitlement to learning through careful planning of curriculum, teaching and resources that accommodates everyone from the start. More often than not, and with the honest intentions of the tutor, inclusion is addressed through additions to existing teaching materials and practices to overcome the barriers that are present in already written curriculum and schemes of work. However, it would not be reasonable for a school or college to provide every learner with the opportunity to use the previously mentioned specialist learning resources when only a small percentage of its learners genuinely required these learning aids. To me the tutor’s role is to provide an engaging and enjoyable learning environment that takes in to account learners learning styles, abilities, preferences and incorporates activities that promote inclusion. Making changes to teaching and learning resources could be beneficial to all learners regardless of ability and is usually addressed as part of a tutor’s reflective practice.

The function of the teacher of adults is wider than just that of a demonstrator, lecturer or presenter of information. Rather, the teacher constructs a sequence of learning activities for the student participants to engage in.
(Rogers 2002, P225)

I have found that even the simplest of ideas can motivate a class. Recently I was working with a group of hairdressing learners in the role of additional learning support and the tutor was using the game Connect Four on a whiteboard. The group had been split into two groups and the tutor was conducting a ‘Q&A’ session with a spokes person from each group giving the team answer. When they got the answer right they chose a position in the game, when they got it wrong the opposing team got to choose the position. The competitiveness of the session engaged the groups who were looking through resources and checking with each other before committing to an answer. I adopted this resource myself for an end of term consolidation session and found that the group were equally as engaged and have requested the same format for each term end. I learnt from this idea that making resources that are ICT based and engaging doesn’t have to mean hours of preparation to be successful.


United Kingdom (2005) Disability Discrimination Act 2005.London: HMSO.
The Higher Education Academy 2009 [online]. available:www.psychology.heacademy.ac.uk/networks/sig/it.asp [January 27th 2009]
Rogers, A. (2002) Teaching Adults 3rd Ed. Maidenhead: Open University Press