Teachers

Improving the delivery of information to disabled pupils

This element of the planning duty requires written information normally provided by a school to be made available to disabled pupils.  The information should take account of pupils’ disabilities, pupils’ and parents’ preferred formats and be made available within a reasonable time frame.  The Code of Practice for Schools published by the Disability Rights Commission suggests that disabilities should include not just physical difficulties, hearing and/or visual impairments but also mental health conditions and certain medical conditions (epilepsy and diabetes are quoted in this respect).

Even the DRC does not reference to dyslexia in this document, although they accept that dyslexia is a  disabillity.

As far as schools are concerned, information to be made available to pupils (and to parents) with disabilities would include handouts, timetables and information about school events.  However, schools should consider their presentation of other items of information within the broad area of their responsibilities, such as:

-                     signage outside and inside the school

-           maps and diagrams of the school

-                     dining hall menus

-           positioning of display stands and display work

-           the school prospectus

-           annual report to parents.

Although the planning duty under the SEN and Disability Act 2001 refers primarily to written information, schools are advised to give some thought to issues regarding spoken information on behalf of pupils (and parents) who have hearing impairments.  This could include recognition of British Sign Language and other similar formats, information on BSL videos, lip-speaking, induction logos for use at parents’ evenings and the use of signers at school performances and speech days.