‘Ascent’ Regional Assessment & Resource Centre
Overview: Athlone Institute of
Technology in partnership with
GMIT, IT Sligo, LyIT & NUI Galway
established a regional assessment
& resource centre early in 2007 to
provide services for students with
specific learning difficulty (SpLD).
SpLD includes students with
Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADD/ADHD.
Regional Partner Institutes
(Map of BMW region and partner locations- AIT,
GMIT, NUIG, IT Sligo, LYIT)
Project initiative…
• Research into current practices & compile data
on best practices within the 5 HEIs
• Assist in the implementation of ‘agreed’ best
practice procedures in participating colleges
• Investigate into new interventions/innovations in
AT or ‘inclusive technologies’
• Organise ‘trialing;’ of new technologies, share
outcomes with participating HEIs & other
interested parties
Role of Project Coordinator &
Researchers
• Provision of on site assessment of facilities (AT, LS, Exams, Library,
Tutor system)
• Research the AT needs of students
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of AT interventions
• Research into best practices in AT
• Creation of links with educators and SPLD Interest organisations
• Develop AT resources/programmes
• Research to develop needs assessment in AT (in collaboration with
other HEI’s)
Targets
• Agree on best practice approach in the use of
AT & other Interventions
• Develop model for assessment and individual
strategy development which is informed by the
use of Psychological Assessment.
• Formation of template for needs assessment
based on detailed assessment and informed by
experts and research developed in each area of
intervention.
• Promote mainstreaming of technologies used by
students with SpLD.
• Increase retention & progression of students
Research undertaken into current practice in AT LS
and other Interventions amongst the 5 colleges
– detailing AT supports available
– strategies applied
– models used
– use of Assessments in relation to planning
Additional research underway into the usage of
assistive technology by students with Specific Learning
Difficulty (in the 5 colleges participating in the Ascent Project)
Implementation of research outcomes:
• Mainstreaming of the use of AT e.g. training of LS Tutors, Lecturers,
library staff in ‘Read & Write Gold’
• Uniformity in baseline training of Learning Support Tutors e.g. CCET
(Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing)
• ‘Trialing’ of new products on market i.e. electronic pens between five
HEIS to address issues identified in the research- e.g. the under use of AT in
exam, lecture or placement settings and the functional independence benefits
missed out on as a result of this.
• Examination support- additional time, marking guidelines, use of digital
recorders (use of Dictaphones/MP3 players in place of human readers -improves
functional independence and belief in one’s self efficacy)
Current use of Readers for
Exam Concessions
• Groups Exam read for
– Visually handicapped
– Dyslexic
• Severe and those who may misread parts of the
paper
Disadvantages of the
current system
• Expensive- one reader/ person
• Separate rooms are allocated /person
• Possible solutions
– Screen readers.
– Text – Speech readers
– Voice Recorders
Trialled Solution
• Digital Voice Recorders Sony ICD 8500
– Exam papers read onto recorder for each exam
– Student
• Trained
• Given written instruction sheet
• Exam day given headphones + Voice Recorders
– Invigilators
• Trained
Results of Trial
• Students- All asked no problems reported
• Invigilators Happy to use the system
• Financial 80% of costs saved
Problems with larger numbers
1 Recording
2 Confidentiality
3 Ease of changing exams.