Barry Carpenter

Empowering Parents: The Use of the Parent as Researcher Paradigm in Early Intervention

Whilst family-focussed models of service delivery are proving more effective in early intervention, it is the parents who ultimately carry the burden of responsibility. They often evolve their own strategies for coping with difficulties and solving problems within a family context. Through case study analysis, I report on some of the key outcomes of early intervention for families of very young children with disabilities. The analysis challenges traditional definitions of the family and suggests a recontextualisation of this concept. Similarly parental perceptions of the style of early intervention services are contrasted with those models reported to be effective by professionals. In striving for optimal effectiveness in early intervention, the unique knowledge and understanding of parents is pivotal, and ways are suggested of objectively collecting and collating that knowledge to inform practice and identify important research questions. This case study analysis has led to the evolution of the parent as researcher paradigm, and the implications for the practical implementation of this model will be considered.

The Curriculum challenge : access to the national curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties

Part 1: the curriculum challenge, Rob Ashdown et al perspectives on the National Curriculum, Sue Fagg access for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties, Carol Ouvry. Part 2: approaches to science, Linda Howe a sensory science curriculum, Flo Longhorn aspects of English, Judy van Oosterom mathematics for all, Brian Robbins meeting the needs of pupils within history and geography, Judy Sebba and John Clarke dimensions of design and technology, Andy Tearle cross-circular approaches to information technology, Paul Roberts. Part 3: access to the National Curriculum for parents, Philippa Russell annual reviews - an active partnership, Nick Hughes and Barry Carpenter entitled to learn together, Ann Lewis equal opportunities - promoting respect and integrity, Sharon Jeffries health and sex education - a cross-curricular theme, Jean Gawlinski TVEI and the curriculum, Bill Cassell et al assessment, the National Curriculum and special education needs - confusion or consensus?, Martyn Rouse. Part 4: training for change - school-based INSET, Anita Gadsby teacher education - the changing focus, Tina Tilstone the way ahead, Lambert Bignell.

The Interface between the Curriculum and the Code.

Barry Carpenter, Director of the Centre for the Study of Special Education, Westminster College, Oxford, highlights the need for a schools curriculum to reflect the requirements of The Code of Practice.

Book clubs for people with intellectual disabilities: the evidence and impact on wellbeing and community participation of reading wordless books

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce the social and scientific rationale for book clubs, whose members read wordless books together, and give examples of storytelling with picture books in libraries and other community settings for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. Design/methodology/approach The authors consider the impact of book clubs reading picture books without words, alongside an understanding of the underlying neuroscience (see Table I for search strategy). The authors compare differences in the neuroscience of information and emotion processing between pictures and words. Accounts from book club facilitators illustrate these differences in practice. Findings Many readers who struggle with reading and comprehending words, find pictures much easier to understand. Book clubs support community inclusion, as for other people in society. A focus on visual rather than word literacy encourages successful shared reading. Research limitations/implications No research has been published about the feasibility and effectiveness of wordless books in community book clubs or shared reading groups. There is very little research on the impact of accessible materials, despite a legal requirement for services to provide reasonable adjustments and the investment of time and resources in developing storylines in pictures, or “translating” information into easy read formats. Practical implications Book clubs whose members read picture books without words are growing in number, especially in public libraries in the UK. Expansion is dependent on funding to pay for training for librarians and volunteer facilitators. Social implications There is a shortage of fully accessible activities for adults with intellectual disabilities in mainstream community settings with a primarily social purpose. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper describing the theory and impact of wordless book clubs for people who find pictures easier to understand than words.

The Engagement for Learning Framework: connecting with learning and evidencing progress for children with autism spectrum conditions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe and illustrate the use of the Engagement for Learning Framework developed through the Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (CLDD) Research Project (2009-2011). The resources support mainstream and special educators to extend the engagement of learners with CLDD. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 95 educational settings and 224 students took part across three phases of research (November 2009-March 2011) comprising a resource development phase and two trial phases in mainstream and special schools. The researchers used an exploratory, multiple case study approach and action research methodologies. A recent case study from Hamilton School, Birmingham, illustrates the Engagement for Learning Framework. Findings – The resulting Engagement Profile and Scale data showed increases in engagement for similar proportions of the student cohort. Across the three phases, 81-85 per cent (mean: 83 per cent) increased their levels of engagement for learni...

A Post-16 Educational Project for Students with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties

ABSTRACT Further Education, Post-16, for students with profound and multiple learning difficulties has not been extensively debated. Where it has been discussed for those students with special educational needs then the equality of educational opportunity has been stressed (Faraday and Harris, 1989). Improvements in the educational provision for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties has naturally led to an examination of how this group of children will spend their latter years of statutory education. This paper describes how one school planned for, and initiated, an integrated programme of Further Education for four students with profound and multiple learning difficulties in the context of the schools Further Education Unit for young people with severe learning difficulties. Through a detailed analysis of the daily environmental experiences of each student a relevant, and age-appropriate, curriculum was designed.

Using wordless books to support clinical consultations

Purpose Based on a literature and practice review, the purpose of this paper is to examine the theoretical and clinical basis for using wordless books with patients who have intellectual disabilities (ID) and/or autism. Design/methodology/approach A literature review identified seminal peer-reviewed English language articles relating to the neuroscience of information and emotion processing for adults with ID and/or autism. In addition to published examples, illustrative case examples were contributed by clinicians regularly using wordless books. Findings Many people, including those with ID, selectively attend to visual information. Minimising the cognitive load by using wordless pictorial narrative reduces anxiety, and empowers the patient. Clinicians using such resources describe positive clinical outcomes. Only the Beyond Words wordless books have been identified in published clinical trials. Research limitations/implications Although existing evidence suggests a strong positive impact, further research into the use of wordless books for people with ID is needed. Practical implications Wordless books are reported to help develop staff skills and empathy for supporting adults with ID. The books facilitate some legally required reasonable adjustments to increase service access. Staff training is needed for effective use of wordless books. Originality/value Wordless books specifically designed with and for adults with word processing difficulties, ID and/or autism to enhance health literacy and explore their own narratives and emotional responses around health experiences and personal traumas are a unique approach. This paper may also offer the first exploration of their neuropsychological underpinnings.

Curriculum and Achievement Planning for Transition

ABSTRACT This paper reviews recent trends in the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs (SEN). It considers the impact on teaching and learning of initiatives such as Records of Achievement, and the National Curriculum. In particular it sets these curricular developments within the framework of the Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Education Needs. The influence of differentiation as a key curriculum tenet is discussed as a strategy for designing learning contexts that are sensitive to individual student needs. The paper focuses in particular on the process of transition planning during the latter school years, and the central role students themselves should play. The identification of learning routes for students with SEN is debated, with a particular emphasis on their right to attain adult status, regardless of the severity of their learning disability. The paper concludes with a plea for the curriculum to be acknowledged as a source of personal celebration a...