SuperNova Access Suite Case Study: Inclusion and Independence in the Classroom.

Jonathan is 10 years old and enjoys using computers in class. He busies himself at the computer, saves and prints his work, joining in enthusiastically with lessons. Unlike other children in his class, Jonathan is visually impaired and deaf. He uses a piece of software called Supernova Reader Magnifier to magnify the computer screen so that he can see it more clearly. He plugs his hearing aids directly into the computer, so that he can listen to Supernova tell him what is on the screen.

"It tells me when I am in the right menu. I can print my own work now instead of somebody else doing it for me," Jonathan grins proudly. Jonathan is one of over 700 visually impaired children who are supported in mainstream classrooms by Surrey's Physical and Sensory Support Service. Jonathan's Supernova software was recommended by Lesley Langston, the visual impairment ICT assessor for the county.

Lesley explains, "Our aim is to make children as independent as possible, but that is only possible with good support from qualified staff and the right technology." Lesley visits each child individually before making her assessment.

She continues, "We are lucky that Surrey makes good provision for children with special educational needs. We have 771 children currently in our program, and they range from children with a mild eyesight problem through to those with multiple disabilities which include blindness." Lesley has worked in special education for almost 16 years, and has seen information technology in the classroom change from the early days of a single BBC school computer right through to today's National Grid for Learning (NGfL). I asked her what difference she thought technology was making to visually impaired children. "Information Technology is very important," she stresses. "It's a way for the children to get success and raises their self esteem. It's also a way for children to be part of the rest of the class. They can make their work look like everyone else's and join in class projects without feeling isolated by their disability. Even the little ones can get involved - that's my favourite part of the job!" Rosemary James is the support teacher for the visually impaired at St Stephen's School in South Godstone, where Jonathan goes to school and has seen the difference first hand. "We've only been using the software since the summer, but it has made a huge difference," she says. "Jonathan really enjoys typing, and takes a lot of pleasure in setting up the computer as he wants it. He simply couldn't do any of that before."

Another one of Rosemary's students, Emma, is 11 and has Supernova loaded on her laptop. "She couldn't do without it!" exclaims Rosemary. "Her accuracy has improved tremendously, because she's been able to re-read and check her own work. Previously she had to prepare a draft in rough, then type it out as 'neat'. It was a slow and laborious process. Now she can submit her working copy and print it straight out herself. She can also sit with her laptop on the desk and work with a partner like the other children do. We couldn't have done that for her even 6 or 7 years ago. Supernova enables children to be part of the class."

The Supernova Reader Magnifier software which Jonathan, Emma and other students use is developed by British company Dolphin Computer Access. Supernova can add magnification, speech and Braille to normal Windows® applications without changing those applications, or requiring any special dedicated equipment. For real inclusion to occur, students need to be able to use the same software packages and the same class computers as their peers. Similarly, fully sighted children should not feel that a computer running adaptive software is somehow second best. Supernova can be switched on and off quickly and easily without affecting the computer for other users. Lesley and her team at Surrey Physical and Sensory Support Service work with schools all across Surrey. Another of Lesley's students, Priya, is in Year 9 at Woking High School. At Woking, Supernova is available on the school's computer network so that Priya and other students can make use of the software from any of the computer stations in the school's computer labs. They use the screen magnification during time tabled IT lessons, which means, like the younger children at St Stephen's, each student can function independently and be part of the class.

User Stories index

Buy it Try it