Who its for: class teacher What's included: tips on describing images to a student with visual impairments Learning objectives: Student can reach outcomes if access is enabled following these tips Differentiation: reasonable adjustments means equality of access for student with visual impairment

Who it's for: Class teachers Why its useful: provides advice on how to include a child with VI in your class Learning objective: Following the advice means the child is enabled to reach their outcomes Differentiation opportunities: this describes how to adjust the classroom setting and differentiate access Tips on use: Include classroom management tips in the delivery of the curriculum to the child to enable access

Who it's for: Class teachers What's included: useful tips to enable tactile access to graphics Why it's useful: explains the how of tactile access to support the class teacher to include the young person with VI Learning objectives: advice given if followed will enable the young person to show their potential and to be equally included Differentiation: enable the curriculum to be differentiated and made accessible for a student accessing by tactile methods

Who its for: class teacher What's included: tips on measuring angles for a student with visual impairments Learning objectives: Student can reach outcomes if access is enabled following these tips Differentiation: reasonable adjustments means equality of access for student with visual impairment

Use the practical ideas and suggestions to deliver a programme to support the development of tactile skills towards a goal of understanding symbolic representation. A hierarchy of tactile skills for graphics is given with goals, resource suggestions, activities and observation points for each area. The skills are divided into two sets and are integral to each other. Skill set 1 • Understanding real life concepts • Handling real objects • Handling models • Two dimensional representation • Symbolic representations Skill set 2 • Tactile discrimination skills • Fine motor skills Why use? Programme of practical activities which can be embedded in the child’s daily curriculum Ready-made session plans for each skill area, provided in Word to enable further plans to be created Benefits: Adaptable to child’s need Enables assessment of child’s tactile skills and specific target setting Observation points inform the practitioner of what to look for and enables specific evaluation of child’s progress

Help the child to develop social interaction skills, using this nine week programme which includes lesson objectives, activities, goals and targets, plus a simple monitoring and recording system and graphs to record the child's progress. Why use? Programme can be taught in a focussed way to a small group Develops the main social skills of: • Looking towards the person • Turn taking in conversation • Speaking during conversation • Listening skills – active and attentive listening • Giving and receiving instructions Benefits: Monitoring checklists can be printed for each session Programme is fully adaptable to meet child’s needs Progress can be recorded on the simple graph system

Promote the child’s independence and help your staff team plan their role using astructured and practical set of training and self reflection tools. Why use? How to help a child with SEND/VI to gain a greater level of independence The effectiveness of current interventions The roles of all professional in maximising independence Benefits? Approaches are embedded as part of the professional’s ongoing continuing professional development Addresses the core purpose of the supporting practitioner Enables a consistent whole school or specialist service approach Targets strategies to maximise the child’s independence Product resources are fully adaptable Who’s in the Driving Seat contains the resources required to enable the school or specialist service to follow a simple strategic structured approach. A training plan enables the initial concept to be presented to staff with the opportunity to self reflect and plan the way in which to support the child towards being independent. Further resources and activities help the professional determine the correct level of intervention, and how to work with the child to define the support he or she requires to move towards independence in school. A set of tools are provided to help the professional communicate this knowledge to class teachers, lunchtime supervisors and classroom assistants, making sure interventions are properly considered and appropriately targeted.

Support the understanding of voice tone,body language and facial expression with this set of 11 interactive activities and promote the development of positive social interactions in young people of upper primary/secondary school age. Why use? Provides a readymade, yet flexible programme fully adaptable to need Sessions have a light hearted, fun approach, using role play to support learning Can be used with a group or tailored for an individual child Benefits: Builds the skills needed for positive social experiences Seeks to improve the child’s social interactions Puts the child at the centre of planning a personalised social skill programme The pack outlines a range of fun activities which can be delivered to small groups using a ‘Circle of Friends' approach. Throughout the interactive sessions young people are encouraged to explore how they can understand other people’s body language, facial expressions and tone of voice during conversations and to review how they present themselves in social situations. The activities begin with a simple exercise in self-reflection where the young people are encouraged to think about different social situations they find easy and which ones they feel they would like to find easier. The next ten activities can then be delivered in a flexible way to suit the needs of the group. By using this product, practitioners can help children with SEND/VI to reflect on how they perceive their own level of social skills and put practical strategies in place to improve them. Testimonial: “The resource cards are excellent, providing a wide range of methods to explore human emotions and behaviours. The possible interventions suggested are limitless and make you stand back to consider all the possible opportunities to develop these vital skills.” Wendy Whitwell, Team Leader for VI, NW - UK

A bright colourful display portfolio for the child to record their involvement in their Education Health and Care Plan. The portfolio belongs to the child, and offers a place for them to record their views, wishes, feelings, aspirations, progress and successes. It includes sections on: Social and Emotional Well Being, Curriculum Access, Mobility Skills, Independent Living Skills, About Me, Understanding and managing my vision, Transition (Mapped to ‘Better Assessments, Better Plans, Better Outcomes NATSIP 2012). Why use? Enables the child to share their progress Evidences child’s involvement in the plan and review of their support Display wallet style enables pages to be changed each year Benefits: Child is an active part of their planning cycle Child can look back and view progress Child can personalise the portfolio

Build a profile of the child’s technologyrequirements and make sure appropriate choices are made which meet their access needs. Why use? Provides comprehensive assessment of child’s access Assessments are related to a range of curriculum activities Includes additional skills required to use the technology Benefits: The assessments can be amended, added to, or used in part, according to the requirements of the assessment situation Identifies the most appropriate type of technology to fulfil the child’s needs Enables you to complete a final profile of need

Consult with the child about their curriculum access using this set of 15 bright coloured picture cards which illustrate the main curriculum tasks that may be carried out on a daily basis in the classroom. Why use? A useful tool for: Consulting with the child during assessment and review Reflecting on tasks that are easy and those the child would like to find easier Target setting to develop independent access Benefits: Builds self esteem and confidence about tasks that can be done independently Develops a positive ‘On my own I can... approach’ Involves the child in measuring their own progress and success

Consult with the child about their curriculum access using this set of 15 bright coloured picture cards which illustrate the main curriculum tasks that may be carried out on a daily basis in the classroom. Why use? A useful tool for: Consulting with the child during assessment and review Reflecting on tasks that are easy and those the child would like to find easier Target setting to develop independent access Benefits: Builds self esteem and confidence about tasks that can be done independently Develops a positive ‘On my own I can... approach’ Involves the child in measuring their own progress and success

Plan the detailed provision required by the child with vision impairment using this simple tool. The plan includes: • Section 1: School – Service support agreement • Section 2: Overview of provision • Section 3: General provision by the service • Sections 4 – 8 refer to the areas of specific access, Curriculum, Social Inclusion, Specialist Equipment, Physical environment, Daily Living Skills Why use? The plan demonstrates the joint and equal responsibility that is held between school and service, to ensure that the needs of the child are met to enable successful inclusion It sets out in sections, roles and responsibilities and the provision that needs to be made by both school and service The plan can be amended to reflect the particular needs of the child Aspects of provision can be added/removed Fully adaptable to fit the child’s needs Benefits: Gives detailed provision points for each area of specific access Clearly identifies each professional's responsibility Makes it easy to record progress Mapped to the Quality Standards for Children and Young People with Visual Impairment (2002)

Promote recognition of facial expressions and emotions to improve the child’s competency in social situations. A set of 12 simple black and white facial expression cards which include a description of each expression on the reverse. Why use? Help children to: Recognise facial expressions Understand emotions conveyed Develop competency in social situations Benefits: Useful for social skill group activities Use to set individual social skills targets

Develop awareness of specific social behaviours using these simple cards, each depicting a different social situations. The set comprises 14 high contrasting black/white/yellow picture cards each depicting a different social situation or skill. A description of the skill is given on the back of the card. The cards depict typical social situations and appropriate behaviours, e.g. greeting, posture, avoiding rocking and hand flapping during conversations, maintaining the conversation, knowing when it is your turn to talk. Why use? Set targets for the development of social skills Raise awareness of acceptable social behaviour Benefits: Encourages discussion around social situations that the child/young person would like to find easier

A practical tool to support a collaborative approach to ensure the school setting and classrooms are vision friendly, roles and responsibilities are clearly understood and an action plan is in place to ensure reasonable adjustments are made in line with the Equality Act 2010. • Reasonable Adjustments Charter • Vision Friendly Classrooms Charter • Roles and Responsibilities activity • Provision plan • Action plan • Quality first teaching audit and self reflection resources Why use? Supports a collaborative approach to planning provision Helps schools to understand what reasonable adjustments for a child with vision impairment look like Enables the school to demonstrate their commitment to creating an inclusive setting Benefits: Guides a supportive approach when working with schools Helps to promote understanding of the depth of the child’s needs in being included Provides a strategic approach to ensure reasonable adjustments are in place

Who its for: Class teachers What's included: how to enable access to print media for students with vision impairments Why its useful: helps the class teacher to understand reasonable adjustments for a student with vision impairments Learning objectives; means the student can reach their outcomes as access is enabled appropriately Differentiation: means the curriculum is accessible to the student How to use: apply approaches in the classroom to equal include student

Who its for: class teacher What's included: tips on concept development to support understanding in students with visual impairments Learning objectives: Student can reach outcomes if access is enabled following these tips Differentiation: reasonable adjustments means equality of access for student with visual impairments

Who it's for: Class teachers What's included: useful tips to support child's access to handwriing Why it's useful: gives class teachers the reasonable adjustments to enable access Learning objectives; these are more likely to be reached if the tips are followed and the child is enabled to read and edit their handwriting, or have an alternative means of communication

Who it's for: Class teachers What's included: tips to access the smartboard for students with VI Why it's useful: enables the class teacher to make reasonable adjustments for student with VI Differentiation: Equal access is enabled, student can access information presented at a distance.