Technology & Innovation - Issue 12

FROM 6 TO 36 We hear how one SEND school is growing rapidly in size and provision, with the help of some smart inclusive edtech... I t’s not every day that a school multiplies its student body sixfold in just over a year – but then RainbowHub School in Mawdesley, Lancashire is no ordinary school. When the charity-run, independent SEND school first opened its doors, there were only six students on roll. RainbowHub was already growing rapidly, however – primarily serving young students with complex neurological conditions, including cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis andMoebius syndrome. Many of the students currently attending Rainbow Hub are non-verbal and/or wheelchair users. Some require alternative input devices and various other forms of assistive technology in class. Each student receives individualised, bespoke education to meet their specific physical, emotional and cognitive needs. Multisensory experiences This means that each student receives a great deal of attention, which presents issues for the school’s determination to take on more students. How can that one-to-one delivery be sustained, while still giving all students an education that serves their needs – or better yet, while further increasing their engagement levels in class? There was also another pressing issue – the need for the school to continuously raise funds in order to support its operations. “ RainbowHub is reliant on donations, ” says Lyndsay Fahey, the school’s CEO. “ We need to raise £700,000 every year, just to keep our charitable services running, and we rely heavily on the support of others. ” That said, RainbowHub has recently moved into a new facility, giving staff the opportunity to rethink their educational approach in the classroom, and consider whether there might be a solution to their dilemma. An answer came in the form of an edtech provider that had already been supporting them for years – ViewSonic. The company had previously donated equipment to the school and assisted with fundraising, including sponsored 5k/10k runs. It soon became apparent that ViewSonic’s ViewBoard interactive display could provide RainbowHub’s students withmultisensory interactive experiences that would let them express themselves more freely, and learn through a host of new auditory, visual and tactile ways. Teachers would also have the flexibility to display engaging, dynamic content to whole classes more easily and consistently, without having to always rely on separate devices. Unprompted use With this increased inclusivity inmind, ViewSonic went about designing a custom solution that included the installation of 65-inch ViewBoards in every classroom, each set up on height-adjustable stands with anti-collision detection for added safety. The displays were all configured with built-in accessibility tools, an IWB function for teachers and original learning content to save teachers time on lesson planning, thus freeing them up to dedicate more time to scaffolded learning goals tailored to each student. The ViewBoards also work with the school’s specialised hardware, such as switches, that students use in class to communicate – a must for the school. “ The accessibility of the ViewBoard and its adjustable stand allows our students with disabilities to access it easily, ” says RainbowHub’s headteacher, Martyn Berry. “ It’s a great piece of kit. ” With the new height- adjustable boards in place, teachers reported that non-verbal students began using the displays unprompted to express their preferences and level of 38 teachwire.net