BA (Hons) Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion with Foundation Year

This module provides you with the opportunity to develop your understanding of issues surrounding inclusion, disability and diversity for children, young people and adults in educational settings. You be introduced to different types of disabilities and how they can be diverse in nature depending on individual need. By drawing on literature and research you will also be able to consider inclusion, disability and diversity as a social issue that goes beyond education and explore models of disability and inclusion. You will examine how the inclusion of individuals with disabilities into everyday activities involves practices and policies designed to identify and remove barriers. These include physical, communication, and attitudes that hinder the ability of children, young people and adults to have full participation in society. You will also examine the challenges that promoting inclusion, diversity and disability rights can present to current practitioners when working in educational settings and local communities.

This module allows you to explore literature and research about effective communication and interaction and why it is essential for all aspects of an individual's life from education to relationships, employment to emotional well-being. Within this module you will develop your awareness of the importance of inclusive communication for individuals who are at risk of social exclusion across the life span. You will also develop your understanding of your own practical communication skills and how you can promote the social inclusion of individuals who are at a disadvantage because of speech, language and communication needs and impairments.

This module aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of some of the policies and practices in education which impact on meeting the learning needs of individuals. You will be able to explore the principles of inclusive education and how inclusivity can be developed for individual learners. You will also explore the variety of professional roles involved in supporting inclusive education. By drawing on research and literature you will be able to compare different modules of inclusion and reflect on their usefulness in practice. You will also reflect upon how the involvement and collaboration of children, young people and their families is important when developing inclusive practices in education.

As part of your learning on this module you will be introduced to current debates around safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. You will be encouraged to explore how policy, legislation and research evidence inform safeguarding practice. You will also consider the roles and responsibilities of all professionals to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults, and as part of this you will be encouraged to reflect on how professionals need to work together. You will explore how risk is managed and how families are supported by multi-agency teams, to ensure the well-being of all children, young people and vulnerable adults.

In this module you will explore what research is and consider its importance in ensuring the views of vulnerable children, young people and adults are heard. You will be able to learn about how to develop research which supports inclusive practices.  You will also evaluate ethical issues of researching the experiences of ‘vulnerable people’ with an emphasis on exploring participatory research and practice. You will consider differing approaches to investigating disability and inclusion issues and compare research and practice from different perspectives by drawing upon a range of literature and ideas. This module will offer you the opportunity to review a range of research projects and develop your own ideas for future research.

Working with others, whether colleagues, service users or other stakeholders, is central to the effectiveness of many sectors, including education, social care and health. This module aims to stimulate awareness of how collaborative professional practice has the potential to empower people, recognise diversity and address aspects such as social disadvantage. It will consider how collaboration is essential to practice that is fully inclusive, and examine how this might look in a variety of settings. You will also develop collaborative skills when working with professionals.

In this module you will have opportunity to focus on the social and educational inclusion of children and young people with cerebral palsy. By exploring the complexity of difficulties which may be experienced by this group of learners across their lives, you will be able to highlight tensions between policy and current practice and propose ways to improve opportunities, participation, choice and well-being. You will also examine how giving these learners a voice can improve support systems and their participation in society.

This module gives you the opportunity to undertake a placement in a setting of your choice which is relevant to an aspect of your professional development. You will develop your knowledge of working with other professionals relevant to the context of your chosen placement. You will observe an aspect of your placement learning such as the role of practitioners, the environment, pedagogy and multi-agency working. As part of this module you will use research and literature to evaluate issues relating to your chosen topic. You will also explore models of reflective practice which will provide you with the opportunity to apply these alongside your experiential learning to assess your personal and professional learning.

This module focuses on inclusive early-years provision for children with developmental difficulties by exploring key concepts, such as early identification and intervention, developmentally appropriate practice, inter-agency collaboration and parental involvement. By examining the policy-to-practice context and relevant research perspectives about these processes, you will promote your critical understanding of opportunities and challenges associated with such provision. You will also learn about the early-years curriculum framework and how this influences family-centred professional practice.

This module will explore exclusion from school and why some children are more likely to be excluded than others. You will have the opportunity to interpret statistical data, research and literature linking to exclusion from school and social justice and why all people should have equal access to education. Your learning on this module includes applying theories and concepts of social exclusion and social justice in educational contexts. You will also demonstrate the influences of government policy and the curriculum on school exclusion and the issues and challenges of social justice and exclusion from school.

The module will enable you to gain an understanding of the diversity of impairments within the Autistic spectrum. By drawing on a range of concepts, theories and principles you will be able to develop a theoretical understanding of both autism and the values and principles of inclusive practice, within a range of settings. You will have the opportunity to develop your knowledge and understanding of autism as a condition and how people with ASD can be successfully included in all aspects of daily life.

In this module you will focus on specific teaching and learning issues relating to educational experiences of children with complex development and learning needs. You will explore the notion of ‘difference’ and theoretical dilemmas associated with it in an educational context and critically analyse a range of perspectives underpinning this issue. You will evaluate contemporary pedagogical perspectives relating to the education of children with complex intellectual, sensory and physical difficulties. By reflecting on the current educational discourse in respect of disability, you will construct ideas about how educational experiences can be improved for these learners by using appropriate pedagogical judgements.

In this module you develop your critical understanding of the theoretical perspectives underpinning Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD). You will have the opportunity to examine the particular support requirements of individuals with SpLD and evaluate different approaches when meeting individual support requirements. You will also critically analyse the identification, assessment and enabling strategies with a focus on controversial issues surrounding dyslexia. You learning on this module will allow you to recognise the importance of promoting social inclusion for individuals with specific learning difficulties both within education and society.

The module will enable you to consolidate and extend your knowledge of the policy framework within which Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) legislation has been developed. You will analyse inclusion theories and the nature of the impact that SEND as a concept has had in England. It will enable you to develop a theoretical understanding of both statutory assessment and the values and principles of inclusive practice, within a range of settings. There will be an opportunity to consider, through comparative work with other countries and systems, alternative approaches to supporting children and young people with education, health and care needs. The impact of the "cliff edge" of provision at 25 for young adults will be considered and there will be critical analysis of the impact of SEND policy on families. By actively engaging with the module you will develop your understanding of statutory assessment and the ways in which processes such as this shape and define the concept and use of the term special educational needs.

In this module you will have the opportunity to consolidate, extend and challenge your understanding of the notion of social inclusion. You will be able to apply your renewed comprehension of social inclusion to appraise the position of specific groups in 21st century society, with a particular focus on disability. By drawing on theoretical perspectives, such as feminist ideologies, international outlooks, media representations and research studies, you will cultivate critical insights into social issues which underpin the lives, opportunities and challenges of those in disadvantaged or marginalised positions.