Blog, Special Education

What is Your Definition of Education Support?

Servisource

- 4 months ago

Inclusive Education and The Best Practices for Supporting Students with Disabilities in the Classroom

What is Your Definition of Education Support?

The education process provides educational assistance for students with disabilities and learning disorders that is designed to help students receive educational opportunities and reach their full potential. Understanding the definition of education support enables families and schools to identify it and offer the necessary educational assistance. Servisource interviewed our very own Helen Myer’s who is the Account Manager of Education Support, Servisource to gain her expert advice on what her definition of education support is. Helen has been with the Servisource Family for 10 years.

A little bit about Helen

I have always been in a care and support role, from healthcare to homecare and on to Education Support. The opportunity came up for a Manager for Education Support and I felt that it would be the next step for me in my career and would also present a challenge. I loved the idea that I could be part of the change that we want to see in the world. More accessibility and accommodations for students with disabilities, being inclusive and being able to offer assistance to enable them.

Though I see myself as 21, I am old enough to remember people with disabilities being kept home as there was no way they could travel independently, they would have had no access to old university buildings and they could not afford to employ someone to be with them all day if the aforementioned was in place. While in university, one of my friends had availed of the support and it helped her enormously. Fast forward to now and we are in a more inclusive, progressive society and I am delighted to play my small part in this.

Hi Helen, can you describe what your definition of education support is?

We at Servisource are deeply committed to promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). We dedicate time getting to know all the values of the Disability & Learning Support Service in each college or university and how best to serve their requirements. Our approach is rooted in understanding their values and their ethos, and acknowledging the significant role that plays in promoting pathways into higher education and easing the transition for students.

Our approach to matching students with appropriately qualified and trained education support workers is grounded in our deep understanding of the college/university values, the needs of its diverse student population, and the objectives of the Disability Teams in the various institutions. We are committed to fostering continuity, building trust, and promoting independence to support the academic success and well-being of all students .

What are the types of learning difficulties requiring education support?

Servisource Education Support work with colleges and universities around Ireland to assist higher education institutions in ensuring students with disabilities have the necessary assistance and equipment to enable them access, fully participate in and successfully complete their chosen course of study.

Some of the disabilities recognised and supported by the Fund for Students with Disabilities are:

Autism, attention deficit disorder, blind/vision impaired, deaf/hard of hearing.
Mental health conditions (for example bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, clinical depression, severe anxiety, severe phobias, OCD, severe eating disorders and psychosis).
Neurological conditions.
Significant ongoing illness.
Physical/mobility disabilities.
Specific learning difficulties (dyslexia or dyscalculia).

Our supports help students become independent in their learnings, easing the transition from school to college and from college to career.

Education support workers (ESW) include: Note Takers (NT), Personal Assistants (PA), Health Care assistants (HCA) Academic Personal assistants (APA) and Laboratory Assistants.

The benefits of these supports are:

Assist in facilitating the student’s attendance at all necessary lectures, tutorials, labs and other academic contact hours.
Assist the student with mobility and orientation on campus.
Assist the student with carrying personal belongings, books, and folders.
Assist the student with educational tasks including sourcing library books, photocopying and scanning.
Assist, if necessary, the student with meals.
Attend meetings between academic staff and the student, where necessary.

With extensive experience in delivering this type of service, we have identified ways to anticipate demand and respond to the needs to ensure that the supports provided are as uninterrupted as possible. Every eventuality is considered so that a student is never without adequate supports.

What is in the future pipeline for the education support team?

The Education Support Team at Servisource have seen the demand grow year on year nationwide. We plan to grow our internal team to cope with the increased demand. We are looking at extending our invaluable service to NI and Mainland England, with established links already in place through our other services like Homecare, Clear Links and Care 24-7.

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Special Education Practices

Educators have a responsibility to ensure that every student receives a proper education and feels nurtured within their learning environment. For students with difficulties, this regularly means the implementation of techniques to cater to their specific needs. Providing an inviting and inclusive classroom environment is key, which is accomplished through basic yet effective activities, allowing each student to thrive.

Personalised Education Plans: these plans detail individual learning objectives, adjustments, and support services designed to meet the student’s requirements.
Teacher Training and Professional Development: continuous training for educators and school personnel to provide them with the essential abilities and understanding to effectively assist students with disabilities.
Collaborative Teaching: encouraging joint teaching and cooperation between mainstream education teachers and special education teachers to guarantee uninterrupted support for all students.
Assistive Technology: incorporate supportive technologies (voice recognition software and adapted keyboards) into the classroom to aid students with disabilities in their education and communication.
Accessible Classroom Environment: guarantee that the physical classroom setting is accessible to all students, including those with mobility difficulties.
Regular Assessment and Progress Monitoring: regularly track students’ progress and modify teaching methods as necessary to facilitate their learning.

Education Support with Servisource

• Servisource has the right people to support students, understanding their needs and matching students with an Educational Support Worker (ESW) who has similar interests and is a good personality match so they are comfortable with their ESW.
• This leads to long lasting working relationships and an ability to anticipate needs, creating a collaborative and inclusive environment for all.

By adopting the best practices, it fosters an environment of acceptance, empathy, and comprehension towards those with additional needs. An inclusive environment benefits all students in the class and they are motivated to help each other improve and succeed. It is the responsibility of educators to ensure that all students are given the chance to thrive. At Servisource, we can match the right people with the right skills and knowledge with your student every time.