Resources:
Severe learning Difficulties and Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties

Pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties and Profound and Multiple learning difficulties present us with some of the greatest challenges. Finding a way for them to access technology, which offers stimulating age-appropriate activities suitable to their learning needs, is not always straightforward.

Some users will need alternative access such as an interactive whiteboard, touch screen, switch access or a mouse alternative. For others, the challenge is in the content of the software and its appropriateness to their access method and their learning needs.

SEMERC offers a comprehensive range of sensory software that contains options, which allow carers to choose the stimulation type (auditory or visual) and the way in which the software reacts to the individual (either from the keyboard, switch, mouse, concept keyboard or the user's voice). The range of content options available ensures that cross-curricular links can be made.

Digital cameras and scanners can be particularly useful for recording progress and achievement, whereas devices such as GoTalk and Big Macks are widely used for communication skills access.

There are a number of art and music programs, which provide individuals with the opportunity to express themselves - BlackCat Compose, Musical Leaps and Bounds, Granada Colours and Dazzle 3. There is also a useful book to accompany the art packages, Step by Step Art, which allows those of us with less artistic talent to take on projects.

Support for those who use symbols can be found in a number of programs including Microworlds 2000 and Writing with Symbols 2000,
Intercom (symbol supported email) and Boardmaker.

As the needs of this group can be very diverse and individualised it may be useful to telephone one of our consultants for more specific advice.

For a wide range of switch accessible games, resources for ICT and curricular documents visit www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.gov.uk.

For a range of worksheets for early maths and literacy skills visit www.senteacher.org.