How technology is helping schools improve accessibility | Sponsored

Every student is unique, with different strengths, abilities and requirements – but all deserve to have their learning needs met.  Offering support to children with more complex needs is not always straightforward, though, with a lack of funding and limited support from external agencies often cited as obstacles to improving SEND provision.  So, how can schools support these students and ensure they have the same opportunities for learning as others?  One answer is to look to technology. During the course of the pandemic, education technology cemented its place in the classroom as schools looked for alternatives to face-to-face teaching.   In this bonus edition of the Tes podcast, host Joshua Morris speaks to Annamarie Hassall, CEO of NASEN, and Stephen Taylor, senior learning technologist at Blackpool and The Fylde College, to ask how tools and software can help support students with additional needs. This podcast is sponsored by Microsoft Education. Microsoft believes that every student deserves the resources and support they need to fully engage in learning so they design for inclusion so that everyone can benefit.  They are focused on developing non-stigmatising built in tools to support those with dyslexia and other accessibility needs.    To find out more about these built-in tools Microsoft and Nasen have created a guide for educators and parents that can be accessed at https://aka.ms/AccessibilityGuideWithnasen.    Microsoft and their partners will also be speaking and demoing the inclusive technology at Bett 2022 and the Dyslexia Show.