New Lines of Chat
Andy Minnion, director of the Rix Centre, wrote a feature for the Times Educational Supplement that will be published in the next issue.
In the article, Minnion explains how multimedia authoring software packages prove to be an effective tool to help pupils with learning disabilities in schools communicating with their peers on a level playing field.
“Multimedia and social network-style personal profiles provide a popular platform on which to bring pupils with special needs together with peers from the mainstream. The independent living themes are relevant to the curriculum for teenagers with and without disabilities, alongside themes such as citizenship and disability awareness, plus technology. Multimedia platform and user-generated content puts communication between pupils on a more level playing field than class activities based on writing”, Minnion says.
Minnion mentions as examples the JFK, a local authority special school in Newham, east London, where the Rix Centre aids pupils in a weekly Rix Social Club, and the Mayfield Special School in Birmingham, where staff show parents the achievements of the students through the use of videos.
