Book reviews

The Journal frequently carries reviews of new published material on issues relating to Down's syndrome. Here is an example of a recent review.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for All.

Colin Hardy

David Fulton Publishers, London. ISBN 1-85346-673-5 

Colin Hardy very sensibly starts out to explain the range of difficulty within Special Educational Needs (SEN) and takes a very practical view of the relevance of using computers (and when not to!). Most striking is his insistence on the student being the most important part in the process when using computers and acknowledging that any ICT solution is only as effective as the people implementing it.

His teaching and assessment methods are very person centred and inclusive. There are many insights into the positive inclusive approach that has been adopted within Newham LEA where he is based. He also points out the importance of teaching skills rather that technical expertise when using computers. 

The sections are laid out clearly and take a practical, workshop approach to how to implement access to the curriculum for children with learning difficulties.

This is the first publication that I have seen that seriously addresses assessing the individual needs of a child specifically in relation to using computers. There are many useful charts and forms which can simplify the process of identifying needs across the curriculum, identifying software and hardware requirements, target setting for both teacher and child and engaging the ICT curriculum in a mainstream setting for children with SEN.

The book doesn’t often refer to specific computer software and doesn’t often refer to specific groups of children. There are however, a number of useful case studies based around actual children to help teachers with the process of assessment both in terms of a child’s needs and the needs of the teacher. The end of the book looks at the skills of the staff who will be delivering ICT in the classroom and how they can use their skills to help with record keeping, report writing, IEP’s and producing worksheets. 

It is difficult to ascertain exactly who this book is aimed at, though it claims to be aimed at everyone from ICT co-ordinators to LSA’s. I would suggest that, although it may be of some interest to everyone in a school situation, both special and mainstream, it is aimed more at the technically competent ICT co-ordinator or Senco who may be struggling with implementing the use of ICT in a school. Especially where the level of ICT competence and confidence, within the staff team, is very varied. Perhaps even more especially where the staff are unfamiliar with a wider range of children with learning difficulties. A very useful book for those wishing to improve the value of their ICT provision in schools, and who take the use of ICT seriously as a means of accessing the curriculum.

This is certainly a book that sets the scene well and doesn’t dodge difficult issues. 

Bob Black