World Autism Awareness Day (2nd April)

"On World Autism Awareness Day, we speak out against discrimination, celebrate the diversity of our global community and strengthen our commitment to the full inclusion and participation of people with autism. Supporting them to achieve their full potential is a vital part of our efforts to uphold the core promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: to leave no one behind." Secretary-General António Guterres

For the United Nations, the rights of persons with disabilities, including persons with autism, are an integral part of its mandate. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities acknowledges the role of assistive technologies in enabling persons with disabilities to exercise their rights and freedoms.

New Technology at Nord Anglia International School Al Khor

Assistive technology is any device, software, or equipment that helps people work around their challenges. While technological advances are continuous, there are still major barriers to the use of assistive technologies, including high costs, lack of availability, lack of awareness of their potential, and a lack of training in their use.

Here at Nord Anglia International School Al Khor, we are trying to overcome such barriers, not just for children with autism but for all our children with additional support needs. Consequently, we will soon have access to Clicker 8 across the school and have the license for Clicker Writer that can be used in school and at home on iPads and Chromebooks.

Clicker 8 is a literacy support software which helps users of all ages and abilities to develop their reading and writing skills. “It’s inclusive, it’s engaging, it’s intuitive, and it enables teachers to give every learner the personalised, evidence-led support they need to take their literacy skills to the next level.”

If you would like to access Clicker Writer on your home iPads and Chromebooks, please download the app and contact us for the details required for access.

We are thinking of running a pilot study to see if students benefit from having their own devices in school. If you think the use of assistive technology would support your child’s additional support needs and you would like them to use a personal device in school, please discuss this with the Primary or Secondary SEN team.

Stacy Bellingham
Director of Special Education Needs