Welcome to SCIPS

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(A web based resource that provides Strategies for Creating Inclusive Programmes of Study)

Who is SCIPS for?

SCIPS is a resource, primarily for teachers and trainers, developed by Dr Val Chapman (NTF) at the University of Worcester. It offers strategies for promoting inclusive teaching, learning and assessment within programmes of study taught at degree level (including foundation degrees). By 'inclusive' we mean flexible academic practices that aim to meet the needs of all learners.

What does SCIPS do?

SCIPS identifies potential challenges that disabled students may experience in achieving and/or demonstrating key skills and attributes as defined within Subject Benchmark Statements. SCIPS offers strategies and adjustments to practice that academic staff might consider in helping address these challenges.

The advice included in SCIPS is supplemented with subject-specific case studies to highlight good practice. If you have examples of subject-specific strategies, case studies or resources that you would like to share with other SCIPS users, then please email these to us by clicking `Contact Us' on the left-hand toolbar.

Although your subject may not be included in the current 21 subjects (list below), you will find that the advice provided can be generalised to most subjects. Please take the time to have a look at our document on disability etiquette for general information about working with/or teaching disabled learners.

How do I use SCIPS?

You will find all of the links that you need to navigate the site on the left-hand toolbar. SCIPS users find the 'browse' function very helpful and we suggest you start here. If you want to learn more about how to use SCIPS, please click 'Help' at the bottom of the toolbar for an on-line tutorial.

How should I reference material from SCIPS?

The information on SCIPS is open to all users and all materials are free to download - please reference the materials to http://www.scips.worc.ac.uk. As well as offering strategies for inclusive curriculum design, SCIPS acts as a gateway to hundreds of other resources resulting from research and project work conducted within the Higher Education sector both in the UK and overseas. You can view a list of resources that have been consulted during the production of SCIPS by clicking 'References' on the left-hand toolbar.

Which subjects are included on this site?

Biosciences	Learning Support (FD)
Computing	Manufacturing Management (FD)
Dance, Drama and Performance	Mathematics, Statistics and Operational Research
Early Years (FD)	Music
Education Studies	Nursing
English	Physiotherapy
General Business and Management	Psychology
Geography	Sociology
History	Social work
Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism	Veterinary Science
International Foundation Diploma (FD)

We are continually evaluating and improving our web site in the light of feedback from users. We would very much appreciate it if you would take a couple of minutes to fill in the short questionnaire to help us further improve the site.

For more information on the development of the SCIPS resource, please go to the 'project' page. To see a list of people whose help and ideas the team would like to acknowledge please click here.

Further development of the SCIPS model:

As a result of successful bidding for Leonardo da Vinci funding, a project, QATRAIN 2, (November 2007 - October 2009) was undertaken that developed a new web-based resource to support teachers and trainers of disabled students in Vocational Education and Training.

Additionally, as a result of successful bidding for EU Grundtvig funding, the ETTAD project (December 2007 - October 2009) produced a resource that help teachers and trainers of Adult Education and Training to make their practice more inclusive.

OTHER PROJECTS:

Q4S

The Centre for Inclusive Learning Support at the University of Worcester secured further EU funding under the Leonardo da Vinci Programme (2009-2011) and the Q4S project was completed in September 2011. The unique online resource, Q4S, provides support directly to disabled young people undertaking courses in mainstream VET by helping them to identify barriers to learning and by providing them with strategies and practical resources to overcome these barriers. As a result, Q4S contributes to their integration into mainstream training and subsequently into employment, thereby improving their life chances and enhancing the available pool of skilled labour. Please view the resource at www.q4s.eu.

UseMyAbility

The University of Worcester led a prestigious National Teaching Fellowship Scheme project, "Employability and Disability", funded by the Higher Education Council for England (HEFCE), which is underpinned by the SCIPS conceptual framework. The project ended on January 31st 2011.

The USEMYABILITY web resource can be viewed at www.usemyability.org.uk It offers information about:

employability skills
impairments
abilities which underpin the employability skills
inclusive strategies and reasonable adjustments to practice

Here are some comments we have received about the usemyability site:

"We would be delighted to use your web page as an on-line resource contributing to an open, flexible autonomous set of resources for students to use when reflecting upon their emerging leadership skills. The 'Staff' pages are an ideal resource for the professional development of staff re 'equality and diversity' in our learning, teaching and assessment practices. Warm 'Congratulations' on the brilliant quality of your web page!"

"This resource proved really useful on one particular occasion recently. It gave me a greater understanding of ASD and, in particular, helped me focus a student's attention on their strengths when assisting them compiling a CV. It also gave me a better understanding of issues to consider for a work placement for this student. I found it really positive to be able to give this link to the student in question, knowing it contained such practical and easily used information."

"I really like the website and think it is well-designed and easy to use. The ‘FAQs’ are very clear with regard to the aims of the site, the intended audience etc, and the ‘About the Project’ section gives visitors a good overview of the project without drowning them in detail. I think the site is easy to navigate and nicely laid out – I like the fact that it isn’t too busy and doesn’t have too many colours. The content is excellent – comprehensive and easy to read. I particularly like the practical advice offered by the ‘how to improve’ sections on each of the skills pages. I think the case studies are great... I think the skills pages (which have an illustrative photos and lots of subheadings and bullet points) are really well designed. Overall, I think it looks like a fantastic resource and I think the design will really appeal to students (and others) who want to be able to find information about their particular impairment quickly and easily."

Last modified 2012-09-03 11:34 AM

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