October 2024 — Use EdTech Impact to discover the best SEND resources for your learners' needs. Compare customer reviews, features and pricing, or learn more in our SEND Resources buyers' guide.
Enhance your understanding of SEND resources to better address your students’ needs with our comprehensive and practical guide.
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0-4, 5-7, 8-10, 10-11, 11-13, 14-16, 17-18, 19+, 19+
5-7, 8-10, 10-11, 11-13, 14-16, 17-18, 19+, 19+
The academic and social success of students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) hinges greatly on the quality and suitability of the support they receive. However, the diverse spectrum of learners encompassed within SEND complicates the process of identifying ideal solutions.
In this guide, we will break down this barrier, shining a light on:
SEND resources refer to personalised learning support tools that are designed for children with special educational needs or disabilities.
They enable improved access to the school’s curriculum and activities, and cater to a broad spectrum of learner needs, including:
SEND resources are tailored to address specific needs, often focusing on distinct features catered to different types of SEND learners. Here’s a breakdown of how these resources work, categorised by the type of learner they support:
SEND technology typically falls into three categories:
Physical devices, like interactive cameras or microphones, providing assistance to students for better communication and participation.
Apps, computer programmes, or online platforms that can:
Online support hubs providing educational resources, evidence-based strategies, and information to guide teachers and students in areas of need and development.
The benefits of SEND resources are multifaceted and impactful, offering a range of advantages for both students and educators:
SEND resources help reduce or eliminate learning barriers, fostering inclusivity in the classroom.
For example, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) tools enable students with speech and language difficulties to express themselves effectively, thereby promoting their active participation in lessons and interactions with peers.
This makes SEND teaching resources excellent tools for both reducing learning barriers and promoting inclusion in the classroom.
Clicker Communicator provides rapid access to diverse vocabularies, facilitating immediate expression of thoughts and ideas in the classroom to enhance inclusion.
By enabling virtual attendance and participation in lessons, SEND resources support students who are unable to physically attend school due to various reasons.
Additionally, tailored learning experiences provided by assistive technology help address cognitive and learning difficulties, ensuring course content is accessible and conducive to individual learning styles.
With teacher-targeted SEND resources, educators receive instructional guidance, evidence-based strategies, and appropriate mapping services for appropriately devising individual learning plans.
Effective utilisation of SEND resources can alleviate curriculum-related frustrations, enhance self-esteem, and reduce feelings of isolation among students with learning disabilities.
By overcoming learning obstacles, these resources contribute to a more positive and meaningful educational experience, thereby promoting emotional wellbeing.
SEND resources empower students to develop confidence, motivation, and independence in their learning journey. By removing content barriers and facilitating active engagement with learning material, these resources enable students to reinforce knowledge independently and build long-term memory retention.
Timely Practice fosters independent learning by reinforcing acquired knowledge and transforming short-term learning into enduring long-term memory, allowing students to formulate judgments autonomously.
When exploring EdTech solutions, including SEND resources, a fundamental step is to define the educational goals you aim to achieve and evaluate the evidence supporting their effectiveness. On EdTech Impact, solutions are categorised based on their intended impact—allowing you to swiftly identify those aligning with your objectives. Here’s a concise overview of our taxonomy:
And just because a solution purports to deliver a certain outcome, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will.
We’ve extensive analysed the SEND resources on our marketplace, providing an overview of a) the impact SEND providers claim/believe their products achieve, versus b) the impact educators actually observe:
Finding the ideal SEND resource can be particularly challenging, even for experienced EdTech buyers. Just as SEND students represent a diverse range of learners, the resources tailored for them are equally varied.
This guide, by delivering a comprehensive picture of the SEND EdTech marketplace, is the perfect starting point for building and executing your procurement strategy.
So, now that you’re equipped to find the precise solution, why not explore our marketplace of SEND resources?
Updated on: 1 March 2024