Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities
Successful participation for All: Widening adult
participation strategy
Introduction
Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities promotes opportunities
to empower young people and adults with any kind of disability to realise
their potential in further, continuing and higher education, training and
employment throughout the United Kingdom. Skill works by providing
information and advice to individuals, promoting good practice and
influencing policy in partnership with disabled people, service providers
and policy makers.
Background and rationale
Skill welcomes this consultation document and the fact that the LSC is
considering how it can best improve adult participation in learning. The remit
letter quoted in paragraph 19 states that,
‘The Council must spearhead the drive to widen adult participation in further
education, increasing the number drawn from those whose background or
circumstances have disadvantaged them.’
Disabled adults have often been disadvantaged or discouraged in learning in the
past and it is important that their needs are considered in any strategy for
widening adult participation.
The NIACE survey mentioned in paragraphs 35-37 and in annex E gives
compelling evidence that people from lower socio-economic classes are much
less likely to be in learning than those in social classes AB. The high figure of
58% of those in social classes DE having not participated in learning since
leaving school is something that needs to be addressed. As of 2003, the NIACE
survey will ask whether respondents receive any benefits, including Disability
Living Allowance and Disabled Persons Tax Credit. Participation rates will be
able to be analysed by claimants of any particular one. This will go some way to
providing evidence of the numbers of disabled people who participate in adult
learning. The evidence is likely to show that a high proportion of disabled people
have also been disconnected from learning for a long period of time.
Moreover, disabled people are less likely to be in employment and therefore
more likely to be in lower social classes and so affected by the reduced
participation in learning, as statistics from the Labour Force Survey show. In
Summer 2001, disabled people were nearly eight times as likely as non disabled
people to be out of work and claiming benefits and twice as likely as nondisabled people to have no qualifications.
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Skill recommends that when deciding upon a strategy for widening adult
participation in learning, the needs and circumstances of people with
disabilities and learning difficulties need to be constantly considered.
Skill has been responding to Successful Participation for All at the same time as
responding to the various LSC consultation papers on Success for All. It
concerns us that more has not been done to integrate the approaches of
Successful Participation for All and those of Success for All.
The aims of Success for All will only be achieved if the needs of the wider cohort
of disengaged learners described in Successful Participation for All are engaged
in learning. However, as Successful Participation for All makes clear these
learners may well require different approaches and more flexible targets. Skill is
concerned that the important messages in Successful Participation for All have
not been integrated into the Success for All documents and believes that unless
this happens there is a danger that the ‘raising achievement’ agenda will end up
contradicting the agenda for ‘widening participation’.
Skill recommends that an approach be established which ensures that the
key messages in Successful Participation for All are reflected in the final
form of Success for All.
Motivating learners
Please comment on the extent to which the Strategy identifies the key motivating
factors for widening participation
Skill welcomes the fact that the LSC is looking at the factors which motivate
adults to participate in learning. Paragraph 47 mentions the need to make
education and training relevant to aspirations of marginalised groups. Skill would
suggest that it is also important to raise the aspirations of these groups. Disabled
people often have low aspirations because they have not been encouraged or
given the support they need to succeed in education. Education is very important
for disabled people and their aspirations are an important motivating factor. The
LSC needs to realise that the aspirations of disabled people may be lower than
those of their non-disabled peers.
Skill welcomes the emphasis in para.47 that education and training practice need
to change in order to be relevant to the individual and collective aspirations of
marginalised groups. This reflects the social model of disability which sees that
barriers imposed by society are the disabling factor rather than the impairment
itself. Education and training organisations need to understand fully the
messages in Inclusive Learning to ensure that they make changes which will
enable them to include the full range of learners with disabilities or learning
difficulties rather than seeing the problem within the learner who cannot fit into
pre-existing structures.
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Skill recommends that the LSC looks to raise the aspirations of disabled
people and looks at whether the adult education sector could be made
more enabling for those with disabilities.
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Barriers to learning
Please comment on the extent to which the Strategy identifies the key barriers to
widening participation.
There are a number of barriers to learning for disabled people. These are being
reduced with the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act part 4 and the
new duties for education providers, but there is still a long way to go before there
are no barriers to learning for disabled people.
1.1 Attitudinal barriers
Some of the main barriers, as stated in paragraphs 61 and 62, are attitudinal,
both on the part of the learner (i.e. low aspirations) and society (i.e. social
stigmas attached to disability).
1.2 Practical barriers
The practical barriers mentioned in paragraph 63 are also very relevant to
disabled people. There are a number of practical barriers which we feel have not
been addressed in the document. These include:
 A lack of flexibility – disabled learners need to have a flexible learning
approach so they can fit their study into periods of good health, especially
those with medical conditions or mental health problems. They may also need
to have shorter periods of learning and the possibility to come back to a
course if they need to leave due to ill health.
 A lack of support – disabled learners may have increased support needs,
which need to be accommodated and paid for if the learning is to be
successful. The document mentions the practical barrier of a lack of good and
affordable childcare, but fails to recognise that a lack of good study support
can also be a practical barrier to learning.
 The access needs of people with disabilities also need to be taken into
account. Both physical access needs and access to the curriculum need to be
considered in order to ensure that disabled people are not excluded.
 Lack of appropriate transport can also often be a real barrier to access for
adult learners with particular disabilities.
 A lack of information, advice and guidance. Skill is concerned that the funding
the LSC is putting into IAG partnerships is not effectively targeted and that the
IAG service has intrinsic barriers that prevent disabled learners from
accessing the help they need. For example, the service has no consistent
branding and contact details are therefore hard to find.
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Skill recommends that the practical barriers of a lack of flexibility and
appropriate transport provision, a lack of support and advice and guidance,
and access requirements also be considered.
Skill welcomes the fact that the document recognises that participation in
learning can impact on eligibility for benefits and can therefore discourage people
from participating in learning. There is a need for clear and simple advice on how
learning will affect a person’s eligibility for benefits so that people can choose to
study with confidence.
There is a further issue that the document has not drawn attention to, that of
learners on Incapacity Benefit not being automatically entitled to fee remission.
We understand that the rationale behind this decision is due to the fact that
Incapacity Benefit is not means tested. However, a good deal of work has been
done on this issue in the HE sector, and has shown that students on disability
benefits are often still on a low income. As a result, the HEFCE regulations state
that
‘Where a student receives Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance or
Disability Living Allowance, and their sole income is from welfare benefits, they
are eligible for a Fee Waiver. These disability benefits are not means-tested, but
students who receive them may still be on a low income, and may not receive
Income Support or other means-tested benefits.’
Skill sees no reason why the same regulations should not apply to the Further
and Adult education sector, and would recommend that the LSC revisit this
issue and enable students on Incapacity Benefit to be eligible for a fee
waiver, so as to encourage their participation in learning.
1.3 Structural barriers
Skill welcomes the fact that in paragraph 69 the document states that there will
be a flexible arrangement for credit and that learning will be recognised and
equally regarded across the country. It is important that any accredited learning
reflects and responds to the needs of all learners, including those with learning
difficulties who may never be able to progress further than entry level. Their
distance travelled should still be recognised and rewarded. This is covered more
in depth later in our response, under point 4, appropriate provision.
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Partnership approach
Do you consider that the actions proposed for a partnership approach are
appropriate an adequate for the issues identified?
Skill agrees that a partnership approach is essential in widening adult
participation. The document talks a great deal about the need for partnerships at
a high level, for example between government departments and the HEFCE and
LSC. What is less apparent from the document is the need for local level
partnerships. Local LSCs have a key role to play in facilitating local partnerships.
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It is also vital that all partnerships, on a national and local level, are effective.
Disabled people need joined up working, for example between the social
services and local LSCs, to ensure that their support needs are met. Effective
partnership also enables providers to reach marginalised groups who would
otherwise not participate in learning.
Skill recommends that effective partnerships are established and
maintained on a national and local level and that the LSC and local LSCs
play a role in facilitating them.
One example of an effective partnership is Valuing People, which seeks to
improve access to education, employment and housing for people with learning
difficulties. For Valuing People to work effectively, it is crucial that the
Department of Health works in partnership with DfES, and that education plays
an active role on the Valuing People Partnership Boards which have now been
established by all Social Services Departments.
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Appropriate provision
Do you consider that the actions proposed for appropriate provision are
appropriate and adequate?
Skill is concerned that measures of success and accreditation may get in the way
of providing appropriate provision. It is important to focus on the needs of the
individual learner and is essential that the LSC find a way of acknowledging
distance travelled as well as the achievement of national targets and
qualifications. Not all learners, especially those with learning difficulties, will
reach NVQ level 2, but this does not mean that they have not succeeded. It is
essential that the LSC monitor progression and participation as well as
attainment.
Skill welcomes the fact that the LSC will conduct a consultation on the
application of credits and the values of credit systems. We would like the
LSC to ensure that disabled learners are included in this consultation.
Paragraph 94 discusses the success of open and distance learning and elearning. While we applaud all that has been done to improve this area of
learning and the opportunities it gives to disabled learners, we would also like to
express the need to consider other alternative methods of learning, eg
community learning. Open and distance learning is not suitable for all disabled
people. For some, the aspect of learning they need most is the opportunity to
meet other people.
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5
Target and research
Do you consider that the actions proposed for targets and research are
appropriate and adequate?
Skill welcomes the fact that the LSC has recognised the adult groups at risk of
low participation, as identified in the FEFC (2000) report. Skill wishes to point out
that these groups are often interrelated, for example people with disabilities and
learning difficulties are often unemployed in the long term and can have low
levels of literacy and numeracy. Skill has also recently carried out a piece of
research which shows that people with a learning difficulty who are also from a
South Asian background are significantly under-represented in post school
learning.
These groups need to be identified locally and measures put in place to reach
these groups. Skill does not believe that priorities within this list of groups should
be set nationally. The national LSC needs to ensure that the local LSCs are
aware that they need to consider these groups and what local priorities should
be. The LSC has a statutory duty to disabled people, and the needs of people
with disabilities and learning difficulties need to be considered in all regions to
ensure that these groups are not marginalised from learning.
Skill recommends that the LSC make clear to the local LSCs that they must
consider the needs of hard to reach groups, including those with
disabilities and learning difficulties.
Skill welcomes the use of Equality and Diversity Impact Measures that are set
locally so that local LSCs can ensure that local needs are met. It is also welcome
that these will be set annually, so that they can be adjusted as needs change.
One concern is that local LSCs may choose EDIMs that are easier to achieve
and that therefore groups that are harder to reach may be left out because of
fears of targets not being achieved. For example, it may be more difficult to get
people with mental health difficulties to participate and remain in learning, and so
this may be a less attractive EDIM to adopt. This must not discourage local LSCs
and providers from making provision for people with mental health difficulties.
Skill recommends that EDIMs be monitored at a national level to ensure
that no under-represented group is marginalised.
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Equality and access
Skill welcomes the fact that, as stated in paragraph 122, the LSC has established
the Forum on Learning Difficulties.
Equality and access needs to be ensured in all areas of adult learning, from
providing information about a course, through to the curriculum and study
support, and attainment of qualifications where appropriate. The Disability
Discrimination Act part 4 Education, which came into force in September 2002,
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requires that educational institutions do not treat disabled people less favourably,
and also that reasonable adjustments be made to ensure that disabled people
can access learning. Moreover, Article 14 of the Learning and Skills Act states
that the Learning and Skills Council has a duty to have due regard to promote
equality of opportunity between disabled and non disabled learners with
disabilities. Local LSCs and colleges and learning providers need to be aware of
their duties under the act and how to fulfil them. Individuals also need to be made
aware of their rights, and that adjustments and support can and will be provided
for their learning. Without knowledge of this support, many people with
disabilities and learning difficulties will be discouraged from returning to learning.
As stated above, Skill welcomes the use of EDIMs, and we would encourage
thorough monitoring of their use and attainment.
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Funding
Do you consider that the actions proposed for funding are appropriate and
adequate?
Please suggest any further areas for action
Skill is pleased that in paragraph 138, the LSC acknowledges the importance of
additional learning support funds (ALSF) which are paid to the college to enable
it to provide study support for those with disabilities and learning difficulties. Skill
is concerned that while In point g) of paragraph 148, it states that the LSC will
‘continue the development of the FE LSF level playing field for adults across all
learning sectors and types of providers, there is no mention of extending ALSF to
Adult and Community Learning.
Skill is concerned that the funding of ALSF for ACL (adult and community
learning), which needs to be implemented as soon as possible, is being
considered separately for the LSC review of Adult and Community Education.
Skill is very concerned that ACL providers will receive no ALS funding for the
year September 2003/04. From September 2003 LEAs will have legal duties
under DDA Part 4 to ensure that they are making ‘reasonable adjustments’ in
terms of ‘auxiliary aids and services’ for disabled learners.
Skill recognises that further research needs to be carried out on how best to
support disabled learners in ACL. It also recognises that currently funding for
disabled learners is very disparate. Some ACL providers do currently claim
ALSF. Other LEAs ensure that support is provided from within their own
resources. However, many other providers have had no additional resources for
disabled learners.
Skill feels strongly that funding equity between different ACL providers
needs to be established as a matter of urgency. If this does not happen
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prior to September 2003 not only could LEAs be faced with legal cases
under DDA Part 4 from disabled learners whose rights were not being met
but the LSC’s duties under Clause 14 of the Learning and Skills Act may be
tested by judicial review.
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Priorities
Do you consider any of the proposed actions (or sets of actions) listed under the
five main headings to be a higher priority than the others?
Skill would like to reiterate the importance of Equality and Access in all areas of
adult learning. With the implementation of the DDA part 4 (Education),
discrimination on the grounds of disability has now been outlawed. Education
providers are asked to ensure that disabled learners are not treated less
favourably and that reasonable adjustments are put in place so that they are not
placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled learners. This
means that the provision of support for disabled students need to be considered
as an urgent priority for adult education providers. Skill would ask that the
needs of disabled learners are considered at every step of the development
of widening adult participation.
Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities
April 2003
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Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities
Summary of recommendations
Skill recommends that when deciding upon a strategy for widening adult
participation in learning, the needs and circumstances of people with
disabilities and learning difficulties need to be constantly considered.
Skill recommends that an approach be established which ensures that the
key messages in Successful Participation for All are reflected in the final
form of Success for All.
Skill recommends that the LSC looks to raise the aspirations of disabled
people and looks at whether the adult education sector could be made
more enabling for those with disabilities.
Skill recommends that the practical barriers of a lack of flexibility and
appropriate transport provision, a lack of support and advice and guidance,
and access requirements also be considered.
Skill recommends that the LSC enable students on Incapacity Benefit to be
eligible for a fee waiver, so as to encourage their participation in learning.
Skill recommends that effective partnerships are established and
maintained on a national and local level and that the LSC and local LSCs
play a role in facilitating them.
Skill welcomes the fact that the LSC will conduct a consultation on the
application of credits and the values of credit systems. We would like the
LSC to ensure that disabled learners are included in this consultation.
Skill recommends that the LSC make clear to the local LSCs that they must
consider the needs of hard to reach groups, including those with
disabilities and learning difficulties.
Skill recommends that EDIMs be monitored at a national level to ensure
that no under-represented group is marginalised.
Skill feels strongly that funding equity between different ACL providers
needs to be established as a matter of urgency.
Skill recommends that the needs of disabled learners are considered at
every step of the development of widening adult participation.
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