Adaptive technology to help with executive function (teen) at school?

[stopthepigeon]

Hi All

I have bright teen with ADHD/Autism, and a spiky intellectual profile, struggling in mainstream. Just waiting to hear about an EHCP. Major problems with executive functioning and following multi-step tasks, but very high fluid intellect/verbal reasoning.

Any ideas? Think they might do better with a laptop, to be sent lesson plans in advance, plus have heard there is software out there that might help with notetaking and essay writing? Has anything found anything that is working for their DC?

TIA

You could look at Brain in Hand. More useful for older teens than a younger teen.

Also, Inspiration 10 and TextHELP Read & Write. Speech to text software e.g. dragon sometimes help DC who find it easier to plan and organise thoughts etc. when they don’t have to write or type.

Did the assessments from the EHCNA not suggest any?

Thanks for these suggestions @FloatingBean.

No, emphasis in EP report was on teachers chunking tasks, providing tasks in visual format, providing checklists etc. (None of which is currently happening yet). EP reports that his his working memory problems make it hard to recall instructions and organise and structure info in his head when doing extended writing or mental maths. DC was asking about a laptop as he thought that would make writing easier.

My DD uses a laptop. She struggles with getting ideas organised and using a laptop enables her to type in sections rather than having to write everything in order. She can then go back and amend - when she did this by writing, all the crossing out and adding bits made it totally unreadable!
She also uses mind maps to get all her ideas down and then colour code / link and move around different concepts which helps her plan her work.
We use a smartwatch to add vibration reminders for events in school that are outside her regular timetable - eg rehearsals or music lessons.
In theory she gets sent the powerpoints for lessons so that she doesn't need to listen to the teacher and take notes at the same time, but this is a bit hit and miss depending on the teacher!

If you want technology, assistive tech and specialist software included in the EHCP you will need evidence they are required.

handmademitlove if DD has an EHCP having resources prior to the lesson should be in there and therefore enforceable if it isn’t being provided.

@FloatingBean no ehcp at the moment.. thinking about it but need to find the energy for a fight with the LA, well known for being terrible!

Don't know if they are going to issue yet. Interested in whether this might form a reasonable adjustment. Depending on whether or not costs are prohibitive I'd consider seeing if we could try them out.

Using a laptop can be a reasonable adjustment, and schools often facilitate this without an EHCP, although not always.

Depending on what assistive technology &/or specialist software you are looking at that may not be classed as a reasonable adjustment. It can be costly and it requires staff to train/support DC to use it, so without an EHCP it may not be reasonable to expect. It is less common for schools to provide this without an EHCP.

However, the only way to enforce specific provision is via an EHCP.

Even though you don’t yet know whether the LA will issue or not you need the evidence for provision to be gathered now during the needs assessment as further evidence won’t be sought once the LA have decided to issue or not.