BA (Hons); PGCE in children with severe learning difficulties; Advanced Diploma in Education, Deafblindness; PhD

Research and Projects Interests

My research interests are in the field of deafblindness and education. This has included research into learning styles in deafblind children and the value of this approach. Early development in communication is also an interest, with work on early literacy for children with sensory impairments. I am also involved in a study of teachers who have gained the mandatory qualification for teachers of deafblind children.

Teaching Interests

I have worked with learners with severe and complex needs since 1981, and am dually qualified in teaching children with learning difficulties and children with deafblindness. I continue to work as the advisory teacher for deafblind children in Hertfordshire. I have been involved in both of the programmes leading to the mandatory qualification for teachers of deafblind children, at Kingston University/Whitefield schools and currently at Birmingham University, where I am currently the co-ordinator for the distance education programmes for Multi-sensory impairment.

My teaching experience with deafblind learners includes working with young adults on early stages of academic learning (one of these areas was the initial learning of braille), teaching a class group of deafblind children, (using various methods of communication, including cues, concrete and graphic symbols, and electronic aids) and advising on the education of deafblind learners in SLD mainstream and other special schools, (choosing appropriate communication methods, developing the work of intervenors adapting the curriculum for deafblind learners, providing advice on equipment).

Working in the area of deafblindness I am interested in many aspects of education for this exceptional group, including learning process, early literacy and the value of teaching qualifications. I maintain a special interest in the education of deafblind children in Russia.

Publications [pdf]