At our special needs college and specialist residential school, we ensure that our deafblind students thrive in an environment that is suited for them. In September 2023, our Royal College Manchester moved into Dockray, the former Royal School Manchester building. Locational changes like this can pose problems for deafblind students, but we were sure to take the necessary steps to make the adjustment as smooth as possible!
On the first day in the college building, one student appeared to recognise the space. He wanted to rapidly map the building, both upstairs and downstairs, and took himself to the room where he was previously based as a school student, taking staff with him. He explored the resources in the room, and once it was clear to him that this was now a storage room, he accepted.
Now that he was familiar with the environment, he quickly accepted his new classroom downstairs and his separate sensory diet room, which he accessed for short periods throughout the day. Another student also seemed very happy to return to her old familiar room!
How We Familiarised Our Students With Their New Environment
Building basic daily routines is integral to making our students feel at home in their new learning environment. Our routines encourage our students to map their area, building their orientation, mobility and independence. Within no time, our students were already making massive progress, with one student quickly able to map from the classroom to the kitchen with just a touch of reassurance on her back! Another was able to make their way to the gym when presented with his object of reference!
Whilst certain practical skills are important for helping deafblind students get around, there are also many ways in which we can improve the environment to support them.
How To Improve The Environment For Deafblind Students
There are many ways in which you can better suit your learning environment for deafblind students. Making your space as accessible and tactile as possible is integral to helping students understand the space around them.
You should set up your space with tactile cues which students can associate with different areas, be it textured walls or handrails. Sensory cues like lighting can be an excellent way to familiarise students with their environment and guide them from area to area. When it comes to visual cues, contrast is another important way to aid visually impaired students. For example, darker paints on door frames can contrast the shade of the door to make them far easier to see and recognise. The same goes for contrasting furniture against the walls and floor! It’s also important to keep background noise to a minimum to ensure that deafblind students’ limited hearing isn’t affected.
Here at Seashell, we’re always looking for new ways to improve our space to best accommodate our deafblind students and foster confidence in them as they move around our grounds. It’s paramount that we do our bit to make students feel both comfortable and supported whilst in our care.
Deafblind Support At Seashell
Now that you have a better idea of what the environment for deafblind students should be like, why not consider enrolling your loved one in our schools or colleges today? We also offer sensory training to help people understand the needs of deafblind people and support them as best they can. So whether you’re looking for disability training or SEND support, Seashell can help you out.
Why not also consider donating to our disability charity so we can continue creating safe and practical learning environments for those living with deafblindness?
Written by :
Debra Lally (Royal College Manchester Advanced Practitioner)
Liz Shaw (Royal College Manchester Tutor)
