Scotland

Right to Learn campaign

Summary: RNIB Scotland's campaign for school children to be allowed to access information in their format of choice.

• What we believe
• Achievements so far
• Get involved!
• Further information

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Every school child has the right to learn

…but some blind and partially sighted schoolchildren still struggle to access textbooks and other educational material in a format they can understand. Very few books, study guides or past exam papers are available in braille, large print, CD or audio.

Too often, teachers are reduced to simply photocopying and enlarging pages of text and diagrams. In some cases, materials have been provided to pupils with sight loss days or even weeks after a lesson.

What we believe

RNIB Scotland believes all children should have the right to the same educational material, and at the same time, as their classmates. It should be available in a format that each child can access, produced to a high standard, and made available when needed.

Achievements so far

We are actively campaigning on this theme and our work has already prompted a debate in the Scottish Parliament.

In response to this debate, the Minister for Children and Early Years, Adam Ingram MSP, made a number of commitments. One was to develop a database which will:

"contain a list of adapted materials which teachers can access to ensure that all pupils with additional support needs receive curriculum materials at the same time as their classmates in a format that meets their needs."

Learning and Teaching Scotland, the body responsible for overseeing the school curriculum, is to ensure this database is operational from August 2008.

RNIB Scotland welcomes this commitment. However, it must be effectively implemented.

Get involved!

We are keen to hear from you, as a parent of a pupil with a sight problem, about how these proposed changes will impact on your child at school.

We would like to hear from you if your child is - or is not - receiving curriculum materials in the format they require at the same time as their sighted peers.

It is very important that we know about any problems your child experiences in getting schoolbooks or other educational material, in a format they can access, at the same time as their classmates.

Further information

If you would like any further information, or you would like to chat about this, please contact James Adam or Ian Brown at RNIB Scotland on 0131 311 8500.

• Back to Scotland campaigns
• Right to Read campaign

Content author: mike.brown@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 15/07/2008 17:18