This group of learners will probably form the largest single category of people with Special Educational Needs. In the majority of cases they will be in mainstream education. They will usually be reading and writing at a level noticeably behind that of their peers and may be reluctant to use the skills they do have. They are likely to receive some extra support, additional monitoring and some individual programmes of work. Under the terms of the Code of Practice it is expected that their needs should generally be met from within the schools resources.
Specialist IT provision in the form of additional specialised hardware or software is unlikely to be required. Help in the form of appropriate configuration and setting up of the computer and software may help and the learner may also benefit from additional computer time.
This group is likely to benefit from using support resources alongside standard software. Writing and recording using a word processor can be supported by using an overlay keyboard or on-screen word bank. A simple set-up for the word processor without complex menus can avoid confusion. Speech output and spell checking can help with checking and correcting, leading to a more satisfying finished product.
Programs like My World 3 provides a wealth of curriculum material and allow the user to create and manipulate pictures and text within a structured setting.
A learner with MLD is likely to be struggling with both the content and the presentation of their work. If a computer can help with some of these difficulties it will leave the learner free to concentrate on the remainder.
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