Creating Accessible At-Home Learning Environments - Tips and Tools
Creating Accessible At-Home Learning Environments: Tips and Tools
Learning from home is easier now than ever before. Students can make use of a variety of supportive apps and digital learning resources while receiving quality tuition from highly regarded tutors and teachers. That’s why, in England alone, 126,000 children are home-schooled every year.
It’s not just home-schoolers who benefit from the rise in remote learning technology. Students with big academic aspirations spend dozens of hours completing homework and studying for exams every week during the school year.
Creating an accessible at-home learning environment is crucial to support your student or child’s needs. Even simple alterations — like adjusting the lighting or installing focus-enhancing decor — can meaningfully enhance students’ learning and help them achieve their aspirations.
Decor and Design
Creating a productive home learning environment can help students focus on the task at hand when studying from home. Many children are easily distracted by video games, TV, and social media. Students without a dedicated study space may also be distracted by siblings or overstimulated by noises and lights throughout the house.
Start by choosing a room away from areas that receive heavy foot traffic. Consider converting a spare bedroom or an ancillary space, like a garage, into an at-home classroom. Once you’ve selected a space, install lighting to stimulate creativity, such as:
- Dim lighting for inspiration, calm, and problem-solving;
- Natural lighting for clarity of thought and sustained focus;
- Warm lighting for stress relief after a busy day of learning.
Lighting adjustments are crucial for learners sensitive to light levels. Kids with autism, ADHD, SPD, or other developmental delays may benefit from adjustable lighting to aid focus.
Other considerations for accessible adjustments include:
- Temperature: Work with your student to determine what suits them best.
- Noise: Use noise-cancelling foam or invest in noise-cancelling headphones.
Decor can make learning more engaging. For instance, if your student is passionate about mathematics or physics, decorate the space with quotes from Euclid, Turing, or Ada Lovelace, or add themed decorations like globes or astrolabes to spark their interest.
Home Learning Resources
Creating an at-home learning environment is about more than decor. To support students' development, invest in learning resources like:
- Screen Readers
- Magnification Tools
- Colour Contrast Analysers
- Speech Recognition Software
- Braille Displays
These tools empower learners with diverse educational needs, giving everyone a fair chance to achieve their goals. Ensure learners know how to use the tools effectively, such as teaching them to use consistent zoom settings on magnifiers.
Students learning from home also benefit from remote learning platforms, such as:
These tools connect learners with peers and provide adaptive features designed to improve accessibility.
Fostering Study Skills
Even with the right environment and tools, students need strong study habits. Encourage:
- Setting achievable daily goals.
- Prioritising homework over distractions like social media or video games.
- Blocking out distractions.
- Using a calendar to track progress.
Learning doesn’t always have to be indoors. Consider taking lessons outside, but ensure the area is childproof. Secure hazardous materials, remove sharp objects, and lock away dangerous equipment to create a safe outdoor learning environment.
Conclusion
Creating the perfect at-home learning environment can be challenging, especially for students with specific accessibility needs. Fortunately, supportive technology and adaptive tools can help students with big aspirations. Focus on elements like lighting, noise, and decor to limit distractions and support focus. Researching and implementing the right digital tools—such as screen readers and magnifiers—can make a significant difference for students with unique learning needs.