Disabled children are to get special help from Dundee City Council to make their school days far more rewarding.
Since 2009 the proportion of nurseries, primaries and secondaries judged to be “barrier-free” has risen from 44% to 65%.
A report up for approval by councillors next week says: “Longer-term planning and linking with new-build projects will allow for a considerable increase in the number of barrier-free schools.
“This will enable a greater range of pupils with disabilities to benefit more from access to mainstream schools in all sectors.”
No specific sums are set aside but the idea commits the council to making sure disabled pupils can access the curriculum and physical improvements are made to school buildings.
There are 321 pupils officially assessed as disabled in primaries, 197 in secondaries and 108 at Kingspark School, where children with the most severe disabilities go.
Work to improve schools could include installing ramps or disabled toilets, or making changes to teaching and learning arrangements, timetables and classroom organisation.
The report explains some of the work been done to aid disabled pupils and their families.
This includes a Pakistani family whose first language is Urdu. The Bilingual Pupils’ Support Service helped them in obtaining digital hearing aids for their two children.
A primary schoolboy with a severe visual impairment was helped by the Multi Sensory Service, to make sure a rehabilitation worker could take him on familiarisation visits to his new secondary school.
Another boy, a promising footballer despite his deafness, has staff help him train by translating coaches’ instructions into sign language.
Technology called soundfield systems has also been introduced to 10 classrooms in primary schools across the city to make listening easier and less stressful for pupils with hearing problems.
The council report says: “Much good work is continuing with staff, children and their parents to support and sustain pupils with more complex difficulties in mainstream school placements where such placement does no harm.”