The Implementation of AT in the Curriculum
About Daniel
Daniel is a verbally articulate pupil who consistently uses accurate language in conversation. He presents as both polite and expressive, demonstrating a strong capacity to explain his thoughts aloud with clarity and maturity. Despite these strengths, he experiences significant barriers when it comes to handwriting and organising his ideas in written form.
He has a broad knowledge base and shows genuine interest in a range of topics, particularly those involving people and social contexts.
Environment
Daniel follows the mainstream curriculum alongside his peers and spends most of his time in the general classroom setting. However, he has access to the school’s Special Educational Needs (SEN) area when he requires a quieter environment or more focused support.
He thrives when given the opportunity to talk through ideas with his Teaching Assistant (TA), finding this verbal exchange far easier than committing thoughts to paper. Organising and structuring ideas independently remains a challenge for him, especially during extended writing tasks.
Technology and Input
Daniel’s experience reflects the power of assistive technology in narrowing the gap between his cognitive strengths and the demands of curriculum access.
He has a SurfacePro laptop for schoolwork, in combination with textbooks and printed worksheets.
Although he finds both writing and typing physically demanding, the availability of the SEN base — a calm and quiet space — provides an ideal setting for him to dictate his thoughts using voice-to-text tools.
What is Inspiration 11?
Inspiration 11 is a visual thinking software designed to help students organise their ideas more clearly and creatively. It’s especially effective for learners who struggle with traditional methods of planning and writing.
Key features include:
Mind mapping and diagram creation
RapidFire mode for rapid idea capture
Essay outlining tools
Export functions to Word and other platforms
Implementing Inspiration into Daniel’s Curriculum
Daniel began by using Inspiration 11’s QuickFire Mode to mind map his thoughts more efficiently. This allowed him to capture ideas quickly, especially during brainstorming activities. The addition of voice-to-text input enabled him to dictate fragmented or spontaneous thoughts without worrying about sentence construction.
Once all his ideas were recorded, Daniel used the software’s organisation tools to group them into paragraphs and groups. This proved useful for both revision sessions and as a starting point for essay writing.
Mind map created using Inspiration software
Using Assistive Technology to Plan GCSE Extended Responses
Daniel displays strong aptitude in Geography, especially within the field of Human Geography. His enthusiasm for learning about people and societies drives him to carry out his own research independently.
To support Daniel’s extended writing tasks at GCSE level:
The essay question was placed in the centre of a mind map.
Daniel then generated ideas around the topic using RapidFire Mode, encouraging him to jot down as many thoughts as possible.
He organised these ideas into clusters and connected them using linking phrases.
Inspiration 11’s outline conversion feature allowed him to export his structured plan directly into Word.
He then refined the outline, adding detail and using tools such as spell check and voice-to-text input to complete the extended essay with greater fluency.
Essay question placed in the centre of the mind map
Impact and Successes
The implementation of assistive technology is showing promising outcomes for Daniel. He has demonstrated confidence in using the technology, with the support of his support staff.
During the first week after he received Inspiration 11, when Daniel was given an essay to complete in Geography, he worked closely with his Teaching Assistant to talk through the task and explore his initial ideas. With support, he was able to get his thoughts down quickly as a mind map, using voice-to-text dictation and guided prompts to structure his thinking. He received help with researching relevant information and integrating it into his plan. For the first time, Daniel successfully completed a full essay, demonstrating how targeted support and assistive technology has started to unlock his potential, and helped to boost Daniel’s morale and confidence.
