Education

UK’s University of Dundee launches MSc in educational assistive technology

Scotland-based University of Dundee has launched a new course MSc in Educational Assistive Technology for the students.

According to the official source, the course will be offered by the University’s School of Science and Engineering and aims to enable students with a broad range of learning difficulties and/or physical disabilities access curriculum.

The programme is primarily aimed toward teachers, therapists and technologists who are seeking to develop and enhance their ability to support learners who require Assistive Technology (AT). Students will also interact with expert users of AT within the University’s User Centre and placements. Once qualified, they will undertake the assessment, provisioning and ongoing support of AT systems within specialist and mainstream education or social care organizations, the university informed in an official statement.

The new course, which will commence in January 2021 and will be available in a blended model wherein full-time students will have to be at the University of Dundee campus in Scotland for a year and part-time students will spend a total of two weeks in Dundee-once in the spring and once in summer or autumn. The duration of the course for full-time students is 12 months and for part-time students, it is 24 months.

Applicant must have a bachelor’s level degree in computing, education or a therapeutic subject or equivalent qualification/experience in assistive technology with at least 55 per cent or above from the University of Delhi, University of Mumbai, University of Calcutta, IITs and IIMs (considered equivalent to a UK 2.1 degree). Bachelor’s degree with 60 per cent or above is required from other institutions (considered equivalent to a UK 2.1 degree). The participant will need to have Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) member status or equivalent.

“Despite the potential of AT to enable children and young people with complex physical, learning and communication impairments to access education, this technology is seldom adopted and often abandoned. This programme will ensure that skills, knowledge and working methodology are gained by Educational Assistive Technologists that are not typically taught in other programmes,” said Programme Director Professor Annalu Waller.

“This Masters degree has been developed to address a global need for the professionalisation of the ‘Assistive Technologist’ role within all levels of education provision,” the professor added.

The programme builds on the expertise in Accessibility and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Technology within Computing and the ongoing collaboration across other Schools, claims the university.

International students can apply for both full-time as well as the part-time course. The fees for international students for full-time study is £ 21,950 per year of study and part-time is £ 10,975 per year of study. The applicants to this programme may be eligible for the University’s Global Excellence Scholarships of £5,000, which is awarded to those who have demonstrated excellence through academic, extracurricular, or voluntary activities.

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