Where are we with 1:1 digital technology?

Posted by Paul Nisbet on the 13th November, 2023

Category iPads, Androids & Chromebooks Assistive Technology

In 2021, John Swinney pledged that every pupil in Scotland would have a personal digital device by the end of the current Scottish parliament. How far are we towards achieving this goal in Scotland?

1:1 Digital Technology

In March 2021 John Swinney said “Just as in my day, the teacher handed out a jotter to all, so in this internet age, we will hand each child the device they need to learn and prosper” in order to "end the digital divide".

Scottish Government is working with local authorities “to provide every school pupil in Scotland with a laptop or tablet” and working on “how to deliver consistent digital infrastructure across Scotland’s 2,500 school buildings”.

Last week saw the Scottish launch of the Unesco 2023 Report on Technology and Education, which examines the appropriate use of technology in education.

The full report is over 500 pages long and covers a lot, but the first Key Message is that

Good, impartial evidence on the impact of education technology is in short supply. There is little robust evidence on digital technology’s added value in education.

Now the evidence regarding the benefits of 1:1 device programmes is mixed and Emma Seith, writing in TES on 9th November 2023, questions the evidence for 1:1 device provision. Certainly, simply providing a device to a pupil is pointless unless it is integrated into teaching and learning and backed up with effective digital infrastructure, support, professional learning and pedagogy.

For pupils with additional support needs, though, we believe that 1:1 device provision has huge potential. The Unesco report notes that 

Accessible technology and universal design have opened up opportunities for learners with disabilities.

So with this in mind we feel it is useful to share our understanding of the current 1:1 technology picture in Scotland. 

CALL Scotland is part-funded by Scottish Government to work across Scotland and it is important that we are aware of the technologies that are available in different parts of the country. The information here is based on research and ongoing discussions with a range of colleagues across Scotland: if we have made errors, we would like to hear from you so that we can update our information!

We are sharing our understanding of the 1:1 picture because we think it is useful to consider it in the light of the Unesco report. This is not intended to be a 'league table' of 1:1 technology! 

Where are we with "1:1"?

Some local authorities are far forward with 1:1 deployment: pupils in in Primary 6 and above in Edinburgh , Falkirk , Glasgow  and Scottish Borders have been provided with iPads; while learners in Aberdeen , Highland , Stirling  and West Dunbartonshire have Chromebooks. We understand that pupils in Scottish Borders were provided with new iPads in June 2023 to replace the devices first issued in 2019: this illustrates the gap in terms of progress towards 1:1 technology across the country.

The ratio of devices to learners in other local authorities is mixed: some schools have stocks of devices that are available to all pupils on a shared basis; some provide personal devices for students identified with additional support needs.

Some local authorities standardise on one device or operating system – iPads in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Scottish Borders and Chromebooks in Highland and Aberdeen , for example, while other local authorities have a mix – younger learners in Midlothian have iPads and pupils in P4 and above have Chromebooks; learners in Dumfries and Galloway use iPads or Windows devices; learners in South Lanarkshire may be using Chromebooks, iPads or Windows.  

There is also variation in terms of management across local authorities: some have their own Google tenancies, others use the tenancy through Glow/Education Scotland. Some local authorities mainly utilise Microsoft apps and systems, some mainly use Google Workspace for Education, some use both. Edinburgh, Glasgow and Scottish Borders contract out IT management to CGI and XMA; Falkirk manage it within the authority. Most authorities who use Windows manage the technology themselves; South Lanarkshire use RM.

These different approaches are relevant because in our experience, it seems easier to achieve effective accessibility and inclusion when control over the technology and infrastructure is as local as possible.

Given the huge diversity of of size, population and geography of local authorities in Scotland, and the wide range of different devices and approaches to management, it is clearly a challenge to achieve consistency of access to inclusive digital learning and assistive technology. Some writers may criticise authorities that do not yet provide 1:1 devices, but this may well be an effective strategy, given the findings in the Unesco report.

Digital accessibility

The right personal digital device has huge potential for learners with additional support needs. The accessibility tools that are built into modern Chromebooks, iPads and Windows devices are excellent and are continually improving and learners are more able to access learning through technology on a par with their peers. 

Similarly, apps and extensions are also much more accessible and feature excellent tools to support learning: Microsoft’s Immersive Reader is perhaps the most well-known example.

Many of these tools are free because they are part of the standard digital device and resource – they provide support at the ‘universal level’ for all students including those with additional support needs. This should lead to a greater awareness and expertise amongst educators, pupils and parents/carers.

These universal technologies can also reduce the need for local authorities and schools to purchase and distribute accessibility and learning support tools – but not completely, because some learners’ needs are not addressed by either the ‘standard’ device or the freely available accessibility tools.

As digital learning becomes more embedded, students and educators are developing more effective working practices and skills. Possible stigma that might have been associated with specialist assistive technology is less likely to occur when all learners are using the same digital devices.

However, the potential of 1:1 technology will only be realised if we ensure that the 1:1 devices are accessible for learners with additional support needs; that digital learning resources are accessible; that reliable digital infrastructure is in place; and that educators, learners and parents/carers have digital and pedagogical skills to use the technology effectively for teaching and learning.

Equitable and Inclusive Digital Learning

The provision of digital devices is happening as part of local authorities’ (and colleges’ and independent schools’) wider digital learning strategies which address the digital infrastructure, professional learning and support for teachers and practitioners, pupils and parents and carers. It is crucial that these Strategies explicitly address the needs of the 34% of learners identified with additional support needs both to ensure that all learners are included and to meet responsibilities under Education, ASL, Equality and Accessibility legislation. 

In October 2014, the Scottish Government published Statutory Guidance for education authorities on planning improvements for disabled pupils’ access to education which recommends that:

“Procurement decisions for hardware and software have due regard to accessibility and reasonable adjustment duties under the Equality Act. In particular, no extra cost should be charged for changes made to systems as part of reasonable adjustments made.”   

Accessibility and Equality

Our experience and the experience of assistive and digital learning specialists and of educators and pupils is that 1:1 technologies are not always accessible to learners with additional support needs. In our view, this could result in indirect discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. There are three overlapping areas of inequality where learners with disabilities or additional support needs could suffer discrimination:

Access to assistive and digital learning technology

Access to a personal digital device varies greatly across Scotland. A lack of a 1:1 technology programme does not mean that learners with ASN are not provided with suitable assistive technology – sometimes a personal device is not appropriate - but there are no national standards against which provision can be judged.

The ‘standard’ iPad, Chromebook or Windows device may not be accessible for some learners, who may require additional apps or access tool, or a completely different, bespoke technology. Identification of appropriate resources at these targeted and specialised levels of intervention requires expertise which may or may not be available in the school or local authority. In Scotland, we believe that we need a national model for assistive technology to ensure that all learners are supported. 

Device accessibility 

In some schools, pupils cannot access the full range of accessibility options because they have been disabled. Feedback from practitioners suggests that there can be a considerable delay in provision of accessibility apps or resources due to different factors including the requirement to undertake a Data Protection Impact Assessment. 

Accessibility of learning resources

Digital apps and learning resources used by learners are not always properly accessible. For example, Digital Question Papers from SQA are not accessible for learners with visual impairment who use screen readers or braille displays.

1:1 technology must be inclusive and accessible

Digital learning and 1:1 technology must be universally designed  so that accessibility tools, apps and resources are available for learners with disabilities and/or additional support needs. 

1. As part of the programme of provision of 1:1 digital technology, we suggest that Scottish Government should update the 2014 statutory Guidance on Accessibility Standards to support local authorities and responsible bodies. A first step would be to update the Checklists that are currently available within the 2014 Scottish Government guidance. The 2014 Checklists were written for Windows OS and require updating for iPads, Chromebooks and cloud storage learning environments.
2. Inclusion and accessibility should feature in local authority Digital Learning Strategies and plans, and equally, Digital Learning should feature in updated Accessibility Strategies.
3. Digital learning and assistive technology do not feature adequately in the ASL Action Plan and this should be addressed by the ASL Action Plan Project Board and working groups.
4. We propose development of a national Inclusive Digital Learning and Assistive Technology Pathway to support local authorities and practitioners to meet the additional support needs of learners. The pathway should describe the nature and type of provision of assistive technology to ensure equity across Scotland, similar to the Scottish National AAC Pathway. 

Digital Devices across Scotland