HelloI wonder if you could offer your expertise / opinion / preference on how the term 'SEND' should be used when writing an article about children or students with special educational needs and disabilities.  For example, is it ok to refer to the young people in your setting who work with a SENDCo as 'SEND students', or would it be 'Students with SEND' or wouldn't you make the abbreviation in that case?   If you are referring to a diverse group, but want to refer to certain groups, would it be ok to say 'students with dyslexia, vision impairments or other SEND'. (that just doesn't read right to me, but is it a bit weird to write the non-abbreviated version when writing to SENCo's)? I am aware of the person-first v identity-first terminology - particularly around disabilities - and I like to try to be informed as well as careful about the things I write, in the hope that whatever I write will not be offensive or insensitive.  Another thing - SENCo / SENDCo - Is there a preference? Because i write primarily about disability, I tend to go for the latter. Thanks in advance for your feedback Kim

Hello, thanks for letting me join this community. I have a special interest in reading and literacy through assistive technology, for young people with vision impairments and dyslexia. I'm interested to know what experience you have of using assistive tech to encourage independent reading and am happy to offer any advice or answer any questions you might have as to how assistive tech might help your students or your setting. I work as communications manager at Dolphin Computer Access which develops technology for people who are blind, partially sighted, dyslexic or otherwise print impaired.   I'd love to help offer any advice or useful ways to make your school or college more accessible to students who have vision impairments.  Kim