MSc Educational Assistive Technology: Training an Emergent Professional Group.

Abstract

The MSc Educational Assistive Technology (EduAT), is a recently established course, having welcomed the first cohort in January 2021, this group have recently completed their studies. At time of writing (summer 2023) the course is actively recruiting it's fourth cohort who are due to commence in January 2024. The course is now an established part of the AT training offer as the curriculum has been developed and delivered. This paper supports the presentation prepared for AAATE 2023. The EduAT approach uses the ESCO definition of the Assistive Technologist role, which is briefly summarised. The paper continues with how and why MSc EduAT was developed and explores how this MSc fits into a wider AT training ecosystem, noting roles that EduAT has been designed to support. An overview of the curriculum developed to train assistive technologists is included alongside a summary of what has been learned since the course began. The paper concludes by briefly summarising AT and AAC research group plans that have been informed by the experience of developing and delivering the MSc EduAT, and through the contributions students have made to the authors wider understanding of the assistive technology landscape in the UK and beyond.