Developmental Coordination Disorder

Developmental Coordination Disorder/Dyspraxia

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), commonly known as Dyspraxia, is a complex neurological condition affecting fine and/or gross motor skills, motor planning and coordination in children and adults.

People who have Developmental Coordination Disorder/Dyspraxia will tend to have coordination and perceptual difficulties and often find routine tasks difficult. Gross motor skills (related to balance and co-ordination) and fine motor skills (relating to manipulation of objects) can be hard to learn and difficult to retain and generalise.

Impact on learning

Students with DCD/Dyspraxia may experience challenges in some of the following areas:

Handwriting or typing, as a result of difficulty with fine motor coordination skills
Concentration
Difficulty organising ideas and concepts
Students with DCD/Dyspraxia may have difficulty with pronunciation
Over- or under-sensitivity to noise, light and touch
Poor short-term memory

How you can help

Familiarise yourself with the recommendations made in the Student’s LENS Report.

Please refer to the section on Inclusive Teaching and Assessment.
Use the principles of Universal Design when developing your materials. Now is a good opportunity for you to enrol in the Universal Design in Teaching and Learning Badge.
Provide lecture notes in advance if possible.
Be sensitive of possible self-consciousness by the student about speaking or reading aloud in lectures and tutorials.
Provide a written outline of the course/module including details of how it will be assessed and dates for when assignments must be submitted.
Providing exemplars or rubrics for assignments can be a helpful study resource.
Support the use of Assistive Technology in the classroom.

Exam accommodations

For all in-class assessments please refer to the exam accommodations detailed in the student’s Learning and Educational Needs Statement (LENS).

Exam accommodations are determined on an individualised basis. Examples of recommended exam accommodations may include:

• Extra time
• Permission to type exam

Impact on placement

Dyspraxia is a wide-ranging condition that impacts on individuals differently. Difficulties can vary depending on the person and workplace context.

Student can have difficulties with their fine and/or gross motor skills, motor planning and coordination. 
May experience challenges with workload organisation and prioritisation. 
Sensitivity to the multisensory stimulation of the workplace environment.

Placement Reasonable Accommodations

There is no one size fits all approach to implementing placement support as each person will have a unique set of challenges and coping mechanisms. The best way to establish what accommodations may be required, if any, is to attend a Placement Planning Meeting before starting on placement.

Examples of reasonable accommodations may include:

Supervisor awareness that the student has dyspraxia and can have difficulties with their fine and/or gross motor skills, motor planning and coordination and may benefit from adaption or extra time to complete tasks.  
Break down tasks into small steps, provide a demonstration and supplement with written instructions.

Provide a pre-placement site visit to allow the student to familiarise themselves with the physical environment.
Identify a mentor/work buddy so that the placement students can clarify any issues they may have and if that person can also check in regularly with the student.