Other factors that affect learning: epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, puberty and mental health issues

It is the aim to introduce a few areas of need that educators frequently think about and occasionally meet in their everyday practice, but which they have little, if any, knowledge. It will discuss the difficulties and how they can affect the learner educationally, paying particular attention to the current national agendas.

Educators have a crucial role to play in including learners with many varied additional needs in a mainstream classroom. The educational achievement, social and personal happiness of the individual learner, the other pupils and the adults in the classroom will all depend on how the educators handle situations. If great thought, joint planning and sharing of information are encouraged and the educators act and think carefully about all the possible envisaged situations that might occur, then the successful inclusion of individuals with severe or often socially difficult needs can be supported. The educators also need to be able to communicate well to all those involved, fostering tolerance and understanding.