The Driving Standards Agency’s decision to remove the Theory Test question bank from the public domain has been viewed by most within the driver training industry, including myself, as a positive move to improve driver knowledge and road safety. This decision however does have a negative affect on those with an Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC).
Currently, support is provided for those whose first language is not English and for those with reading and/or hearing difficulties. The services provided for these candidates, foreign language or English voiceovers, BSL interpretation and extra time, will not help those learners who have an ASC, as the problem lies in the phrasing of the questions.
This issue is been raised by Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) Julia Malkin MBE and myself, a former ADI whose son has Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). Julia who received her MBE this year for her services to people with special needs, and has given presentations for the NAS East Midlands group, is one of only two ADIs in the country with an ASC. Without help or a change in the formatting of the theory question bank, pupils on the autistic spectrum will have much more difficulty passing the theory test.
Julia understands what these potential challenges mean as she coaches’ pupils from across the UK for theory training. Julia says, “Many people on the autistic spectrum often need help interpreting the theory test questions. They cannot understand what the questions are asking because of the way in which they are written, so they are unlikely to pass the test without support.”
People like my son should not be excluded from the freedom most others take for granted at the first hurdle, they need to be able to understand the questions to pass the test. Make sure pupils with autism can keep their right to learn to drive!
Samples of the type of question are given on the petition. Please visit using the link below and give us your support.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/equalityforasclearners/
Many thanks.
Mac