Mark Childs, Head Assistive Technology (AT) trainer, has worked with over 30,000 disabled and neurodivergent students to support their learning with assistive tools.
In a recent interview with Jamworks, he discussed the biggest challenges disabled students face in their academic journey and how Jamworks is helping overcome those obstacles, especially through its AI features.
The challenge
Mark explains that one of the biggest hurdles disabled students face is taking detailed notes while actively listening to a lecture. He says:
“The biggest challenge would be taking notes and absorbing what the lecturer is saying at the same time. That’s probably the biggest one.”
But it’s not just about taking notes. Maintaining focus is another major challenge. Mark highlights that even students without specific learning difficulties struggle with staying engaged during long lectures:
“Most students, regardless of whether they’re in DSA or not, their concentration levels will drop after 15, 20 minutes.”
For disabled students, this becomes an even bigger challenge, making it harder to stay focused and retain important information.
How Jamworks helps disabled students with note taking and maintaining focus
When Mark got a chance to explore Jamworks, he was impressed by how the platform’s AI features could support students with these challenges. He said:
“I thought Jamworks was good. It had some really good features with the different AI features that are built in. I think the AI feature is really beneficial for students.”
Jamworks addresses note taking challenges by removing the pressure of multitasking. Students no longer have to split their attention between listening and writing—Jamworks lets them record lectures with one click, so they can fully focus in the moment and revisit important information later. Mark explains:
“Being able to record a lecture is like a comfort blanket for students. Many students try to write down everything the lecturer says, but in doing so, they stop actively listening. Having the ability to record is massive—if they miss anything, they can always go back and revisit it.”
Beyond recording, Jamworks automatically transcribes lectures and extracts key points, making revision easier and more efficient. Features like Automatic Highlights, Key Points, and bite-sized Summaries help students focus on the most important parts of their lecture, saving them from having to sift through hours of content.
“That is a really useful feature. When students revisit their recording, they can use these features to identify the key areas of the lecture, which is massive. Instead of listening back to an entire hour-long lecture, they can pinpoint what’s important—whether it’s for revision, an exam, or an essay. It saves a lot of time.”
For students with ADHD, this structured approach helps reduce stress. Mark emphasises that Jamworks gives them a sense of control over their learning by providing an accessible way to revisit information without the stress of falling behind:
“If you wanted a specific group, I’d say ADHD students benefit the most. They don’t have to worry if they zone out—they know they can go back and catch up later.”
The impact
For Mark, the ability to record, transcribe, and revisit lectures are some of the Jamworks’ most powerful features.
“Just having the ability to record the lecture on its own is massive. And if you can also transcribe that recording, that’s really useful.”
By addressing both note taking and focus challenges, Jamworks is transforming learning for disabled students—giving them the learning support they need to succeed with confidence.
Please feel free to book a call with Jamworks DSA Lead, Kamna Gupta, if you’d like to learn more about recommending Jamworks to DSA students. Book a call
