Dr Jessica Rutherford is a Research Fellow exploring the acceptability and feasibility of The Animation Curriculum (www.theanimationcurriculum.com) as an inclusive approach to curriculum delivery that not only supports individuals with FASD in a classroom setting, but offers significant opportunities to gain understanding of their personal learning preferences, highlighting their strengths amongst their peers. The Animation Curriculum is an educational intervention that has evolved from research carried out in her PhD.
Jessica completed BSc Computer Animation and Digital SFX at Northumbria University, MA Animation and Design at Sunderland University and PhD, titled Animation-based learning for individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, at Loughborough University. Jessica’s background in creative arts and digital storytelling enable her to bring a unique perspective to the development of educational interventions for those with FASD, offering tactile, multi-sensory experiences through which thoughts, emotion and story can be expressed.
Jessica is co-host of the UK’s only FASD dedicated podcast, Spotlight on FASD (https://youtube.com/@spotlightonfasd?si=RTH9B5rmLlEDRYnd)