The University of Chester has been actively preparing for the changes to disabled student allowances. In this guest post by Pete Scorey – Assistive Technology Officer for Learning and Information Services – Alistair McNaught invites Pete to explain his approach to benchmarking accessibility. There has been much talk of ‘reasonable adjustments’ recently, along with the […]
Tag: inclusive practice
Funding changes in Scottish FE sector prompt Margaret McKay to reflect on the wider opportunities for colleges to embrace digital inclusion in widenening participation… A review of funding to support disabled students in FE colleges in Scotland was undertaken last academic year (2015-2016). Engaging with a wide range of stakeholder groups, the Scottish Funding Council […]
We’ve talked before about the inclusivity benefits that are hidden in the tools and technologies that we use every day and are often overlooked. This blog by Margaret McKay and Rohan Slaughter describe ways of (i) taking advantage of the Ease of Access features in Windows (ii) how Roaming Profiles set up by the IT […]
Fieldwork is often the high point of a course but for many learners it is also most challenging, taking them beyond their comfort zones. Stepping up to – and overcoming – the challenges often contributes to the sense of personal achievement the learners gain. This is especially the case with disabled learners. Alistair McNaught explores […]
Many things influence the accessibility of a learning platform. Here, Alistair McNaught gives some pointers to the main issues. And – as we see below – it is not just about technology; the way you use it matters too. This overview looks at four key areas; users, resources, activities and browser choices. Users Usability of […]
Online presentations and web-based seminars (webinars) are becoming more mainstream as educational institutions and training providers look for more efficient ways of supporting learners. But how do webinars work for people with disabilities? This blog post by Alistair McNaught looks at how to get the most from webinar opportunities. It is based on guidance developed […]
Creating an Accessible Organisation starts with policy but this must then translate into accessible practice in order to ensure that support for leaners is delivered effectively. Accessible Organisations should have well-designed systems and clearly documented procedures that efficiently identify, monitor and deliver appropriate support to both students and staff with additional needs. Inclusion goes across the whole […]
We’ve already blogged on supporting reading and using built in browser tools but a question we often get is “What’s the difference between screen reading and text readers (or ‘text to speech’ technology)? Often the terms are used interchangeably but, in reality, they are two different kinds of technologies used in different ways. Margaret McKay helps […]
Julia Taylor – subject specialist for accessibility and inclusion – reflects on the questions organisations need to address in order to embed accessibility in their digital leadership approaches. More and more disabled students are accessing mainstream education but there is not always financial support for providing alternative formats, note-taking and study support. This places greater responsibility on […]
The Jisc Mobile Learning Guide now features new case studies and video resources highlighting some interesting examples of inclusive mobile learning from across the UK. Although many of them focus on activity in the FE and skills sector, the case studies highlight the real value and potential that mobile technologies can play in finding individual […]