JISC TechDis Online Accessibility Self Evaluation summaries from January to June 2009.

Between January and June JISC TechDis ran a series of events for colleagues serving in the same role in institutions across the country and across different sectors.
These sessions are now complete. The reports in the table below are post presentation information from the sessions and can be located by clicking the links.

Additionally session reports have now been supplemented with detailed follow up reports on the research. You can download the individual 2009 overall role specific reports directly below:

• Additional learning support managers' / Disability officers' report (doc - 150 KB)
  
• Staff developers' / learning technologists' report (doc - 195 KB)
  
• Marketing managers' report (doc - 215 KB)
  
• Senior managers' report (doc - 205 KB)
  
• Network managers' report (doc - 189 KB)
  
• Library staff report (doc - 230 KB)

A brand new self standing self evaluation process to be accessed at any time is now available - follow this link.

More information for Additional learning support managers / Heads of Disability Support.
There is a difference between good support for disabled learners that helps them overcome institutional barriers, and an inclusive organisation where those barriers are so reduced that support needs are fewer. The self evaluation will help Heads of disability support units and additional learner support managers recognise their contribution to mainstreaming good practices. The evaluation will also point to a range of free guidance and free software that can enhance inclusion for all learners whether they declare a disability or not.

More information for Staff developers / learning technologists.
These roles have been put together because are usually involved in helping staff develop the skills they need to use e-learning effectively in the organisation. From staff / student VLE inductions to writing accessible documents or creating podcasts, staff developers and learning technologists have excellent opportunities to maximise the accessibility benefits of effective e-resources. The self evaluation will draw these together with ideas and recommendations to take forward.

More information for Marketing managers.
Marketing managers are aware of the importance of the brand (be it institutional, departmental, faculty, school or college) and the subliminal messages associated with it. What they are not always aware of are the messages they send to disabled staff and learners when websites or prospectuses lack basic good practice in acccessibility. The marketing role should be an exemplar of effective, inclusive, accessible communication. The self evaluation will provide an opportunity for you to test your practices against JISC TechDis recommendations.

More information for Senior managers.
Organisations with accessibility embedded in policies and practice invariably have strong strategic support from senior managers. Accessibility and inclusion cannot be delegated to a single role but need to permeate both the planners and the practitioners in an organisation. The self evaluation will help you assess the extent to which policies effectively ‘join up’ and practices draw on freely available resources available from the JISC TechDis service.

More information for Network managers / Heads of IT Services.
The IT infrastructure is one of the most significant factors in the potential accessibility of an organisation; it influences the repertoire of approaches teaching staff can use and the range of reasonable adjustments available to them to support any given learner. The self evaluation will consider some of the key areas that impact on disabled users and point to some of the excellent guidance provided for the JISC TechDis service by AbilityNet.

More information for Library staff.
The library supports learners in the hardest part of any course – independent study. It is the one place without the luxury of predictive timetables - any learner with any need can turn up at any time. By developing inclusive practices it is possible to maximise the benefits learners obtain from independent study. This self evaluation considers a range of different aspects of library provision and points to good practice in supporting diverse learner needs in a sustainable and cost effective way.