1. Chris Barber
JISC Regional Support Centre for Yorkshire and Humber
www.jiscrsc.ac.uk/YH

2. What we’re going to be looking at
• An overview of the legislation
• The drivers for inclusivity
• Tools and technologies for being inclusive.
(providing alternatives)
http://inclusivity.rsc-yh.ac.uk/

3. Context
Whoever is "not allowing" assistive technology had better
have a good alternative reasonable adjustment that is
acceptable to the learner otherwise they could find
themselves attracting unwelcome publicity as well as a
rather large settlement claim.
Too many disabled learners still accept poor service and
unacceptable barriers because they are not aware of the
range of adjustments that could be made, the technologies
that could be used or the procurement policies that ought
to be in place to ensure that no organisation wide systems
are purchased unless accessibility has been considered.

4. The Law
Reasonable adjustments need to be made to ensure
disabled persons do not suffer substantial disadvantage.
………..institutions need to be anticipatory and proactive in
encouraging disabled persons to participate in the
education provision and the various activities of each
institution…..

5. The Law
It is unlawful to discriminate against a disabled student
•In respect to student services provided or offered.
Student services has a broad meaning but will include
teaching and learning, examinations and access to
learning resources including digital resources and
facilities.

6. Quick check
Do you:--
•Ensure all your documents are fully accessible and
provide these in alternative formats, if requested?
• E.g. do you use style sheets in Word, speaker notes in
PowerPoint, provide transcripts or a brief text summary of
video material
•Ensure all your information is accessible by portable
devices 24/7?
•Offer support to tutors to make their material accessible?
•Offer support in examinations? Link to JiscTechdis
•Make “reasonable adjustments”?

7. Reasonable adjustments
Depends on many factors:-
•Cost and effectiveness
•The nature of the institution, its size and resources
available
•However…….cost must be balanced against rights and is
not a defence in law, especially if a person suffers a
“substantial disadvantage” - clearly open to
interpretation.
Link to JiscLegal
So….the main consideration of this
session is what constitutes a
reasonable adjustment. Please feel
free to comment at any time.

8. Link to the above document
www.jisclegal.ac.uk

9. Context
But….what are the real motivators for inclusion?
•Achievement and retention
•Desire to ensure that all students have the best
learning experience
•Personalised learning
•Reputation
•Care for the student
•Fear of the law? Well….maybe but on a personal
level, probably not.

10. Scenarios
Sarah has moderate visual impairment which means that she
needs a magnifier to read documents and needs a similar
approach for reading material online. She recently arrived at the
college from a school and wants to study on a Health and Social
Care course. The school supplied her with a large and rather
cumbersome magnifier which she did not bring with her.
What are the issues and how would you potentially deal with
them?

11. Scenarios
Paul has been diagnosed with mild autistic spectrum disorder
(Asperger’s Syndrome) and wishes to study A level physics and
maths. His grades at school would allow him to do this. His
academic performance overall at school was above average in
his chosen subjects but he did not form friendships, except on a
limited basis and is very much a “loner”
What are the issues and how would you potentially deal with
them?

12. Tools and Technologies for Inclusion
• Sources of information
• Jisc TechDis – www.jisctechdis.ac.uk
• Jisc Legal – www.jisclegal.ac.uk
• Jisc Infonet- www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk
• Viewing resources
• QR Codes
• Scoop.It
• Robobraille
• Blogs etc
• Xerte
• Using mobile technology
• Pearltrees
• Apps
• Built in accessibility features

13. Technological fixes

14. QR Codes
http://www.qrstuff.com/
http://blog.dundee.ac.uk/ac

15. Scoop.it

16. Scoop.it

17. Converting text files to sound files
http://robobraille.org/

18. Converting text files to sound files
http://robobraille.org/

19. Assistive Technology Blog
http://asstech.wordpress.com/

20. Assistive Technology Blog
http://davefoord.wordpress.com/tag/accessibility/

21. Xerte

22. Xerte

23. Xerte
http://xerte5.techdis.palepurple.co.uk/

24. An overview of apps for inclusivity

25. Content
Pearltrees – www.pearltrees.com

26. Tablet Apps for Accessibility and
Inclusion
Kevin Hickey

27. Image Communication
• Tobii SonoFlex
• Free & paid for
versions
available
• Wide range of
words/symbols
• Use camera to
create own
symbols

28. Image Communication
 Grid Player
 Uses grids from
The Grid 2
 Comes with
some basic
symbol sets
 Works well with
additional
speaker

29. Image communication
MyChoicePad
Makaton Symbols & sign
language videos
 TaptoTalk
 Wide range of devices

30. Text To Speech
• Predictable
• Symbols, keyboard or
handwritten
• Send messages to
facebook & twitter

31. Text to Speech Verbally
SpeakIT
Ivona Pronunciation
Pro

32. Built-In Text to Speech
• VoiceOver  Text-To-speech

33. Dictation/ speech to
text
Dragon Dictate
Speech to Text iSpeech
Dictation

34. Note taking with audio
AudioNote
SoundNote

35. Note taking/Storage Dropbox
BlueBox
EverNote

36. MindMaps
iThoughts
MindJet Cogimap

37. Skitch
• Allows the user to annotate photos, sketches,
screenshots etc.
• Useful for taking photos and asking questions
• Questions (e.g. where am I?) can be emailed to a
tutor or sent via Twitter or Facebook.
• Save in EverNote for viewing later – the same
people have developed it

39. • Allows the user to use genuine MS
Office to create or edit documents
• Works with your DropBox account
• View and edit PowerPoint slides
• View virtually any type of file and send in true PP mode (not as a .pdf
via e.mail emulation)
• Automatically saves documents
• View and edit documents on any
device

40. • Useful for capturing
ideas and writing notes
as they come to you
• Organise your work
and export as
document or other file
• Useful for managing
and structuring project
work

41. • Reveals old photos near your current location
• Overlays them onto your screen
• You can add your photos using your iPhone
camera
• Explore the
history of an area
through your
iPhone using the
in built GPS

42. Chris Barber
Jisc Regional Support Centre for
Yorkshire and Humber
support@rsc-yh.ac.uk
0113 343 1000
www.jiscrsc.ac.uk/YH

43. The presentation is available from:
http://bit.ly/UgN16s