TechDis Senior
Management Briefing 2
Accessibility in the Mainstream – Roles and Responsibilities
Accessibility, Disability or Impairment
It is easy to assume that a disability or is more or
less the same as an impairment. However, the extent
to which an individual is disabled may have more to
do with the nature of their environment than the
nature of their impairment. For example, within an
online community (such as a discussion list, email or
chat forum) it is impossible to know whether a
participant is blind, deaf or motor impaired because
the environment is accessible to a wide range of
individual needs. Similarly, a wheelchair user is
disabled in some buildings but entirely independent
in others.
Within an educational context this richer and more
flexible understanding of disability in terms of
‘access to and inclusion within’ an organisation’s
activities is important; it offers all those working with
learners the opportunity to explore alternative
approaches and technologies which can fully enable
a learner with particular accessibility requirements,
in order to help them fully participate in the learning
experience.
More significantly, accessible practices can benefit all
learners not just those with disabilities or learning
difficulties, by promoting a culture of responsiveness
and flexibility. It is arguable that one of the most
effective ways of meeting the anticipatory duty in the
Disability Discrimination Act is to give staff the skills
and training to respond effectively and creatively to
learner needs. For teaching staff this might mean
TechDis, The Higher Education Academy Building, Innovation Way, York Science Park, York YO10 5BR.
Tel: 01904 717580 Fax: 01904 717505. helpdesk@techdis.ac.uk. www.techdis.ac.uk
© TechDis 2006 TechDis is an advisory service of JISC, the Joint Information Systems Committee
delivering the learning experience a different way. For
technical staff it may mean setting up alternative
profiles. For library staff it may mean finding resources
in an electronic format. Accessibility issues are
therefore relevant for all staff; they impinge on the
quality of service provided, irrespective of whether
staff work directly with disabled learners or not.
Roles, Responsibilities and the
Learner Life Cycle
Training and guidance in accessibility is most effective
when it targets specific roles and responsibilities
within an organisation. Different roles work in
different contexts and draw on different resources.
To understand how accessibility impinges on a
learner it is worth considering it from the perspective
of a ‘learner life cycle’ through an organisation.
Marketing
The materials produced by the marketing
department may provide explicit information about
the accessibility of the organisation, or unintended
messages by omission. The design and presentation
of the materials may by itself give messages about
the accessibility awareness of the organisation.
Admissions and Induction
The extent to which this process offers support for
learner needs will reflect on organisational support
for all learners. Disabled learners can be encouraged
to disclose their disability where a culture of
acceptance, accommodation and positivity is evident.
Page 1
 Teaching and Learning
The readiness of the teaching and learning staff to
understand learner needs and provide responsive,
varied learning experiences has a major impact on
all learners and a disproportionate benefit for those
with disabilities.
Library and Learning Resources
Independent learning can be the most challenging
part of a course for learners with disabilities.
Appropriate support through assistive technology,
alternative formats, supportive staff and appropriate
systems are essential to develop genuinely
independent learners.
“Accessibility needs to be owned
by all staff as a part of the
mainstream culture”
Technical Teams
Technical teams have contradictory issues which will
require negotiation and balance. Most learners (and
indeed staff) want a familiar desktop with their own
preferences stored wherever they log in; all want a
secure and reliable system and many – especially
disabled learners – may need to personalise the
system. In addition, disabled learners may require
specific hardware and software, which can often
raise installation, networking, support and licensing
issues (see separate briefing accompanying this
pack). Different technical teams (such as Audio Visual
staff and lab technicians) work alongside teaching
staff and learners in different ways.
Learner Support Staff
A key interface between the learner and the rest of
the organisation, these staff are critical in helping to
draw together the other services disabled learners
require. Their expertise may be in personal support
but for full effectiveness they need to engage with
teaching and learning staff, technical staff, library and
learning resource staff and others, in an increasingly
sophisticated technological environment.
Pastoral Care Systems
Despite the immense variety of pastoral care
approaches in the sector, the issues in supporting
disabled learners are common and widespread; data
protection and confidentiality can be compromised
because the legislation regards disclosure about a
disability to any member of staff as disclosure to the
organisation. How do you balance this legal
requirement to share learner disclosures with the
legal requirement to confidentiality? Furthermore,
disclosure is voluntary yet ignorance of a learner’s
need may not legally excuse an organisation from
claims of discriminatory practice.
© TechDis 2006
Examinations and Assessment
Making the appropriate accommodations for a
learner may involve the examinations team, teaching
and learning staff, learner support staff and technical
staff all contributing to a solution in different ways.
Given the range of ways in which the learner’s
experiences are influenced by an array of staff roles
and functions it is imperative that any organisation
has a holistic approach to accessibility. Accessibility
needs to be owned by all staff as a part of the
mainstream culture; a niche culture of disability
belonging to one or two roles is an insufficient basis
to meet the needs of the developing disability
equality legislation.
Conflicts, Compromise and
Complementarity
Different staff groups have different ways of meeting
learner needs and each has expertise contributing to
the learner’s experience. This has the potential to
create complementary services. However, without
effective steer from senior management it can also
lead to significant conflicts and contradictions, as
illustrated below:
Case Study One:
Teaching and learning staff have been trained in
using free software to create online interactive
quizzes which give instant feedback to learners.
These have been uploaded to the Virtual Learning
Environment (VLE) and proved very popular with
learners, especially those with specific learning
difficulties.
The network manager realises that the quizzes
produced by the software are not accessible to screen
readers and do not conform to web accessibility
guidelines. Fearful of potential litigation, the network
manager removes the quizzes from the network. The
teaching staff, irritated by the waste of time and
training, stop producing materials for the VLE. Most
disgruntled is the tutor who has fully included a blind
learner only to be told inappropriate criteria have not
been met. Also affected are learner support workers
who receive a series of complaints from dyslexic
learners who benefited from the software and now
feel they have been discriminated against.
“For some organisations and some
technical teams this may mark a
significant departure from the
traditional role of the technical team
in keeping hardware and
software working”
Page 2
 Case Study Two:
The head of the learning resource centre is trying to
plan the provision of alternative formats for key
textbooks. Negotiations with publishers or transcription
services can take several months to organise so the
learner support department is approached to give an
idea of numbers needed and the courses they study.
The head of learner support is unwilling to give even
the overall numbers of learners involved, let alone
specific requirements, in case they breach data
protection legislation or compromise confidentiality.
Conclusions
In both these examples the conflicts were created
not by any unwillingness to serve the needs of
disabled learners but by territoriality; isolated
decision making without a holistic overview steered
and supported by senior management. In reality, the
accessibility approaches of one area of the
organisation will impinge on those of another – for
better or worse. It is important there is a clear, shared
understanding of the approach the senior
management team will support. Given the inherent
tensions (arising from different skills and experiences)
and the fact that disabled people themselves would
often disagree on the best solution to a particular
problem, the most significant role senior managers
can play is to facilitate communication and
encourage compromise.
“Accessibility issues are relevant for
all staff; they impinge on the quality of
service provided, irrespective of
whether staff work directly with
disabled learners or not”
Communication and Compromise
There are many situations where there is no right
answer. For example, some disabled learners want
assistive software clearly labelled on computers or
supported computers grouped together so they can
find them easily. Others prefer them unlabelled for
the sake of discretion.
“If accessibility has not been
considered in a strategic, ‘whole
organisation’ way, it will be difficult
not to simply make up policies as you
go along”
rubber-stamping exercise.
◗ The communication is well documented.
◗ The communication is communicated – to illustrate
how accessibility issues have been tackled and
encouraging others to get involved in the process.
Conclusions
In the first TechDis Senior Management Briefing the
potential to incorporate accessibility into existing
policies was explored. In order to create a holistic
approach to accessibility it is worth different areas of
the organisation creating draft accessibility policies
which are then compared to identify areas of
conflict, dependency or complementarity. The
resulting conclusions can then feedback into existing
policies or create new ones depending on what is
most appropriate. Anecdotal evidence from out of
court settlements suggests that litigation under the
DDA has been more related to an absence of policies
than from poor policies. If accessibility has not been
considered in a strategic, ‘whole organisation’ way, it
will be difficult not to simply make up policies as you
go along, resulting in potentially poor practice and a
higher exposure to litigation.
The self assessment resource accompanying this
briefing provides an opportunity to evaluate your
current progress in embedding accessibility across
different organisational roles.
“The design and presentation of the
materials may by itself give messages
about the accessibility awareness of
the organisation”

Compromises are inevitable but it is important to

invite all the stakeholders to contribute to the final
decision. In a Learning Resource Centre (LRC), where
to place the computers with assistive technology will
have implications for the LRC staff, the network
manager, IT Technicians, learners support staff and
the learners themselves. How the appropriate
communication takes place would be unique to
every organisation but the following points would be
important:
◗ The communication is timely.
◗ The communication is genuine, not simply a

© TechDis 2006 Page 3

 Technical Accessibility Challenges for Organisations
Introduction
Good quality technical teams are at the heart of an
organisation’s accessibility strategies because they
exert a direct influence on:
◗ The use of e-resources by teaching staff.
◗ The extent to which learners can access materials
at any time or place.
◗ The extent to which learners can adapt materials to
suit their own specific needs.
◗ The effectiveness with which learners access other
services – for example assistive technologies or
additional support.
For many FE organisations, the world of e-learning is
relatively new and the concept of disability equality
duty may be newer still. In this emerging world,
technical teams have an increasingly significant role
to play in understanding accessibility issues and
playing a full part with others in meeting learner
needs. For some organisations and some technical
teams this may mark a significant departure from the
traditional role of the technical team in keeping
hardware and software working.
“Technical teams have an increasingly
significant role to play”
Pilot research by TechDis with network managers
from a range of colleges and technical support
personnel from regional and national support agencies
has indicated a number of areas where technical
teams have the expertise to enhance accessibility
but are not always used effectively because:
◗ Although it is within their skill base it is not in their
portfolio of responsibilities, or,
◗ Their contribution would be a specialist input to a
wider process that needs driving from elsewhere.
We have identified three areas where opportunities
exist to improve accessibility for all learners. In each
of these areas there are technical issues but the
technical team are only part of the solution. We
believe that these areas are often neglected because
no single person has them on their job description.
Together, these areas can add significant accessibility
to the learner’s experience.
© TechDis 2006
Interfacing - between the learner
and the services they need
A key area, for a learner with accessibility needs, is to
know how they can be more independent, what
resources are available, how they can adapt them,
who they need to speak to and how they can contact
them. TechDis and AbilityNet have identified several
areas of good practice that are often neglected
because they fall between role areas. These include:
◗ The effectiveness of accessibility guidance on the
learning platform – for example, how views can be
personalised or how changes can be saved.
◗ The effectiveness of learner inductions in
highlighting accessibility options in the
organisation’s IT infrastructure.
◗ The effectiveness with which the assistive technology
available to learners is advertised and promoted.
◗ The effectiveness with which existing or free
assistive technologies (e.g. alternative document
views, document handwriting recognition or text to
speech systems) are made available or promoted to
learners and those who teach or support them.
Integrating – security needs with
personalisation needs
Security is often regarded as one of the biggest risks
to a network. Unfortunately this can sometimes result
in a system that is so tightly locked down that users
who need different hardware, software, colour schemes
or fonts find it very difficult to access materials. The
security issues need to be balanced with the alternative
risks of litigation if the organisation is unable to make
reasonable adjustments for disabled learners
accessing the network. TechDis and AbilityNet have
produced some guidance on this which accompanies
the advice for technical support teams. For further
information on this guidance please see the
accompanying briefing or visit
www.techdis.ac.uk/gettechnical.
“The security issues need to be
balanced with the alternative risks of
litigation if the organisation is unable
to make reasonable adjustments for
disabled learners accessing
the network”
Page 4
 Populating – the learning
environment with resources
Different organisations have different approaches to
populating their learning platforms; some buy in
materials, others develop in house with technical
experts, but in most organisations the key to making
resources available is the lecturer or teacher
uploading handouts, PowerPoint’s, quizzes and
activities. Digital resources like these are inherently
more flexible than traditional paper based resources.
However, to encourage staff to create electronic
resources there needs to be:
◗ A learning platform that is easy to use with limited
technical skill.
◗ Access from offsite to enable materials to be
uploaded from home.
◗ Training in a range of simple techniques that can
enhance the learner experience (see the Creation
of Learning Materials section of the TechDis
Website: www.techdis.ac.uk/gettopiccreation
learningmaterials).
◗ Training in accessibility appropriate to the skill levels
of the staff.

“Digital resources are inherently more

flexible than traditional paper
based resources”

Whilst quality control on the learning platform is

potentially desirable these resources should not be
subject to more stringent checks than traditional
teaching resources, otherwise staff will be
discouraged from creating digital resources. Where
staff exploit the digital opportunities available to
them (images, sound, video etc) there may be
significant technical issues relating to file size or
bandwidth issues. Input from the technical support
team can be crucial to support staff exploring new
approaches.

Conclusion
Technical support teams are often key to effective
teaching and learning and can play a major role in
leveraging maximum advantage from the hardware
and software systems of the organisation. To draw
out these benefits the technical support teams need
to be involved strategically across the organisation
contributing to teaching and learning strategies,
accessibility strategies etc. This may have training
implications for technical staff, both “soft skill”
training such as disability awareness, e-learning
approaches etc and “hard skill” training such as
technical issues with assistive software.

© TechDis 2006 Page 5

 Further References
JISC TechDis Resources
◗ Role Related Accessibility Guidance - www.techdis.ac.uk/getroleguidance.
◗ Creation of Learning Materials Topic, particularly useful for teaching staff
www.techdis.ac.uk/gettopiccreationlearningmaterials.
◗ Inclusive Learning and Teaching – ILT and Disabled Learners. Joint JISC TechDis, Becta and JISC Regional
Support Centres publication - www.techdis.ac.uk/index.php?p=3_10_4.
◗ TechDis Article – Free software for Readback and Mapping - www.techdis.ac.uk/index.php?p=3_7_3.
TechDis Community Site (to access these resources use ‘guest’ login)
◗ Training for e-Learning Technical Developers - www.techdis.ac.uk/community/course/view.php?id=14.
◗ Training for Learning Resource Centre Staff – www.techdis.ac.uk/community/course/view.php?id=15.

Recommended Resources from Other Agencies

Strategically Focussed Resources

ALI - Adult Learning Inspectorate

ALI aims to be a world class quality assessment business, raising standards of education and training for
young people and adults through inspecting and reporting on the learning provision they receive.
◗ Greater Expectations: Provision for learners with disabilities and/or learning difficulties -
www.ali.gov.uk/News/Talisman/T47/Survey.htm.

Becta - British Educational Communication & Technologies Agency

Becta is the UK agency which supports all four UK education departments in their strategic ICT developments.
◗ The role of ICT in school and college improvement. -
www.becta.org.uk/page_documents/corporate/extra/briscoe.ppt.
This slideshow introduces some of Becta’s current work in developing self review frameworks for
e-maturity. E-maturity will be a significant contributor to accessibility in an organisation.

JISC infoNet
JISC infoNet promotes the effective strategic planning, implementation and management of information and
learning technology to support the core activities of learning, teaching, research and business processes.
◗ JISC infoNet Material on Understanding Your Organisation -
www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/creating-an-mle/understanding-your-organisation.
◗ Change Management infoKit - www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/infokits/change-management.

Scottish Disability Team

Through the delivery of specialised training and the provision of an informative website, the Scottish Disability
Team aims to improve provision for disabled students across Higher Education in Scotland.
◗ The Disability Equality Duty: Implications and Opportunities for ICT provision in Higher Education Institutions
and Colleges of Further Education - www.sdt.ac.uk/ded_ict.asp.
Though specifically written for the Scottish framework, the principles and practice laid out are relevant to
all four UK countries.

© TechDis 2006 Page 6

 Operationally Focussed Resources
AbilityNet

A national charity offering a comprehensive range of services related to the use of information technology
with people with all types of disabling conditions.
◗ List of Factsheets: http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/content/factsheets/Factsheets-list.htm.
◗ List of Skillsheets: http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/content/factsheets/Skillsheets.htm.

ACLearn.net
The Community Learning Resource website supports the adult and community learning (ACL) sector. It
provides information, advice and guidance to those working in the sector and is designed to complement the
rollout of effective e-learning and related support into ACL.
◗ Guidance on technology and disability - www.aclearn.net/display.cfm?page=1037.

BRITE Initiative
A Scottish service with a range of useful Internet resources relevant for teaching, learning and support roles.
◗ Web developer resources - www.brite.ac.uk/resources.htm.
◗ Ways to create an inclusive classroom - www.brite.ac.uk/resources/inclusive_classroom.htm.

LSN - Learning and Skills Network

The Learning and Skills Network is an independent not-for-profit organisation delivering quality improvement
and staff development programmes to support specific government initiatives.
◗ Disability Discrimination Act: Publications – wide range of role related and theme related briefings -
www.lsneducation.org.uk/dda/publications.aspx.
◗ Disability Discrimination Act: taking the work forward - www.lsneducation.org.uk/dda/home.aspx.

Open University - Inclusive Teaching Website

An excellent resource for teachers, specialist staff and those responsible for additional support.
◗ www.open.ac.uk/inclusiveteaching.

Skill - National Bureau for Students With Disabilities

Skill is a national charity promoting opportunities for young people and adults with any kind of disability in
post-16 education, training and employment across the UK.
◗ www.skill.org.uk.

Skills for Access

A comprehensive guide to creating accessible multimedia for e-learning.
◗ www.skillsforaccess.org.uk.

SCONUL - Society of College, National and University libraries

SCONUL promotes excellence in library services in higher education and national libraries across the UK and
Ireland.
◗ SCONUL Taskforce – Access for users with disabilities -
www.sconul.ac.uk/pubs_stats/pubs/topical/documents/AccessDisabilitiesBrief.doc.

Teachability Project
The Teachability project at the University of Strathclyde promotes the creation of an Accessible Curriculum For
Students With Disabilities.
◗ www.teachability.strath.ac.uk.

© TechDis 2006 Page 7

 Looking Ahead - TechDis Senior Management Briefing 3

Transition arrangements -
partners, processes and funding issues
Dissemination Date - Autumn 2006
This briefing will contain information on the following:
◗ Country specific information on the issues surrounding transition for learners into, out of and within Further
Education.
◗ Focussed information for the four countries on good practice in planned transition.
◗ The funding implications of planned transition.

For further information on the Senior Management Briefing Series please visit
www.techdis.ac.uk/getbriefings.

The Higher Education Academy Building

Innovation Way
York Science Park
York YO10 5BR

Tel: 01904 717580

Fax: 01904 717505

www.techdis.ac.uk helpdesk@techdis.ac.uk

© TechDis 2006 Page 8