TechDis Senior

Management Briefing 2
TechDis Self Assessment Resource for Senior Managers –
A Holistic Approach to Accessibility Issues.
Introduction

Many aspects of the learner's experience will require
input from a range of staff roles and the quality of
the learner's experience will depend on the sum of
the different contributions. The tables overleaf
examine each key element of the learner’s life cycle
along with the potential contribution from different
staff roles. There is no blueprint that applies to every
organisation but an organisation with many
identifiable gaps in communication is clearly more
vulnerable to things going wrong.
As part of the examination of the learner life cycle
the following elements will be considered:
◗ The learner’s interactions with the organisations
external website.
◗ The contact with the admissions service.
◗ The induction process a learner will undertake.
◗ The career or progression guidance a learner will
receive.
◗ The involvement different stakeholders will have in
independent learning.
◗ The assessment process a learner will undertake.
The process of mapping different contributions on
the tables overleaf should help provide opportunities
to identify areas for improved communication and/or
strategy. More significantly, the process points to
ways the ownership of accessibility can spread
across the whole organisation. It may also highlight
important areas for staff development.

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 is an advisory service of JISC, the

Joint Information Systems Committee

© TechDis 2006 Page 1

 Learner Experience – External Website
Assessment of
Current Involvement
Potential stakeholders & their involvement None Ad hoc - Strategic - Potential Actions
respond to formal
need responsibility

Marketing Team:
Advising on content.

Learner Support Team:

Advising on accessibility – e.g. language level,
alternative formats, clarifying support opportunities
offered. Advising on accessibility statement (non
technical aspects).

Network/IT Team: Ensuring technical

accessibility e.g. keyboard access, text resizing,
screen-reader accessibility. Advising on
accessibility statement (technical aspects).

Learner Representatives: Disabled learners

commenting on the accessibility of the website to
their technologies.

Learner Experience – Admissions

Assessment of
Current Involvement
Potential stakeholders & their involvement None Ad hoc - Strategic - Potential Actions
respond to formal
need responsibility

Admissions Team:
Ensuring inclusive admissions procedures.

Learner Support Team:

Providing specialist support (e.g. signing), advising on
alternative formats (e.g. online forms), clarifying
support options, encouraging disclosure.

Network/IT Team:
Supporting accessible online applications.

Learner Representatives:
Feedback from disabled learners regarding the
admissions process and any potential for
improvement.

© TechDis 2006 Page 2

 Learner Experience – Induction
Assessment of
Current Involvement
Potential stakeholders & their involvement None Ad hoc - Strategic - Potential Actions
respond to formal
need responsibility

Teaching / Tutorial Staff:

Awareness of good practice in inclusive teaching.
Clarifying available support options.

Learner Support Team:

Encouraging disclosure, promoting available support
options, assessing needs.

Network/IT Team:
Providing pragmatic accessibility statement – e.g.
signposting guidance on accessibility/personalisation
options on IT infrastructure. Providing contacts for
learners with access difficulties.

Learner Representatives:
Feedback from disabled learners on potential for
improvement.

Library/LRC Staff:
Signposting additional services (e.g. assistive
technology, alternative formats etc).

Learner Experience – Independent Learning

Assessment of
Current Involvement
Potential stakeholders & their involvement None Ad hoc - Strategic - Potential Actions
respond to formal
need responsibility
Library/LRC Staff:
Awareness of available assistive technology. Awareness
of range of learning resources available and processes
for obtaining resources in alternative formats.

Network/IT Team:
Supporting assistive technologies; providing infrastructure
for learners to access resources from home.

Learner Support Staff:

Training Library/LRC staff in disability issues. Working
with Library/LRC staff on obtaining alternative formats.

Learner Representatives: Encourage disabled

learners to give feedback – either through specific user
focus groups or other appropriate mechanisms.

Teaching/Tutorial Staff:
Liaising with Library/LRC staff on topics/resources
where alternative formats may be required.

© TechDis 2006 Page 3

 Learner Experience – Resources for Learners
Assessment of
Current Involvement
Potential stakeholders & their involvement None Ad hoc - Strategic - Potential Actions
respond to formal
need responsibility

Senior Practitioners:
Encouraging staff to develop a wide repertoire of
approaches and resources to support learners.

ILT Champion/e-Learning Advisor:

Encouraging good practice with e-learning;
disseminating sources of free resources (e.g. Ferl, LSN,
Jorum) or software (e.g. Hot Potatoes).

Teaching/Tutorial Staff:
Exploring e-learning resources to complement existing
practice – e.g. video, images, audio clips.

Library/LRC Staff:
Promoting online collections (e.g. JISC collections) to
teaching staff and learners. Alerting staff to new
resources or alternative formats.

Learner Support Staff:

Offering specific advice to teaching staff – e.g. adapting
resources or approaches for specific disabled learners.

Learner Representatives:
Include accessibility/usability of resources in course
evaluations. Assess specific issues with disabled
learners at regular points in the course.

Learner Experience – Career/Progression Guidance

Assessment of
Current Involvement
Potential stakeholders & their involvement None Ad hoc - Strategic - Potential Actions
respond to formal
need responsibility
Careers Team:
Liaison with work placements re support (e.g. assistive
technology) etc. Specialist advice and guidance. Liaison
with Connexions service.

Learner Support Team:

Providing specialist support – e.g. signing,
communication support. Transition planning.

Learner Representatives:
Follow up with past disabled learners to assess the
success of their transition/progression.

Teaching/Tutorial Staff:
Advice on potential accessibility issues on HE or
vocational courses.

© TechDis 2006 Page 4

 Learner Experience – Assessment
Assessment of
Current Involvement
Potential stakeholders & their involvement None Ad hoc - Strategic - Potential Actions
respond to formal
need responsibility

Library/LRC Staff:
Where coursework relies heavily on background
research the accessibility of the library/LRC services is
significant. Timely marketing of Library/LRC services is
important – especially for disabled learners.

Network/IT Team: This team may need to support

the use of assistive technologies during external
examinations. Familiarity with the hardware/software/
networking issues is critical in high stakes activities.

Learner Support Staff:

These staff may also have an important role in
ensuring the effective use of assistive technology and
advising in exam security issues (e.g. whether inbuilt
references or note facilities need to be disabled).

Learner Representatives:
Encourage disabled learners to give feedback – either
through specific user focus groups or other appropriate
mechanisms.

Teaching/Tutorial Staff:
Where assessment will take an alternative format for
disabled learners, ensure they can practice with the
appropriate materials and technologies.

Examinations Staff:
Ensure appropriate adjustments are discussed with
awarding bodies in good time. Where these involve
specific support or technology, ensure the learner
support staff, IT and teaching staff are involved.

© TechDis 2006 Page 5

 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 6