JISC RSC YH Exchange News

JISC TechDis – free Online Accessibility Self Evaluation service

What it is

Growing out of a series of pilots and online discussions with JISC Regional Support Centres, JISC TechDis now has six role related online self evaluations suitable for a wide range of teaching institutions and learning providers. For each role, the self evaluations allow managers to explore the ways accessibility/inclusion can be integrated into mainstream teaching, learning and institutional processes.

We have now developed

·         a national program 

·         a web space area describing the process and the purpose (www.techdis.ac.uk/getevaluated) and 

·         a sign up area for the national events (http://tinyurl.com/td-signup). 

The events should prove very useful to FE and HE but some of the sessions (eg Libraries, Additional learning support) will be less relevant to ACL and WBL where the infrastructure is different. The other role areas should still be relevant to a greater or lesser extent.

How it works

JISC TechDis covers each role twice between January and June and they have attempted to create a timeliness that matches online events to key points of the calendar (so the network manager events are just before holiday periods where they might be tweaking networks etc). It will usually be possible to squeeze in additional regional events where there is a critical mass of participants – for example by contributing to an existing forum meeting. 

How it benefits

This is a very quick way of getting a measure of the extent to which good practice reasonable adjustments have permeated an organisation. Being role-focused it can give specific practical suggestions  to the people with the responsibility and authority to make things happen. 

Any queries can be directed to alistair@techdis.ac.uk (FE, ACL, WBL) or simon@techdis.ac.uk (HE). With a focus on mainstream accessibility, we are not anticipating the events being so relevant to colleagues from Specialist Colleges but they are welcome to join in if they wish.