Making the Disability Equality Duty Meaningful.

Alistair Mcnaught writes <Alistair.McNaught@HEAcademy.ac.uk >

Dear colleagues

The final publication in the TechDis Senior Manager Briefings series has just been posted out to all Principals of FE colleges, containing advice on using technology effectively (including free software) to support DED planning.

This concludes the series which has been based around providing pragmatic guidance on "making the DDA and DED meaningful" in an FE context. The full series has covered :

• Briefing 1 - e-Learning as an Accessibility Investment <http://www.techdis.ac.uk/index.php?p=2_2_3_3 >
  
• Briefing 2 - Accessibility in the Mainstream: Roles and responsibilities <http://www.techdis.ac.uk/index.php?p=2_2_3_6 > (including additional online advice for network managers)
  
• Briefing 3 - Transition Arrangements - Partners, Processes and Funding Issues <http://www.techdis.ac.uk/index.php?p=2_2_3_8 > (including additional online advice for learner support managers)
• Briefing 4 - Accessible Marketing and Admissions: Improving Business and Reducing Risk <http://www.techdis.ac.uk/index.php?p=2_2_3_10 >(including additional online advice for marketing managers)
• Briefing 5 - From Good Intention to Good Practice: Making the Disability Equality Duty Meaningful <http://www.techdis.ac.uk/index.php?p=2_2_3_13 >(including additional online advice on free assistive technologies)

We have taken care to work with a wide range of partners and each briefing has referenced many agencies. In the process we have built some excellent links with partner organisations, many of whom have directly contributed expert guidance to the materials. The final briefing contains a significant section on free and open source assistive technology with links to downloads and selected video clips of the technology in action (www.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftware )

Although the series has been targeted at Further Education, much of the material is directly applicable to other sectors so we encourage you to dip in to any area that seems to be relevant to you or your spheres of influence!

PS - we are actively tweaking the navigation of these areas so if they change slightly from one viewing to the next don't worry! It's all in the name of ongoing improvements :-)

Many thanks

Alistair