This FREE publication (Downloadable from http://www.publictechnology.net/downloads/index.php?IT_Directors_Guide_to_Accessible_IT.pdf) explains...

• ...the needs of people with temporary and permanent disabilities;
  
• ...the steps that IT managers can take to move accessibility higher up the corporate agenda.
  
• ...how staff and the public can be assisted by technology and
  
• ...what software, information and devices are available.

"Some 50 per cent of disabled people in employment whose work life could be improved by simple enhancements to desktop systems struggle on unaided", says the guide.

The need for IT Managers to take action is strengthened by the fact some disabled staff prefer not to describe themselves as such and consequently will not ask their managers for "special treatment".

Most adjustments that need to be made to make IT systems accessible can be found in Windows

"The most important thing is to make systems accessible when planning and designing systems and to convince people to include accessibility in their checklist when they're buying a new system. Then people can't say 'this is not a reasonable adjustment' because it's too expensive."

Organisations that advised on the guide and are helping distribute it are:

• the Government's Chief Information Officer (CIO http://www.cio.gov.uk/ ) Council,
  
  
• the Society of IT Management (http://www.socitm.gov.uk/socitm/ );
  
  
  
• National Computing Centre (http://www.ncc.co.uk/ );
  
  
  
• British Computer Society Elite Group (http://www.elite.bcs.org/ )
  and
  
  
• CIO Connect. (http://www.cio-connect.com/ )
  
  

The guide was sponsored by...

Royal Mail

in association with the

Information Technologists' Company.

Download the publication from http://www.publictechnology.net/downloads/index.php?IT_Directors_Guide_to_Accessible_IT.pdf