DIVERSASIA - Best practices

An accessible organization is one that:

#Fosters independence for all students
#Has enhanced productivity
#Has reduced support costs
#Has improved engagement, retention and achievement

Accessibility is not just about creating accessible websites or documents. To do it well, accessibility needs to be incorporated into all aspects of an organization’s structure:

1. Strategy and leadership – a shared vision that supports organizations buy-in will ensure everyone understands their role in improving provision.

2. Marketing – the readability of an organization’s website and how easy you make it for them to attend open days can be a decision-maker for some users.

3. Procurement – taking different access needs into account at the outset when purchasing digital systems can reduce support costs because users will be able to access these systems independently.

4. Teaching, learning and assessment – Inclusive teaching is more engaging and benefits all learners. It plays a crucial role within education provision. They can provide content in different formats and promote independent learning.

5. Assistive technology and productivity tools – There are a range of free and commercial tools that can both remove barriers and help all users (both staff and students) overcome existing ones.

6. Mobile devices – Facilitating users’ own devices through a flexible and inclusive infrastructure can enable and extend creative and collaborative learning into new communities and spaces.

7. Staff development – Inclusive digital capabilities training for all staff and an ethos of support and collaboration will create an accessible and inclusive organization.