Education, Education, Education, Training and Professionalism

Jean Irvine OBE

Commissioner Equality and Human Rights Commission

Education in ICT – the “Golden Thread”

Young People

Adult ICT Users

ICT Professionals

Organisations:Employers/Service providers

Organisations:ICT Hardware, Software andSolutions Providers

Learning- Young People

• The UK economy depends upon its global competitiveness in ICT-based service industries

• Hence increasing need for both:– ICT professionals– Business people who understand the role of and can

commission effective ICT systems and services

• The teaching of Digital Literacy, Computing Science, and Information Systems in schools must provide the foundation for professionalism across the board

• It is crucial that learning about ICT accessibility starts in schools

Learning- Adult IT Users

• Variety of education routes for Individuals e.g:– Open University – distance learning – Universities and Colleges– U3A (older people)

• Support for disabled people:– Research at the Rix Centre at UEL– IT Can Help service (Abilitynet)– UK On Line Centres– Go On UK/ Go On Gold

• Support for Charities :– IT4Communities (Abilitynet)

OrganisationsIT Accessibility – the Legal Context

• The digital world continues to present a number of obstacles for disabled people.

• Under the Equality Act 2010 organisations have a legal obligation/duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that all their IT channels and applications serving the public are accessible to disabled people who may use a variety of access devices and equipment and have a wide range of impairments.

• This duty is anticipatory

• Making as many adjustments as possible makes it easier

for everyone to use the service

www.equalityhumanrights.com

ICT Professionals/ Organisations- The Basics: Web Essentials (1)

• The Equality and Human Rights Commission, AbilityNet and BCS (the Chartered Institute of IT) have worked together to develop the first ever course of its kind on digital accessibility

• The course is targeting the widest possible audience, not just web designers or developers, aiming to inform board/executives, senior managers, HR, marketing as well IT/technical staff

• The 80 minute e-learning course aims to equip individuals and businesses with the tools to make their website accessible

• Order the courseware by calling: 0330 123 9194 or email waesupport@hq.bcs.org.uk.• Find out more at: www.bcs.org/wae

The Basics: Web Essentials(2)

• It provides a key learning platform to help understand the issues faced by those with a disability, health condition or those who struggle using online technology and what needs to be done to address their needs

• It offers low cost training and qualification• At the end of the course, you will complete a short test

that, if passed, will also lead to a formal BCS Level 1 Certificate of achievement.

• Individual and corporate licences will be available

Order the courseware by calling: 0330 123 9194 or email waesupport@hq.bcs.org.uk.Find out more at: www.bcs.org/wae

ICT Professionals- Qualifications • Version 5 of the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA)

was launched in December 2011• The British Computer Society – the Chartered Institute for IT and

hence the Lead Professional Body for ICT –is a partner in SFIA.• BCA has developed SFIAPlus as the skills framework for

accreditation of qualifications and entry/progression in Professional membership to Chartered IT Professional:– ISEB Practitioner qualifications– All BCS membership grades including CITP– BCS Higher Education Qualifications

• The BCS also has a very active Learning and Development Specialist Group – if you are interested visit the BCS web site : www.bcs.org.uk

Alignment of SFIAPlus to Professional Progression

Organisation benefits Driving your Business forward through the power of accessibility

• opening up new markets amongst UK’s 12 million disabled consumers with spending power exceeding £80 billion

• increasing on-line traffic and sales by 90% or more* • securing legal compliance with confidence • decreasing maintenance costs - a saving of more than 40% in bandwidth

costs and a reduction in on-line maintenance by 50% is not unusual* • affecting the on-line choices of family and friends - positive disabled

consumer experience affects those around them • gaining vital competitive edge over your rivals’ sites - accessible sites are

simply more intuitive for everyone • improving your brand’s integrity and reputation • future-proofing your web presence for mobile internet access.

• *Legal and General case study as featured at PAS 78 launch, 2006

What Next? Organisations - Employers/Service Providers

• Employ qualified IT Professionals – use SFIAPlus as a basis for regular skills audits

• Understand the principles of ICT Accessibility and ensure you have policies in place /join the One Voice for Accessible ICT Coalition

• Get involved with the Employers Forum on Disability Business Task Force on Accessible Technology and use the model to guide progress

• Ask your ICT suppliers about their approach , policies and services for accessibility and learning/development

One Voice for Accessible ICT Coalition –

Principles • Campaigning will increase the awareness of ICT accessibility across all

sectors. This will focus on working with and influencing providers of goods and services to make their products and services accessible and useable for all. (This will include the websites of Coalition members.)

• Promotion of what already exists to help disabled users with technology. This will look at what technology, tools and techniques already exist to help disabled people and promote these as widely as possible.

• Professionalism will focus on introducing and establishing accessibility as an integral part of training provided to IT and associated professionals. This will, over time, ensure that all people within the industry have an awareness and understanding of the benefits and how to deliver systems and solutions that are accessible to all.

All members agree to actively work towards delivering the above aims and objectives of the Coalition in coordination with the other members to provide a single voice (One Voice) in the drive to deliver accessible ICT.

www.onevoiceict.org

BTAT Charter

• The Charter was developed by the organisations who are members of BTAT, and sets out ten commitments to good practice on IT accessibility with the overarching goal:

“We will ensure disabled and older people can apply for jobs with us, be employed by us and do business with us, by implementing an Information and Communications Technology strategy which includes the following commitments regarding accessibility” 

www.btat.org.uk www.efd.org.uk

What Next ?

• Embedding ICT Accessibility throughout the Skills Framework for the Information Age and associated education for young people, adult ICT users and ICT professionals is essential for the UK to compete in an increasingly global economy in the Information Age

• Organisations employing ICT professionals need to be engaged in this endeavour

• What are the challenges we face in achieving this and how can we work together to resolve them ?