Disabilities and Special Needs

The following sites offer general guidance on the use of educational technology with students with dyslexia and visual, hearing and physical impairments:

• TechDis (Technology for Disabilities Information Service) "is a JISC service aimed at enhancing access for those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, to learning and teaching, research and administration across higher and further education through the use of information and communication technologies."
• Higher Education ACCESS Centre provides a professional assessment, advice and training service to people with disabilities and to those who support, educate, and employ them. The Centre contains enabling technologies for physical, sensory or cognitive impairments, including dyslexia. The Centre is currently developing Guidelines for using technology in examinations
• MET Group - The Multimedia Enabling Technologies group at the Open University are researching and developing a range of enabling of information technologies for students with special educational needs arising from physical, sensory or learning disabilities. Site contains a range of sophisticated tools, reports and links to other sources.
• Making Connections Unit - Glasgow Caledonian University. A good forum for discussion, articles, resources and ideas about using C and IT with students and staff with disabilities.
• Aware - The HTML Writers Guild's advice section on making web pages accessible.
• Data communications and the physically challenged - advice on enabling technologies from the Office of Adaptive Educational Services at Indiana University.