[senit] Accessible procurement guidance- your help please!

Hi Colleagues

AbilityNet has been asked by Becta to do some work on guidance for
schools, local authorities etc to help them get accessibility right when
procuring managed ICT services.  This will likely feed in to initiatives
such as Building Schools for the Future.

Becta are keen to ensure that local authorities and schools are asking
the right questions to ensure that products and services commissioned
will meet the needs of all learners.

Part of this work is to involve key stakeholders in the SEN IT field and
so we would really like to hear the views of all of you who would like
to contribute.  Key issues we are addressing include:

1)     What questions do purchasers need to ask themselves to ensure
they understand their own requirements for accessibility?

2)     Specifying requirements for accessibility - what are the key
accessibility pre-requisites which purchasers needs to be outlining in
their invitations to tender ?  We are talking about the real practical
stuff which may cause real barriers to your students and key
accessibility pitfalls which are often overlooked but cause real
problems when the solution arrives at school.

This could range from specifying USB ports at the front of machines,
through height adjustable electronic whiteboards/ plasmas through to
VLEs accessible to non readers / switch users.

3)     Working with suppliers - how can the purchaser evidence their
expectations around accessibility if challenged by suppliers ?  How can
purchasers ensure that accessibility doesn't drop off busy agendas -
such as with BSF?

We would be really grateful for your input.  You can email us at
adam.waits at abilitynet.org.uk either with your input or just expressing
that you would like to talk to us - we will be spending time in January
and early February talking to people and coming out to meet some of you.

If any of you are coming along to BETT / the Special Needs Fringe, you
can come along to talk to us at the AbilityNet stand - we are on stand
S26 at the Fringe .  Speak to Adam Waits or John Liddle - we are there
Wednesday to Friday.

Kind regards

Adam

Adam Waits
Lead Assessor, Children and Young Adults
AbilityNet East
Upper Pendrill Court, Papworth Everard, 
Cambridgeshire, CB23 8UY

Tel:    +44 (0)1480 839091
Fax:   +44 (0)1480 831559
Web:  www.abilitynet.org.uk