Many pupils have difficulty accessing printed material and recording work, as a result of sensory, physical, communication or learning disabilities. The law now requires local authorities and other responsible bodies to "improve communication and the delivery of school information with pupils with disabilities". This 'school information' includes any material given to pupils, from handouts and worksheets, to textbooks and examination papers, and "responsible bodies should ensure that any information that is important to enable pupils to learn or to be able to participate in school activities can be provided in an alternative form if the pupil may have difficulty reading information in standard written form".
One of the ways to achieve is by providing resources in digital format, for example: 'talking' books on computer; scanned textbooks; worksheets in Word format; examinations in PDF; audio books in MP3 and DAISY format.
This Symposium brought together local and central government, commercial firms, publishers and voluntary organisations, to discuss how digital versions of curriculum resources could be created and accessed by pupils with additional support needs.
The Symposium addressed:
- legal obligations on schools and local authorities
- examples of accessible digital resources in practice
- digital formats available (e.g. PDF, Word, HTML, DAISY, MP3 etc)
- copyright and dissemination of digital resources
The speakers included:
- Professor Sheila Riddell, University of Edinburgh
- Stuart Robertson, Learning and Teaching Scotland
- Richard Orme and Jamie Cuthbertson, RNIB
- Jim MacNeilage, Copyright Licensing Agency
- Rosetta Macleod, Scottish Schools Digital Network
- Ian Litterick, iANSYST
- James Christie, Harcourt Education
- CALL Centre staff
The Symposium will attracted policy makers and other senior managers in national and local government and agencies, relevant voluntary organisations, and publishers and suppliers.
The Symposium was funded by the Scottish Executive Education Department.
