Facilities for Users with Disabilities

1
Facilities for Users with Disabilities

• OUCS Lecture Rooms and
• Help Centre

2
Session Outline

• Facilities at OUCS
• Talk
• Practical
• Accessible Web sites
• Video Web Sites that Work
• Talk about accessible web sites
• Questions

3
OUCS

• Initial project (2000/1) to improve access to IT,
  particularly training (lecture rooms and Learning
  and Resource Centre) for users with disabilities
• Close liaison with University Disability Office
• Funded jointly by OUCS and Central Disabilities
  fund (matched funding)

4
Current Situation

• Equipment for a range of disabilities
• Help Centre has now replaced LaRC (new location
  and managers)
• Most equipment is PC based as this is main
  platform in lecture rooms and Help Centre.
• Other platforms will be considered in due course

5
Hardware (Help Centre)

• Large Monitor (21)
• LCD Monitor
• Monitors can also be used in lecture rooms
• Scanners

6
Standard Software

• Windows has some built in accessibility features
  which allow various settings to be changed e.g.
• Keyboard
• Sound
• Display
• Mouse

7
Standard Software

• Word - features such as the spell checker also
  useful
• Touch Typing (Accutype) software available in the
  Help Centre

8
Assistive Software (Help Centre)

• Magic - magnifies screen in Windows applications
• Jaws - reads Windows screen, Internet access
• Kurzweill 3000 - scans texts and reads back
• Text Help - helps construct words and sentences,
  real time spell checker and screen reader

9
Peripherals

• Alternative Mice and other pointing devices
• Alternative Keyboards

10
Furniture

• Height Adjustable Desks
• Available in all lecture rooms and Help Centre
• Adjustable Chairs
• Available in all lecture rooms and Help Centre

11
Ergonomic Accessories

• Wrist rests
• Foot rests
• Document holders

12
Induction Loop

• Lecture Room A
• Device that helps a hearing aid user to hear
  particular sounds more clearly. It does this by
  reducing or cutting out background noise
• Consists of an amplifier connected to a
  microphone and a length of wire formed into a
  loop.

13
Using the equipment

• For lecture rooms users are asked to let us know
  in advance by contacting
• enable_at_oucs.ox.ac.uk
• 73206
• Keyboards, mice, peripherals can be set up on
  demand
• Booking system for scanners, monitors and
  software in Help Centre

14
Accessible Materials

• Provide information and course notes in
  alternative formats e.g. large print, Braille,
  electronic versions
• Information providers need to think about
  document types and formats
• Need to be requested in advance

15
Braille Embosser

• Available to all University
• Currently free but may be charged for in future
• Requires an electronic file e.g. Word/RFT
• 1-2 week turnaround
• Specific requests rather than to keep as stock
  items (reader preferences, document validity.)

16
Special Educational Needs and Disability Act
(SENDA)

• 1 September 2002 the new legislation comes into
  effect, affecting an institution's core business
  such as teaching and research
• OUCS
• Website accessibility
• Working party for use of computers in
  examinations
• Provision of equipment at OUCS

17
SENDA

• 1 September 2003 reasonable adjustments
  involving the provision of auxiliary aids and
  services must be made (such as interpreters and
  induction loops).
• OUCS improvements/adjustments to current
  provision e.g all lecture rooms to have induction
  loops.

18
SENDA

• 1 September 2005  physical adjustments must be
  made (such as access to buildings)

19
Raising Awareness

• OUCS Leaflet
• Posters
• Web pages www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/enable/
• Disability Office and other University projects
• Talks/Training

20
The next 12-18 Months

• Make changes re SENDA
• Monitor usage
• Feedback/Suggestions
• Evaluate
• Consider what else should we provide? e.g. on
  other computer platforms