GovWire

Why this standard is important

Schools and colleges should provide equity of access for as many people as possible.

When digital accessibility is included in policies and strategies, this can help you:

• remove barriers to teaching and learning
• make better buying decisions on technology
• meet legal requirements on equality and access

Who needs to be involved?

When reviewing your policies and strategies, the senior leadership team (SLT) and digital lead should work with relevant groups such as:

• Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) leads
• curriculum leads
• admin staff
• governors
• IT support
• wider school and college community

How to meet this standard

Include accessible digital technology in your wider policies and strategies.

These could be your:

• digital technology strategy
• curriculum policy
• SEND policy

Work with students, staff and parents to identify their digital accessibility needs.

SLT should identify which strategies and policies you need to review and how youll include digital accessibility in them.

When you next review those strategies and policies, include:

• the accessibility needs of the school or college community
• how you intend to meet these needs - this could include using accessibility features on existing systems or implementing new tools and services
• how youll make all communications and content, including your school or college website, accessible.

Make sure everyone knows how to use accessibility features to meet their needs and those of others. You should refer to: Hardware and software should support the use of accessibility features

When to meet this standard?

Digital accessibility should be actively addressed and included in your next policy and strategy review.

Related standards

Consider these standards when reviewing your digital technology.

Digital leadership and governance

Keep registers relating to hardware and systems up to date

Schools and colleges should have a 2-year digital technology strategy in place

Laptops, desktops and tablets

Devices should meet educational needs and support the digital technology strategy

Why this standard is important

1 in 5 people have a disability in the UK, butaccessibilityapplies to all. Students, staff, parents and carers needs will vary depending on their situation.

Digital accessibility features are often included in existing devices and operating systems. These features should include:

• text-to-speech and dictation
• caption settings
• zoom and adjustment settings
• translation and language tools

Hardware and software used by students and staff should have these features available and support provided for those who use them.

These features will remove barriers to accessing teaching, learning and school or college operations.

Who needs to be involved?

The senior leadership team (SLT) should work with those responsible for:

• IT support and your digital strategy? as key decision makers they should include digital accessibility in their technology strategy, procurement and support?
• special educational needs and disabilities ? to make sure any assistive technologies used are compatible with chosen hardware and software
• procurement (including digital licensing) to make sure that any hardware and software bought has digital accessibility as part of their design or features
• curriculum planning and delivery - to make sure all students can access the curriculum with the help of digital accessibility tools, when needed
• supporting student welfare - to make sure students needs are understood and used for procurement and training

How to meet this standard?

SLT should make sure new and existing hardware, software and digital services:

• are accessible or have accessibility features included
• can provide equity of access
• are set up to work with assistive technology and audio-visual equipment
• remain safe and secure when accessibility features are enabled accessibility features should not be blocked by generic security policies
• consider accessibility needs when using IT in exams

You should provide training for staff when required to do so.

Talk to your digital and content service suppliers if you have specific accessibility requirements. Ask them about their products and services accessibility statements.

When to meet this standard?

If your current hardware and software do not have these features, you will need to make sure they are included when you buy new equipment or services. ?

Related standards

Consider these standards when reviewing how your hardware and software can support accessibility features.

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