Abstract

SESSION1: Accessible Education Resources in the UK

Richard Orme

Head of Accessibility, RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People)

“In March 2007 250 blind, partially sighted and dyslexic children, their families and teachers travelled to Westminster to the lobby of Parliament, protesting the lack of textbooks in accessible formats. Two years on, the situation in schools is largely unchanged. In this session, Richard Orme will describe the current arrangements for supporting learners in the UK, and RNIB's efforts to bring about a better system. He will provide details of a major new pilot service that is being funded by the Department of Education, and underline the importance of clear standards for all digital learning resources. He will describe the importance of building a shared understanding with publishers; the importance of strong collaboration between blindness and dyslexia organisations; and emphasise the essential role of parents, teachers and policy makers.”