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Inclusive Technology... News... Press Release

Press Release

9th October 2002

Inclusive Technology to help support disabled visitors at UK online centres

Inclusive Technology has won the largest ever order for assistive technology - to ensure that UK online centres can offer an inclusive welcome to disabled visitors.

The Department for Education and Skills has awarded £1.4m to provide assistive technology for over 700 of the centres in England. The project aims to make the Internet accessible to everyone and is managed by Becta, the Government's lead agency for information and communication technology (ICT) in education.

Trish Hornsey, Managing Director of Inclusive Technology, said:
"We are delighted to be able to help the UK online centre initiative, by offering the best access technology we know of and coordinating this with focused training."

What does a UK online centre offer?

UK online centres are aimed at people with low information and communications technology skills and those who cannot afford Internet access at home. They are part of a Government objective to provide a network of 6,000 centres in England, to give all citizens the opportunity to access the Internet. This access is an important prerequisite to all government services being online by 2005. They could be in an Internet café, in a public library, a college, a community centre, a mobile centre, or anywhere available to the public.

As well as providing access to the Internet and email, the centres have a role to ensure that individual needs are catered for, to offer guidance and support and to explore opportunities for further learning through ICT.

Becta is delivering the project. It supports the UK Government and national organisations in the use and development of ICT in education to raise standards, widen access, improve skills and encourage effective management.

What access technology will be available?

Inclusive Technology has selected the most appropriate products so that visitors with physical or sensory difficulties will have the fullest use of the equipment possible - particularly devices that will enhance access to the Internet. The support packs will include:

Specialist keyboards including Big Keys; a Cherry Compact Keyboard for people with limited movement; an Internet Keyboard to give mouse-free access to email and the web.
Accompanying keyguards to prevent unwanted key presses and provide a hand rest between movements.
IntelliKeys - an overlay keyboard to provide alternative physical, visual and cognitive access to the computer.
A range of rollerballs and switches, such as the Adjustable Pressure Switch from Penny and Giles, to provide an alternative to mouse access.
Software including Clicker, Penfriend XP and Supernova to magnify text or to provide speech output, for the visually impaired.
A Vari-X Adjustable Trolley to give comfortable access for all users, including those in wheelchairs or using a standing frame.

Inclusive Technology will also be helping centre staff to understand the special needs of their clients and how their new technology can help.

With training about disability awareness and how to use the devices, the centres will be able to optimise their use of the resources available. They will also be able to develop an understanding of the importance of the correct seating and positioning of equipment for people with physical difficulties. Inclusive Technology will also be providing telephone support for two years following the delivery of the system.

The assistive technology support packs will be distributed to 711 of the centres, beginning in November 2002.

For more information about Becta see: www.becta.org.uk
To learn more about assistive technology see: www.inclusive.co.uk