Equality and Diversity
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Equality and diversity is a phrase that can evoke strong reactions. Few would doubt that an acceptance of equality and diversity is a fundamental ethic of a civilised society but for many, the way it translates into institutional politics is often a cause for cynicism as much as celebration. Many organisations and individuals have positive attitudes towards their diverse users but struggle to effectively meet their learning needs. Furthermore, from a user perspective, getting support often depends on disclosing a disability in order to get help over barriers. Many such barriers need not exist in the first place.
JISC Techdis focuses on pragmatic strategies and practices that make a difference for all users, and offer particular benefits for people with disabilities.
“Having looked for ‘best practice’ in guidance on the topic, we found your work to be the most useful and straight forward in helping us update our own policy, in line with the changes brought about by the Equality Act 2010.”
Equality and Inclusion Officer, London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
The JISC Techdis approach is both holistic and realistic. Adding value for one kind of learner can subtract it from another but to bar resources that do not add value equally to all is to condemn everyone to a common denominator of boredom. JISC Techsis resources on reasonable adjustment consider both strategies and practice in a way that is less about providing laws to follow and more about giving landscapes to explore.
Most education organisations now have Equality and Diversity policies and Equality Schemes with Action Plans. Some of these have been created with input from teaching, technology and disability experts as well as students, but many have not. JISC Techdis provides guidance on the creation of Equality and Diversity policy in addition to providing realistic and achievable guidance on achieving the principles of equality and diversity on the ground.
