Use the following links to navigate to the item you want.
1. JISC RSC Yorkshire and Humber
2. The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS)
3. Becta Guides
4. E-Books from Northwest RSC
5. NAVCA - The Get Skilled Workbook
6. ICT as a Skill for Life Community
7. DIUS - Publications Website
8. The Learning Revolution Online Community
Other E-Resources
1. JISC RSC Yorkshire and Humber
The JISC Regional Support Centre for Yorkshire and Humber works with a range of partners to support Local Authorities (Adult and Community Learning), FE, Sixth Form, HE, Specialist Colleges and Work Based Learning Providers across the region with e-learning.
RSC Yorkshire and Humber also have a social networking site for tutors and managers using e-Learning in conjunction with their learning provision. If you want to become a part of this network visit My RSC YH Space.
2. The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS)
LSIS has launched an online toolkit which provides practical guidelines for teachers and trainers to make learning materials even more accessible.
The tools were produced for LSIS by JISC TechDis, a leading educational advisory service in accessibility and inclusion. Available on the Excellence gateway, the accessibility Resources merge pedagogical and technical advice where previously this has been scattered over several different channels.
JISC TechDis has created a number of resources designed to enable staff to create effective, engaging and accessible learning materials for their learners. The JISC TechDis Service aims to be the leading educational advisory service, working across the UK, in the fields of accessibility and inclusion. Its mission is to support the education sector in achieving greater accessibility and inclusion by stimulating innovation and providing expert advice and guidance on disability and technology.
The JISC TechDis approach recognises that an accessible resource for one learner may be an inaccessible resource for another and, therefore, 'inaccessible' e-learning resources may be deployed, provided that disabled learners are still able to demonstrate the required learning outcomes in a way which does not disadvantage them or their non-disabled peers. It also recognises the importance of user-testing, as the best way to ensure that a resource achieves its objectives and is accessible as possible is to trial it with a number of students.
Making learning accessible is a responsibility for all.
The JISC TechDis resources have been grouped by the following eight categories, which you can access by clicking a category in the left-hand menu:
- Users who have difficulty seeing things
- Users who have difficulty hearing things
- Users who have difficulties understanding things
- Users who have difficulty concentrating
- Users who have difficulties handling and manipulating things
- Users who have difficulties communicating with others
- Users who have difficulty accessing text
- Users who are dyslexic
Techdis offer a variety of resources to enhance accessibility for users, particularly when using technology. You can see the full range of their services by visiting the TechDis web site Resources Section.
3. Becta Guides
The following resources, relating to advice in the use of ILT (Information Learning technology) as an accessibility tool, are offered courtesy of Becta who hold the copyright. Another comprehensive resource base for advice and information around the learning environment and accessibility can be found at the Inclusion web site. Although these resources are aimed primarily at school teachers the advice would often apply equally in the Adult and Community Education arena.
- Autistic Spectrum Disorders and ILT
- Dyslexia and ILT
- Learning Difficulties and ILT
- Physical Disability and ILT
- Visual Impairment and ILT
4. E-Books from Northwest RSC
ACL advisor for the NorthWest RSC, John Dalziel, has created a selection of e-books for practitioners and learners. They were used initially at E-Guides-Plus events and as the number of e-books grew the library was created. There are seven different categories, each containing a selection of e-books.
Each book contains a step-by-step guide that enables users to navigate easily through them. John has found that, 'Lots of adults really find the book format useful.'
Access the LIbrary by visiting http://www.rsc-northwest.ac.uk/acl/BookCase/library.htm
For more information please contact John Dalziel
5. NAVCA - The Get Skilled Workbook
This is a workbook about how to create a learning and development plan for a third sector organisation.
It is for people who are working with local groups; in particular, groups needing to develop a strategic and realistic approach to learning.
Download the pdf of the Get Skilled Workbook.
You can download the ten worksheets as word documents - and then adapt them for your own use with groups. Please can you credit NAVCA if you do this.
The Get Skilled Workbook is based on 'A Practical Guide to Planning Training and Development Strategies' originally written and published by Greater London Enterprise and Gowland Taylor Associates (now Mutual Advantage).
In general, permission will be given for any not-for-profit use of the material, but please credit NAVCA
6. ICT as a Skill for Life Community
Embedding ICT into Literacy and Numeracy
This site hosts a range of professional development courses for teachers and trainers involved in ICT and ITQ Skills for Life.
A Public Arena with more than 5000 postings and a range of resources. CD-ROMs available for download from this site provide ideas and activities for embedding ICT into Literacy and Numeracy. The materials have been created so that they can be repurposed and adapted.
7. DIUS - Publications Website
Audience: FE college principals/governors, training providers, school sixth forms, local authorities, voluntary providers and national partners/stakeholders (ie everyone in the FE system)
The new DIUS online publications website is now live and ready for use. The online database brings together publications that were previously stored by different logistic suppliers and presented on many different websites including BERR, DCSF, Teachernet, Skills for Life, Aimhigher and the DIUS corporate website. You can order hard copies, download PDF versions or search the database by keyword or unique reference number (URN). Please take a look at the site by going to the reports and publications page on the corporate website and following instructions from there.
We would welcome any feedback you may have on this new online publications database - please contact publications@dius.gsi.gov.uk
8. The Learning Revolution Online Community
This site is designed to gather views from interested people and to share progress to develop a culture of learning for all adults.
In this collaboration space, you'll find a broadcasting and technology forum, a discussion on what part each of us can play in the movement to bring informal adult learning to life, and an area where we can start to collect lists of freely available digital resources and information that will lead to the creation of the online content bank. And this is just the start!
As we progress, we will all find new and better ways to develop our thoughts, so we encourage a free exchange of ideas, information and events here. Please share your views, let us know what more we can do, and let's be at the vanguard of The Learning Revolution!
What is the Learning Revolution?
The Learning Revolution (www.dius.gov.uk/learningrevolution) sets out the government's plans for informal adult learning in England. This is learning for its own sake, for enjoyment and personal fulfilment. It might take the form of a dance class at a church hall, a book group at a local library, a cookery course in a community centre, a guided visit to a nature reserve, researching the National Gallery collection online, writing a Wikipedia entry or volunteering on a local history project. It is often a stepping stone for those with few skills or poor experiences of formal education.
Visit The Learning Revolution online community
