Using roundtables to impact on staff development : a case study to improve staff awareness of accessibility legislation

Abstract

Recent legislation in the United Kingdom, including the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Act 2001 (SENDA), as well as the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Code of Practice concerning disabled students [1], has significantly impacted on the learning and teaching environment in post-16 education. One of the key barriers for institutions is the lack of staff awareness with regard to accessibility, which is compounded by a resource-scarce environment: lack of time and money. This chapter describes the development and planned deployment of a module in a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) at Queen Margaret University College (QMUC), Edinburgh.