Accessibility and Inclusion
Using the Technology to Assess and Support Learning

About the Conference and Exhibition

Technology in the classroom and the training room is now a reality. But just how accessible and inclusive is that technology and in the critical area of assessment of skills and knowledge of learners is it meeting their needs? Are what are the barriers to its take-up?

Government, educational organisations and Awarding Bodies are all striving for greater use of ICT systems for learning, assessment and increasingly qualifications.

Many organisations are facing the challenge of ensuring that education, assessment and training is accessible to as wide a range of learners as possible

The issues faced in widening participation, whether from language, culture and migration issues,  or from disability and disadvantage, or from obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act, are widely seen as difficult to address. Designing appropriate tools for assessing skills and knowledge, using the technology to the benefit of all learners and organisations, and hence providing a successful learning programme is critical to broadening access.

The process of accessing the knowledge and skills of this cohort, and designing learning or training appropriate to their needs is a daunting challenge. Day Two of the 2009  eAssessment Question conference will focus on the issues surrounding assessment and learning in these circumstances and how the technology can address the challenges and opportunities of these developments.

Technology provides opportunities and challenges for addressing the needs of all learners. However no two learners are the same and the issues effecting disabled users may make those opportunities and challenges all the greater. Addressing the issues is a complex matter and what is appropriate for one learner may not be applicable for another.

Whether the issues are around learning or communication skills, physical or social, language or mobility, two learners with identical medical conditions can have very different abilities and needs. They may well need support in different ways and at different times in the learning process. Technology may provide partial or full answers, it may also in its own way be a hurdle to progress.

We hope you will be able to join us at what should be a fascinating and rewarding day.

Speakers include

Simon Ball,  JISC TechDis
Gavin Busuttil-Reynaud, Alphaplus Consultancy
David Colvin, Ace Centre
Gavin Cooney, learnosity
Professor Stephen Gomez, University of Plymouth
Ann Jakins, SENCo and Nick Falk ICT Co-ordinator, Sackville School, East Grinstead
Andrew Pember, Director, City and Guilds and Geraldine Kenney-Wallace, Independent Consultant
Professor Richard Noss, Institute of Education
Che Osborne, BTL Group

NEWS: We are delighted to announce that Tom Burkard, Director of the Promethean Trust and author of Centre for Policy Studies Report 'Ticking the Right Boxes' (www.cps.org.uk) Jan. 2009 has kindly agreed to present his finding at the conference, a copy of the Report will be made available to delegates in their digitial delegates pack.

7th e-Assessment Question

The first six annual e-Assessment-Question events were extremely successful international conferences and exhibitions. We are proud that they achieved their goal of offering practical guidance and advice about e-Assessment and computer based testing and assessment systems and have played a significant role in:

• Raising awareness
• Bringing major players together for an exchange of ideas and to review lessons learnt and opportunities taken.
• Providing a forum

Click here to learn more about the e-Assessment Question on both the 18th and 19th March 2009