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Online Information on Employment and Training Opportunities for Disabled PeopleThe Newsletter |
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(Published Quarterly)
Table of Contents |
The project will develop an electronic network available through the Internet providing support and facilities for disabled people to access information on training and employment opportunities. The network will allow integrated access to sources of information and advice on:
The network will offer support to individuals or groups of disabled people to obtain information by creating access to a network of support persons and advice organisations. It will be possible to access the network from information centres, libraries, telecentres and community centres, training centres, schools and colleges, or from home.
The Internet has vast amounts of information contained within it but unless people know how to access this information just finding what you want can be a barrier. For instance you can search for information on Disability issues and end up with 92,000 possible items to look at. This happens because there are particular ways of searching for information when using the Internet.
The project will be providing training for Disability Information Workers and disabled individuals on how to access, use and find relevant information on the Internet. Through the training people will receive accredited courses on internet access etc., plus there is potential for other training to be undertaken that supports their areas of work or interest.
The training is expected to start in September, although it could begin in the summer depending on the organisations involved. The areas that will be covered include:
The training will be delivered in a flexible way rather than expecting people to travel to one central point. The exact details are being developed and depend upon the organisations involved and how we can best match places and areas where the training will take place.
If you are interested or want more information then please contact us at the address given at the end of this newsletter.
The initial area of training will lead to qualifications in the area of telematics.
This simply means that areas covered will include those mention in the article 'Using the Internet', on the left. Training will be aimed at people receiving a NVQ levels 1 and/or 2, or its equivalent.
The training can also include other qualifications, for example the NVQ in Advice and Guidance.
Through the above qualification Information Workers could increase their skills and receive formal recognition of their work experience.
As discussions continue with groups and individuals it may emerge that higher levels or other equivalent qualifications may be required to match their training needs.
If your organisation would like to take part in our training programme or you have any ideas please contact us at the address at the end of this newsletter.
The emergence of the World Wide Web has made it possible for individuals with computer and telecommunications equipment to interact as never before. For people with disabilities, the Web holds great promise of transforming past barriers to information access. But as with any new technology, new barriers can arise in place of the old.
The project has already started to look at the issue of accessibility to information for disabled people and aims to develop good guidelines and practice for information providers to follow.
This is being carried out in conjunction with disabled groups and individuals in an attempt to make information accessible to as many people as possible.
We are researching current information to develop an initial starting point for these guidelines, from groups such WebABLE! or the W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative WAI.
The approach being taken is to improve access now rather then waiting for technology to 'solve' the accessibility issue.
The guidelines that will be produced are not to be taken as the only way to produce accessible information but rather as a working design to be taken onboard when producing information, particularly with regards to the Internet.
Apart from providing information about the development of the project, the role of the Web Site is also to develop a guide that is accessible, user friendly and provides links to relevant information.
To fulfil this objective the project is liasing with disability groups, individuals and other projects to examine the ways in which this can be achieved, as well as using this process to identify useful information.
The Site will be developing its style and format over time, obviously taking into account accessibility and other issues.
This selection of useful sites on the Web is only to show possible areas of interest we have tried to include sites which give a good coverage of their subject and are up to date.
Guides and directories to help find disability resources on the Web:
DisabilityNet are a UK based resource and includes information from many
disability organisations.
The W3C (World Wide Web Consortium, who set standards for web development)
provide a list of current initiatives and research to make the web more accessible,
including the new draft guidelines.
WebABLE! provides a vast library of interesting material with a focus on
web accessibility and assistive and adaptive technology.
TOUCAN are founder members of GLADNET, the Global Applied Disability Research and Information Network association, established in 1997 as a non-profit, international membership organisation.
The ultimate objective is the promotion of disability policy and programme reform favouring integrated training and employment options for disabled people. It is an initiative of the Vocational Rehabilitation Branch of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
It works to achieve this objective through collaborative projects, and by the exchange of information via the Internet. The GLADNET Web Site provides a public forum where members can gather to share ideas and information on a global scale to arrive at joint approaches to common problems.
On-Line has links to two other projects in Spain and Italy. The reason for transnational co-operation is very simple - the sharing of innovative ideas and approaches across national boundaries promotes new activities and approaches, which may not be possible in the sphere of domestic work.
ILO, the International Labour Organisation,
is an United Nations specialised agency which seeks the promotion of social justice and
internationally recognised human and labour rights, founded in 1919. The
ILO formulates international labour standards in the form of Conventions
and Recommendations setting minimum standards of basic labour rights.
Their vocational training centre, based in Turin, Italy, is running the project 'CONTACT', which is to create self-employment for those with a sight disability by setting up co-operatives with the participation of these disabled people in the sector of communications and publishing.
CEPES, the Spanish Business Confederation
for Social Economy, is an independent, professional organisation at a national level, founded in
1992 and based in Madrid, Spain.
CEPES believes in democratic and participative management and that economic activity should be sustained through the association of people and the concept of privacy.
Their project 'CEPADITE' is aimed at creating new ways for disabled people to access employment including the use of information and communication technologies (ICT's). Also to develop an economically and socially acceptable strategy at a European level to enable the integration of disabled people within employment.
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Last updated: 6 August 1999
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