November 18th to December 18th marks Disability History Month and this year's theme is ‘Access: How far have we come? How far have we to go?'.
This annual event focuses on the history of the struggle for equality for disabled people. It is a great opportunity to raise awareness of the history of inequalities disabled people have faced and may still be facing.
The UKHDM programme provides an opportunity for everyone to come together, to increase understanding and show support for disability equality.
Accessibility
‘Access’ as a theme couldn’t be more fitting with the current pandemic. Businesses and individuals worldwide are adjusting to support those who have been affected by lockdowns and distancing rules.
Here at Remtek Systems our “face to face” setup and orientation has always been a huge part of the offering. We wanted to keep that personalised approach without compromising on quality.
So, we moved to a remote/virtual setup and booking approach that ensured the same one to one setup and customer service without placing any risk on our staff or students. A decision, that we haven’t regretted.
Our commitment is to ensure that every student receives support in a way that is comfortable and convenient to them. With the continuing changes that come with the current pandemic we all have to pull together to help those around us. It has never been more important to get behind accessibility!
What our students had to say
We were concerned that switching to virtual processes might make some students feel overwhelmed or anxious. However, the feedback has been the complete opposite. Students are delighted that they are still receiving a high-quality service during such a testing time, as one quote shows:
“Very informative session. From not knowing anything at all about the software before the session, I feel more at ease now with how to use it. It went at the right pace for me and I was able to ask questions throughout. Although it was online, it didn't feel like it was any less valuable than it would have been in person.”
Caitlin
Teaming up
In addition to our virtual processes, we have teamed up with 3 other ATSPs to work together on delivering VI services. This new partnership, called ‘Impact- Accessibility’ is all about collaborative working to better support blind and visually impaired students.
Keep an eye out for our updates on Impact- Accessibility.
UKHDM are developing and sharing a wide range of resources to:
- Understand the importance of the struggles of Disabled People for Access;
- Understand the Human Rights Principle of Access for Disabled People;
- Apply Universal Design to environmental, communication, educational, occupational, organisational issues to minimise barriers to Disabled People and maximise our participation.
Find out more here!
