Last Modified: 10 May 2024
Technology Toolkit
This Toolkit includes guidance on how technology can make your organisation more inclusive. Created by our Technology Taskforce, a group of senior IT accessibility individuals from leading UK and global organisations.
All the resources in this Toolkit are free and open to all. Members and Partners enjoy exclusive access to the full range of Knowledge Hub resources plus additional membership benefits.
Technology can be a vital tool for disabled employees, customers, clients and service users – but only if it’s used in an inclusive way. Our Technology Toolkit, available free for everyone, is full of practical advice and tips on how technology can improve disability inclusion in your organisation.
If you need to create an inclusive technology strategy, not sure how best to integrate assistive tech, want to get your technology procurement right or to access the latest on accessibility standards, this Toolkit is for you.
Created and reviewed by our Technology Taskforce, (a group of senior IT accessibility individuals from leading UK and global organisations), this Toolkit will be useful to organisations of all sizes, sectors and industries, and is also a helpful reference for organisations conducting our Accessibility Maturity Model self-assessment.
Watch an introduction to the Technology Toolkit below.
Thank you
Business Disability Forum would like to thank the members of our Technology Taskforce for creating and reviewing the resources in this Toolkit and the Accessibility Maturity Model.
Toolkit resources
Section 1: Inclusive technology strategy
Why do businesses need an inclusive technology strategy?
Accessibility and inclusive technology can offer huge benefits to businesses – such as greater productivity, innovation, employee retention, and brand reputation.
How accessibility benefits your business
How does accessible innovation impact our teams and our business?
How to avoid barriers in technology
Disabled people often encounter barriers to their full participation in society, related to their disability. These can arise from every aspect of society – including the technology we use.Â
Accessibility Maturity Model
Download our self-assessment tool to check your organisation’s progress on digital accessibility. This page also has guidance on how to use the AMM.
Promoting digital accessibility across your organisation
This guide talks about promoting digital accessibility: what it means, whom it affects and why you should do it.
How to measure and report on accessibility
This resource addresses the challenge of turning accessibility from a cause championed by a few passionate enthusiasts into a mainstream concern within the organisation.
Obtaining management buy-in
This page sets out some shared experience in how to obtain it building on the experience of members of the Technology Taskforce.
Accessibility Champions and Sponsors
In order for an organisation to move their accessibility agenda forward, it’s important to have Accessibility Sponsors and Champions.
The Accessible Technology Charter
This guide will talk you through the process of signing up to the Charter, the commitment that you are making and how it will help you to embed accessibility into…
Raising digital accessibility awareness across an organisation
In this page, we offer our reasoning and high-level advice as to how to raise digital accessibility awareness.
Creating an IT accessibility policy
This resource provides guidance about what organisations need to consider when creating an IT policy on accessibility.
IT accessibility funding
This resource has been produced to help organisations consider the different types of activity that need to be funded, and to identify and manage their budgets.
Disability Smart webinar – Technology
This video explores the role of technology within our Disability Smart Framework, including how businesses can use technology to improve disability inclusion.
Section 2: Assistive technology
What is assistive technology?
Our Technology Toolkit talks a lot about assistive technology (AT) – but what do we mean?
Interview – How does assistive technology make your workplace more inclusive?
Watch our series of videos to find out what success can look like when assistive technology is available in your workplace.
How assistive technology can make everyone more productive
In this resource, we’ll show you how integrating AT into your workplace can improve productivity for everyone, not just those with disabilities.
Assistive technology catalogues
Many people with disabilities or impairments benefit from the use of assistive technology (AT) in the workplace.
Supporting staff with assistive technology
Assistive Technology can refer to any kind of device, software or system that helps people with disabilities perform tasks with greater confidence, accuracy and independence.
Assistive technology and IT security
Many people with disabilities or impairments benefit from the use of assistive technology in the workplace. However, the use of such technologies can introduce additional information risks that need to…
Section 3: Everyday technology
Everyday technology and disability
In this resource, we explain the ways in which organisations can use everyday technology to support disabled people.
Making Microsoft Word documents accessible
This guide is for people who are producing Word documents for internal circulation, to upload to the Internet, or to load into Adobe presentations.
Creating accessible PDFs
This guide is for people who are producing PDFs documents for internal circulation, to upload to the Internet, or to load into Adobe presentations.
Making Excel spreadsheets accessible
This guide is for people who are producing Excel 2010 (or later) documents for internal circulation, to upload to the Internet, or to load into Adobe presentations.
Making PowerPoint presentations accessible
This guide is for people who are producing PowerPoint documents for internal circulation, to upload to the Internet, or to load into Adobe presentations.
A user’s guide to accessible video conferencing apps
How accessible or usable any app is depends on the person using it, their disability, and the requirements of their work and employer.
Accessible communication: Why video captions matter
This video explains who can benefit from video captions and how captions can improve anyone’s experience of watching video content.
Artificial intelligence and new technologies
This resource explores some of the ways in which businesses should engage with new and emerging technologies in order to obtain the benefits of innovation without sacrificing disability inclusion.
Section 4: Adjustments for employees and customers
Technology and adjustments
This resource outlines current practices around adjustments and technology.
Barclays – Diverse Personas
In 2015, Barclays consulted with accessibility experts and disabled people to create a range of personas, representing people with different disabilities.
Staff consultation methods
Employers need to understand the demographics and experiences of their workforce to enable them to perform at their best.
Customer consultation methods
How to gather and interpret feedback from your customers.
Legal case – Cherrington v Home Office
This legal case is about a disabled woman who had dyslexia and sight loss who was unable to start a job she was offered because of computer software compatibility problems.
Section 5: Technology procurement
Why does inclusive technology procurement matter
Procurement is an area of huge importance for disability inclusion – but it is often overlooked because it is outside the business areas of disability inclusion professionals.Â
Inclusive technology procurement – Where to start
This user guide helps you develop a procurement policy to ensure you buy only accessible products.
Request for Proposal
A Request for Proposal (RFP) document outlines preliminary requirements for commodities or services.
Accessibility testing
Accessibility testing is a critical part of your organisation’s roll-out of new software, along with upgrades and updates to existing software.
Section 6: Accessibility standards and training
Introduction to accessibility standards and training
This resource outlines the role of accessibility standards and training, and where to look for more information.Â
Overview of IT accessibility standards
This resource outlines the major IT accessibility standards so that you can decide which are relevant to your organisation’s needs.
Accessibility training for IT professionals
It is best practice to make sure that everyone is aware of accessibility requirements, whatever their job role.
Barclays – Inclusive design principles
Barclays has created seven principles of inclusive design. Download their PDF guidance.
Accessibility training: A guide to available resources
Accessibility is about making information, products, and systems usable for disabled people and everyone.
Ensuring accessible e-learning
This document outlines the baseline standard required for all e-learning, to meet minimum accessibility requirements.
If you require this content in a different format, contact enquiries@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk.
© This resource and the information contained therein are subject to copyright and remain the property of the Business Disability Forum. They are for reference only and must not be copied or distributed without prior permission.
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