Scottish
Disability
Team
Useful Web Links
In addition to our own resources, here are some relevant Web sites we've found to be particularly useful.
While we do our best to check that all these resources are still available, it is possible that some may have been moved or withdrawn - so if you happen to follow a link and find the destination page no longer exists, please do contact us with details of the problem.
AbilityNet 
- AbilityNet provides a free information and advice service on all aspects of computers and technology for disabled people.
Accessify.com - A UK-based web site on designing accessible web sites. It includes articles, news and links on accessible web design, and also provides a useful suite of tools to help designers create accessible web content. There's also a well-used discussion forum.
Asperger's Syndrome and Autism - A site aimed at University students with Asperger's Syndrome and Autism
British Association of Health Services in Higher Education - The Association runs the Student Disability Assistance Fund (formerly British Student Educational Assistance Fund) to help students with disabilities to keep up with their studies. The maximum amount of each award is £500 and students must be involved in higher education on a full-time or nearly full-time basis.
British Dyslexia Association - A National organisation which aims to raise the awareness of the evidence and effects of dyslexia and to develop services that meet the needs of dyslexic people.
Deaf Connections - A Glasgow-based charity which provides a range of services for Deaf and hard of hearing people and their families. It also aims to increase the overall awareness of issues facing Deaf people.
DEMOS Project - The DEMOS project developed a modular online learning package aimed specifically at raising awareness amongst academic staff by examined the issues faced by disabled students in higher education.
Disability Rights Commission (DRC) - The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) was an independent public body focusing on advancing the rights of disabled people in the UK until it was replaced by the EHRC in 2007.
Disability.gov.uk - Disability.gov.uk is the UK Government's web resource for disabled people. Provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), these pages provide information on disability related legislation and the rights of disabled people.
Dyslexia Action - A national, educational charity which assesses and teaches people with dyslexia and trains specialist teachers.
Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) - The Equality and Human Rights Commission champions equality and human rights for all, working to eliminate discrimination, reduce inequality, protect human rights and to build good relations, ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to participate in society.
Equality Forward - In May 2004 Reeves Associates were appointed by the Scottish Further Education Funding Council and the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (from 2005 the Scottish Funding Council) to explore the options for an equalities unit, which would meet the needs of both sectors. Reeves recommended the creation of a single unit covering all six equality strands in both sectors for staff and students, located alongside the Scottish Further Education Unit in Stirling. An implementation group was established and met regularly throughout 2005 and up to March 2006 when the advisory board was formed. A director for the unit was appointed in December 2005. The Unit was planned to open on April 1, 2006 as the Scottish Equalities Unit, later renamed Equality Forward.
Higher Education Accessibility Guide - HEAG - A guide to accessibility services in Higher Education Institutions across Europe
Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) - HEFCE's web site provides information on many useful publications, including Guidelines for Accessible Courseware.
Mental Health Voluntary Organisation (MIND) - MIND is the leading mental health voluntary organisation in England and Wales, who work to create a better life for people with experience of mental distress.
National Centre for Tactile Diagrams - Based in the UK, providing tactile diagrams, maps and pictures for blind and partially sighted people of all ages and all walks of life.
Resources for Visually Impaired Users of the Electronic Library (REVIEL) Project - The Centre for Research in Library and Information Management (CERLIM) at Manchester Metropolitan University carried out the REVIEL project. The REVIEL web site includes project reports and findings as well as links to other resources relating to access to digital resources by blind and visually impaired people.
RNID - The RNID aim to make daily life better for deaf and hard of hearing people. Their campaigns, information, services and support of scientific and technological research are some of the ways they're trying to help. They also support other organisations in their aim to provide better services to their deaf and hard of hearing employees and customers.
Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) - The RNIB web site - includes information about blindness and many different visual impairments as well as information about designing accessible environments and information about assistive technologies.
Scottish Funding Council - The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) distributes about £1.5 billion in funding each year for teaching and learning, research and other activities in Scotland's colleges and universities. Established in 2005, the Council provides a strategic overview of tertiary education in Scotland to help secure a more coherent system of high-quality learning, teaching and research.
Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities - Skill is a national charity promoting opportunities for young people and adults with any kind of disability in post-16 education, training and employment across the UK. Skill provides a free information and advice service for individual disabled people and the professionals who work with them, via a freephone helpline, email and the website. This information and advice helps disabled people to overcome financial and physical barriers, ignorance and discrimination so that they can study, train or find work
Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) - DSA website - Information on Disabled Student Allowances for Scottish Students
Teaching Maths to people with visual impairments - Web resource hosted by the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
TechDis - TechDis provides advice on disability and information technology for the Higher and Further Education sectors in the UK. With a strong focus on e-learning, the web site includes articles and guidelines on a variety of relevant topics, and also includes databases providing details about assistive technology and contact details of experts in the field.
TechDis - Access all Areas - Access all areas: disability, technology and learning. This contains excellent guidance on accessible e-learning.
TechDis Technology Database - The TechDis Technology Database provides searchable information on assistive software and hardware.
The Wave - Accessibility Checking Tool - A useful on-line tool that can check web sites for the presence of several key accessibility barriers. Provided by WebAIM.
W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines - A comprehensive set of design guidelines, produced by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The primary reference for designing accessible web sites.
Web Accessibility and the DDA - One of the earliest works on the implications of the DDA on accessibilty of web based facilities and services, this paper appeared in the Journal of Information Law and Technology (JILT) in 2001.
Web Accessibility in Mind (WebAIM) - A Utah, USA-based project providing a web site with advice, training materials, tools and other resources on accesible web design