Thanks to everyone who joined our AbilityNet webinar on How to spot a scam and avoid it. 

Unfortunately, we couldn't answer all the Q&A during the session and so here is a brief Q&A based on the questions that came through. 

1. How do you define a victim?

The panellists discussed this question, and you can watch a recording of the webinar. It's a good question. Often, we don't know we have had personal information stolen, or have clicked on a link we should have avoided. As Katie Lips' from Which? Said, the best advice is to "trust your gut". If you're worried you make, have clicked on a fake banking email then find an official communication from them such as a printed bank statement and give them a call.

Also, to echo the advice from Sarah Sinden of Take Five, your bank would rather hear from you, so give them a call as soon as you have a cause for concern. 

2. Reporting a scam is not made easy by the various organisations- I found lots of time that the various websites tend to pass you on to someone else if it not their "type" of scam.

You're right; it's a tricky area to navigate. If you think your financial information has been compromised then call your provider straight away. 

Other useful contacts referenced in the webinar include:

AbilityNet:  Call us on 0800 048 7642 during UK office hours, Monday – Friday or contact us by email: mailto:enquiries@abilitynet.org.uk

Scams factsheet: abilitynet.org.uk/factsheets/internet-scams-and-how-avoid-them

We continue to recruit volunteers to use their IT skills to help people in their homes. www.abilitynet.org.uk/at-home/join-our-volunteers 

Adapt your tech with My Computer My Way: https://mcmw.abilitynet.org.uk/

Action Fraud: You can report and get advice about fraud or cybercrime by calling 0300 123 2040

Age UK Useful resources:

• Age UK: UK Digital Inclusion resources
• Age UK: Tips on staying safe online
• Age UK: Avoiding scams guide

Friends Against Scams: is the National Trading Standards awareness campaign. Become a friend by completing the awareness session online or watching the eight-minute scams video. 

GetSafeOnline: is an authoritative resource for individuals and small businesses to help them stay safe, secure and confident online. The not-for-profit organisation has close ties with many police forces and MoD organisations. 

Take Five: Take Five offers straight-forward and impartial advice throughout the UK to help everyone protect themselves from preventable financial fraud. takefive@ukfinance.org.uk.

Which?: Which? Offers free advice and support to protect you from scams and get your money back if you’ve fallen victim. We have articles on all sorts of scams, how to spot them and what to do if you suspect a scam. We also offer a free weekly Scam Alert Service via email where scam alerts are delivered directly to your inbox.

3. I often hear this advice to check the English/grammar on emails. That’s really difficult for ESOL learners, any tips to help them?

What a great question. You could paste the text into a document such as Microsoft Word with a built-in spell check and see if there are lots of spelling and grammar errors. An easier spot might be that scammers will often use capital letters, and exclamation marks to create the sense of urgency we discussed in the webinar. If alarm bells are ringing, don't respond straight away.

Is there someone who can look it over for you? Is this someone who you'd normally expect communication from? If so, find an official number and call them. And, if it's an offer that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 

4. The scammers are now using geographical 01 numbers and mobile style numbers as well.

You're right. Scammers are incredibly sophisticated in their techniques. With a call, ask if you were expecting someone to call you? Do you have a relationship with them? You can always hang up and call back on a number you have. If they're the real company, they won't mind. If it's an unsolicited call and they are pressurising you to do something you're not sure about then politely hang up. 

5. Does “Which” publish a newsletter?

As above, Which? has a scams alert newsletter you can sign up for. 

6. I have worries about allowing remote access

This is completely understandable. The risk, however, lies not with the software but with the scammers who abuse this (as they do other available technology) as a way of exploiting vulnerable people. We do not stop using email because we may get a rogue one. AblityNet ahs had great success supporting people remotely using TeamViewer, for example.

As with the other tips, it's about whether the organisation is known to you and if you were expecting a call; if you weren't, alarm bells should ring. 

Should someone call claiming to be an AbilityNet volunteer and you have any concerns then call our Helpline using the number on our website, and listed above. 

None of our volunteers will remotely access your computer without your permission, and if you're not comfortable receiving support this way, we'll try and resolve the issue without it.

7. I've seen a lot of budget phones sold on amazon/EBay/wish running the likes of android OS; they have excellent specs for such a low cost. These phones have been delivered and in the purchases hand. Would you consider these phones to be a security risk as the software can be built into the OS and not be removed? And have you seen any issues like this?

I'd separate this question onto a few parts. In terms of buying second hand, it's a big market, and there are many legitimate sellers. On Ebay you can check feedback and sellers' ratings. By law, you have more rights buying from a company (many specialise in refurbishing technology) than you do in buying from a private seller and so you may wish to buy from a company trading on Ebay. 

As mentioned in the webinar, don't be lured into paying by a means not recognised within the platform.

It's less prevalent now, but there was a time when lots of scammers lurked on Ebay and tried to get you to pay via Western Union and used this as a means to scam individuals. I'm not aware of phones being sold with spying or erroneous software on them, but they may be vulnerable if the previous owner was hacked. 

Refurbished phones will probably be reset to factory settings, and if they aren't, we'd recommend you do this, yourself.

8. My computer skills are not good; perhaps that is why I over worry, and in my city, there is no provision for pensioners to get tuition.

AbilityNet volunteers offer FREE support to older and disabled people. Call our Helpline on  0800 048 7642 during UK office hours, Monday – Friday or contact us by email: mailto:enquiries@abilitynet.org.uk. 

A tip from the Q&A

The Metropolitan Police have published an e-booklet which contains lots of good advice about specific threats and how to prevent them. 

 

Join our upcoming webinar aimed at higher education and public sector professionals - Winning hearts and minds for accessibility, taking place on Tuesday 1 December 2020, 1pm GMT. 

Digital accessibility improvements don’t make themselves, so before you can be confident of establishing lasting accessibility practices at your organisation, you probably need to do some work on engaging staff with accessibility improvements.
 
In this webinar, learn about the experiences of Katey Hugi, Digital Accessibility Coordinator. She has been working with the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, and Cambridge Judge Business School to engage staff with digital accessibility improvements, with great success.

Katey will explain her approach to rolling out accessibility training programmes, techniques for encouraging accessibility best practices, and how she drives enthusiasm for ongoing digital inclusion improvements across the university. She'll even share her 'Confessions of a digital accessibility coordinator', including defining what her H.I.T list is, and what on earth the 'Broccoli effect' is...

We will also provide an update on the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations (PSBAR) and how the government is monitoring compliance so far, and also find out some top tips to remember for video accessibility.

Register now >>

The webinar is part of AbilityNet Live.

Webinar recording, slides and transcript

This webinar is for anyone working in the public sector, particularly those in a higher or further education setting, and those working on creating online content.

The webinar will last one hour and include a question and answer session. 

All our webinars are recorded and this session's recording will be provided after the live broadcast.

For additional information read answers to frequently asked questions about AbilityNet webinars.

Further resources

• Find out more about AbilityNet's live webinar events.
• Unsure where to start with digital accessibility? Speak to our experts for help.
• Training course: How to produce accessible videos - Thursday 3 December

AbilityNet provides a range of free services to help disabled people and older people. If you can afford it, please donate to help us support older and disabled people through technology

AbilityNet Volunteer David Brew is celebrating his silver jubilee as an AbilityNet volunteer.

David, who is a county coordinator in Belfast Ireland, began volunteering for us in 1995 when he was working as a Consultant for the Department of Trade and Industry.

He is one of over 300 DBS-checked volunteers who support disabled and older people at home, and remotely, to make the most of their technology. 

The recent coronavirus has shown David the power of technology in a time of physical distancing. 

Volunteering provides a glow of satisfaction.

“I assist those who require help in every aspect of technology, from setting up an internet connection, to how to use Zoom calls. At the moment, this is very important for many in the current climate of Covid-19 as social isolation is high,” said David.

Asked what the best thing is about volunteering is, David told us:

"It has to be the glow of satisfaction you get from someone’s gratitude when you help them. I was always fascinated by big data, a safe internet, assistive technology and web accessibility, so for me, AbilityNet was the perfect fit.”

He continued: “ If anyone is thinking of volunteering, I would highly recommend it as I can’t express enough the feelings that you get when you make a huge difference to someone’s life, and you can really see that, you know, for me, it might not seem like much, but to them it’s everything.”

David has a great passion for helping others, and his dedication has been evident over the years at AbilityNet. We wish him every success as he continues to help our clients.

Sarah Brain, AbilityNet Free Services Manager said:

"What an amazing commitment to a volunteering role, managing his local team of volunteers to support so many clients across Northern Ireland to use and adapt their technology.

AbilityNet Northern Ireland has always been in such capable and knowledgeable hands with David, I can't thank him enough for his support."

Helping vulnerable people at a time of crisis

All our volunteers have provided vital support during these difficult times. Find out how we have:

• Provided remote support during Covid-19 using TeamViewer
• Gone the extra mile to support people during Covid-19
• Supported communities during coronavirus
• Offered support with a tablet rollout in Scotland

How AbilityNet can help

• Do you know someone who needs help with tech? Refer a friend for help from one of our 300+ volunteers.
• Call our FREE helpline on 0800 048 7642.
• AbilityNet Live! During the lockdown, we ran a series of webinars to help you Keep in touch with family and friends, Find local support groups online and take care of your mental health. 
• You can download FREE factsheets for advice on how to adapt your technology.
• For a database of tips on adapting your tech, visit My Computer My Way.
• Watch recordings of our FREE webinars at www.abilitynet.org.uk/live, and sign up for future events.

This week sees the 25th anniversary of the UK Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and yet, even after all this time, inaccessible websites that lock out disabled people are the norm. We need change, and I’m throwing down a challenge to the UK government to finally begin to take punitive action against organisations that overlook the needs of disabled users when designing digital products and services.

The Disability Discrimination Act introduced the requirement for organisations to make their websites accessible for disabled users, and now the principal – along with much of the other key elements of non-discrimination included in the DDA - is incorporated into the subsequent Equality Act 2010.

Under the Act, organisations are obligated to make “reasonable adjustments” to the way their websites and online services work to accommodate the needs of people with visual or hearing impairments, manual dexterity issues or learning difficulties.

It’s not expensive to build-in accessibility, so every website and app should be broadly compliant – and yet the vast majority are not. Thus, millions of people with disabilities across the UK are experiencing additional challenges during Covid, when many essential services are going digital.

It’s been a legal requirement (and simply the right thing to do from a moral standpoint) all these years and yet the situation is still dire for so many relying on the internet to do their banking, order food and work from home. Whilst it seems that the Government sees it as their job to enforce every other element of civil and criminal law, this long-standing legal requirement for website and software accessibility has never been proactively enforced by that same government that created it.

Charitable organisations – such as the Royal National Institute for the Blind – have led numerous group actions against organisations (including high-profile companies) for falling short of their legal obligation. 

The settlement is kept quiet, often requiring non-disclosure as part of the pay-out. It should not be left up to individuals or charities to pursue non-compliant organisations. Considering that accessible websites and apps are actually easier to use by all, it should be of the highest priority during this unprecedented period when everything is being driven online.

There is a precedent for proactive enforcement. One of the last pieces of EU legislation that made its way into UK law related to accessibility – but only covering the public sector. The UK law crucially comes with an explicit warning that all public sector organisations would be monitored, warned and fined for non-compliance. That’s the important aspect that’s unique to this legislation. It also gave specific deadlines.

As a result, in the last two years the needle has finally and significantly shifted towards inclusion across a vast number of public sector websites. This impact will be felt by millions who need to interface with government departments, local authorities, universities and many other key digital services on a daily basis.

That’s all it took. The threat of proactive action with specifics on how it will happen. A similar approach should now be adopted across other sectors as a matter of urgency.

I'm calling for swift and decisive government action to encourage similar compliance across all companies’ digital services, to help everyone participate equally online.

The HMRC ensures that we pay our taxes and the police help keep us safe on our streets. Why is there no will to enforce the eminently enforceable and make the internet an equal place for disabled users? I challenge the government to finally take action and would welcome an initial statement of intent outlining their plans to start enforcement. It is so long overdue.

I look forward to the time when the accessibility of a website is as inevitable as a parking ticket.

Further resources

• Factsheet: How to complain about inaccessible websites
• Blog: How well do transport companies, supermarkets, and public sectors deliver accessibility support?
• Webinar playback: How the government will monitor public sector digital accessibility compliance
• Keep up to date with accessibility news on the AbilityNet newsletter 
• Find out more about AbilityNet's live webinars
• Unsure where to start with digital accessibility? Speak to our experts for help.
• Training course: How to produce accessible videos - Thursday 3 December

AbilityNet provides a range of free services to help disabled people and older people. If you can afford it, please donate to help us support older and disabled people through technology

As the UK enters its second national lockdown due to Covid-19, technology can again play a critical role in keeping you in touch with friends and family – and to access essential services. 

AbilityNet supports older people and disabled people of any age at home, at work and in education by helping them to make the best use of their technology. 

To get support from one of our 300+ volunteers, you can call our helpline on 0300 180 0028 or simply fill in the online form. 

Please note: calls to our helpline number cost no more than a national rate call to an 01 or 02 number and count towards any inclusive minutes in the same way as 01 and 02 calls, and AbilityNet does not receive any money from these calls

Our volunteers have risen to the challenges presented during these difficult times. For example:

• we travelled miles to help one woman get her laptop back up-and-running,
• we’re also offering remote support using TeamViewer and
• helped a church congregation meet virtually. 
• In Scotland, we’ve helped with the roll-out of connected devices in the community. 

Keeping you connected during Covid-19

During the first lockdown, we ran a number of webinars, which we recorded and may help you if you are looking for support for yourself or a loved one. Head to AbilityNet Live to view the recordings.

Specific sessions that may help include:
•    How tech can help you stay connected
•    How to find local support groups online
•    How to run accessible online meetings
•    How to make the most of your smart speaker if working or studying from home
•    How to stay safe online

One of the hardest things in lockdown is being apart from loved ones. WhatsApp can help you set up a family WhatsApp group for keeping in touch.

We’ve also offered tips for reducing feelings of social isolation. 

You may be at home with younger people or have a young family member at University. It can be tough for them, too. 

Find out some tips for how to help young people cope with the uncertainty of the pandemic.  

Support from a volunteer is FREE, and they are ready and willing to help during these difficult times.

How AbilityNet can Help

Do you know someone who needs help with tech? Refer a friend for help from one of our 300+ volunteers

• Call our helpline on 0300 180 0028
• You can download FREE factsheets for advice on how to adapt your technology
• For a database of tips on adapting your tech, visit My Computer My Way

Choosing which TV to choose can be bewildering and, when you get it home, its functions can be even more so. Factor in a disability and the need for a really accessible, inclusive experience and it becomes clear that there’s a real need for a really simple solution – even if it’s just for watching the everyday live television programmes that you love.

One channel number – that’s all you need to know

Freeview today announces the first roll out of its award-winning Accessible TV Guide, available at Channel 555 on supported Freeview Play devices.

Freeview’s Accessible TV Guide will make it simpler for viewers with accessibility needs, such as visual impairments or hearing loss, to discover and find content more easily. 

Developed with insight from viewers, advocacy groups, and accessibility research agencies, including AbilityNet (me, actually), the RNIB, Scope and the Digital Accessibility Centre, the Accessible TV Guide won Gold at this year’s Connected TV Awards for ‘Advancing the User Experience’. 

The first dedicated accessibility solution to launch on a UK TV platform, the guide is easy to find via Channel 555 on supported Freeview Play TVs and offers viewers a seamless experience which is uniform across devices and works straight out of the box. 

Let’s see it in action

Here’s a short (3min) video of how it works:

The user journey has been designed to be simple to navigate for viewers with visual impairments, with a high contrast UI, screen magnification, and a text-to-speech functionality.

Gary Thomas at the Digital Accessibility Centre commented “This is a market leading product. I know of no other TV platform with this level of accessibility options. Freeview’s Accessible TV Guide is a one stop shop, with the option to filter programmes by subtitles, audio description and sign language. It’s easy to follow, and its default text-to-speech feature is a welcome original feature to help blind and visually impaired users.

As a blind user, the Accessible TV Guide will allow me to read, plan, and access programs independently which has not been possible for many years.”

Putting accessibility on show

Upon selecting Channel 555, viewers will be asked for their preferred accessibility settings from the below options:

• Use Text to Speech for on screen navigation 
• Show only programmes with audio description 
• Show only programmes with subtitles 
• Show only programmes with sign language 

Following this, viewers can choose to watch a demo of how the guide works or head straight to the guide. The guide will launch a filtered version of the linear TV schedule showing the content coming up that fits the viewer’s own accessibility criteria. From here viewers can browse the available content and select what they want to watch. 

More inclusion to come

Simon Hunt, Director of Strategy and Business Development for Freeview Play, comments; “Great content has the power to bring us all together. However, underpinning this is the ease in which we can all find what to watch and discover new shows. The new Accessible TV Guide will help millions of viewers with visual impairments, hearing loss and other accessibility needs to get so much more out of their TVs, and we are so pleased to be starting the roll out across Freeview Play.”

Available on selected Freeview Play devices now, the Accessible TV Guide will be rolling out across the full range of Freeview Play devices over the coming months. Viewers with supported devices may need to retune their TVs to start receiving the Accessible TV Guide. The full list of supported Freeview Play devices is available on the Freeview website.

Alongside this, more features are set to launch on the Guide next year, including the integration of Freeview Play’s on demand content recommendations, which will be filtered according to each viewer’s accessibility needs. 

I very much look forward to being part of those providing input into such a valuable service as new accessibility features evolve.

Further resources

• Free Webinar, 10 November: Accessibility Insights with Google and Robin Christopherson
• Blog: The Prime Minister: Back to school on digital inclusion
• Blog: How AI could become a new, accessible extension of your mind

You're invited to join us for AbilityNet's TechShare Pro, Europe’s biggest forum for digital accessibility and inclusive design.

Taking place 17-19 November 2020, attendees will learn from organisations including Microsoft, Google, Barclays and Sony, alongside decision-makers and practitioners from across sectors and roles.

Last year’s event attracted digital leaders from businesses such as Amazon, Apple, Barclays, BBC, BT, Channel4, Lenovo, Lloyds Banking Group, PWC, Sainsbury’s, Spotify, Verizon and many more. 

 
Our opening panel this year is chaired by Cindy Rose OBE, Microsoft President for Western Europe, who is a champion for diversity and inclusion as a core business advantage:
 
    •    11:00 GMT, Tuesday 17 November
    •    How accessibility and inclusion delivers business advantage
    •    Keynotes and panel including C-Suite contributions from Barclays, Sony, WPP, Unilever and others

Other highlights from the conference include sessions on:

• Accessible social media
• Accessible video gaming
• Accessible cities
• Accessibility regulations and policies
• Accessibility leadership

Access the full programme at www.techsharepro.com

With more than 50 online sessions you can dip in and out, connect with others in networking forums and view recordings later. 

Register for TechShare Pro now >>

TechShare Pro is organised by AbilityNet 
Headline sponsor: Microsoft
Silver sponsors: Barclays, Google, RNIB and Sony
Supported by: BDF, Crawford Tech, Jadu and others

Further resources

• Webinar playback: Accessibility Insights with Jenny Lay-Flurrie
• Blog: Google's Digital Accessibility developments on show at TechShare Pro 2019
• Blog: 6 things we learned about accessibility at TechShare Pro 2019
• Need accessibility advice? AbilityNet can help. Speak to our experts.

With Guest blogger: Alistair McNaught of McNaught Consultancy

Arriving at thriving? That is the upbeat title of the Higher Education Commission’s research into “learning from disabled students to ensure access for all”. But the content of the research report is far from upbeat. 

The report admits that “Many of our findings make hard reading, and we cannot shy away from the fact that our evidence demonstrates an unhappy situation for many disabled students.”

See below for details about our forthcoming webinar on Tuesday 27 October, 1pm, BST, where you can find out more about the report and learn about your next steps to address its findings.

Why so far behind?

The Disability Discrimination Act was penned 25 years ago. How are things still so problematic? In my own 16 years working in the sector, I have never met a disability support team that was not passionate about supporting disabled learners. Financial support is available through disabled student allowances, assistive technologies have been available for years. There’s a dedicated Office for Students. And the Public Sector Bodies Web Accessibility legislation now requires online content to be accessible, so what is going wrong?  

Mindset and maturity

The key to the problem is mindset and maturity. Many organisations still work on a deficit model of disability.

For example, if a student experiences problems accessing a resource, it is because the student’s disability creates the problem. It is not considered that the resource itself may be the problem. It's the equivalent of blaming a bumpy, uncomfortable ride on a car’s suspension rather than recognising that the potholes in the badly maintained road might have something to do with it. It is remarkable how smooth a journey can be on a good road, irrespective of the quality of your suspension. 

Within further and higher education institutions, a student’s journey is significantly impacted by the “quality of their road”. As institutions have become more reliant on online learning, the accessibility of digital content has mattered more and more.

Of the 513 respondents to the Higher Education Commission survey, 26% rated the accessibility of their course as only 1 out of 5 or 2 out of 5. Others mentioned the heavy administrative burden of “having to apply for, be assessed for, organise and chase up the support they need” (page 7). The report notes how “levels of support and accessibility vary between institutions, departments, modules, and even individual teachers. Some students feel there is no accountability at their institution for ensuring they are able to access teaching and learning” (p6).

The report recommendations

The first 3 recommendations from the report focus on institution wide perspectives: 

1. A senior leader taking responsibility and accountability for driving change.
2. A review of disabled students’ access to teaching and learning carried out by a strategic group with representation from disabled students, the student services department, academic staff, and senior leadership.
3. Access and Participation Plans including the training provided for academic and professional staff, describing how this addresses disability inclusion, and including metrics on how many staff are undertaking the training and how often. Training related to disability inclusion should be mandatory for all staff.

This is a critical time for higher and further education institutions.

Accessibility is not going to go away and the September 23 deadline for the Web Accessibility legislation marked the beginning of a paradigms shift, not the end. The first three recommendations from the Higher Education Commission report relate not to compliance but to culture – to an ongoing accessibility maturity.

Support in positively responding

The report formalises issues that many in the sector have recognised for a long time but lacked the platform to shout from. It does make hard – but vital – reading. It is a positive that the disparate and unpredictable experiences disabled students face daily are now on the table.

AbilityNet and McNaught Consultancy have spent months developing an accessibility maturity model to help organisations evidence their current level of accessibility maturity through a range of institutional lenses. We look at responsibilities, policies, strategies, student digital experience et cetera and flag practices that identify an accessibility mature organisation.

The HE and FE Accessibility Maturity Model can help your organisation assess where you lie along the spectrum between luck, tokenism, standards compliance, ownership and partnership. The model is free to download and we have an associated support and badging system whereby organisations can measure and evidence sustainable improvements. 

Download the report from the Policy Connect website [PDF].

Register for our free webinar

Join us for an overview of the 'Arriving at Thriving?' report, its challenges and potential solutions to help your organisation.

Date: Tuesday 27 October 2020
Time: 13:00 - 13:45

UPDATE: Webinar recording

You can now view the webinar recording, below:

Further resources

• Need accessibility support in higher or further education settings? AbilityNet can help.
• Blog and webinar playback: How the government will monitor public sector digital accessibility compliance
  HE and FE Accessibility Maturity Model
• Accessibility statements webinar: Your questions answered
   

AbilityNet volunteer Myles Piling will have his name on a Great Western Railway after helping a woman say a final goodbye to her husband who was in a care home. 

Myles is County Co-Ordinator for Wiltshire. He is one of our 300+ volunteers who offer support to older and disabled people to help them make the most of their tech.

During lockdown has helped his local church to offer online services for its congregation.  

It was a member of the congregation who nominated Myles for GWR’s Name on a Train.

Tech support helped distanced couple say a final goodbye

Myles helped Sandra Marchant from Melksham say a final goodbye to her husband before he died in a care home by enabling her to use Skype.

“We were able to Skype the care home and I saw my husband just before he died,” Sandra told Radio Wiltshire. “That was wonderful. Myles has been amazing.  It sounds like such a simple thing teaching you how to use Skype, but it was life-changing, just seeing him,” added Sandra. 

Myles is delighted to have been recognised. “It is such a pleasant surprise and an honour,” he said.

Myles has asked that in addition to his name GWR put the name of Sandra’s husband, Richard Marchant, on the train and hey will feature together. 

“I am so pleased that Richard has his name on the train to as he was such a train buff,” said Myles. 

Myles was recognised as part of BBC Radio’s Make a Difference campaign. 

How AbilityNet can help

• Do you know someone who needs help with tech? Refer a friend for help from one of our 300+ volunteers
• Call our FREE helpline on 0800 048 7642
• AbilityNet Live! During the lockdown, we ran a series of webinars to help you Keep in touch with family and friends, Find local support groups online and take care of your mental health  
• You can download FREE factsheets for advice on how to adapt your technology
• For a database of tips on adapting your tech, visit My Computer My Way

Other related information

• Bringing communities and family together during Covid-19
• AbilityNet goes the extra miles to help people during the lockdown 
• Use WhatsApp to keep in touch with friends and family
• Watch a video of how Myles helped a lady with Macular degeneration adapt her technology so she can still use it
• Offering remote tech support using TeamViewer

The Accessibility Award - sponsored by all-round accessibility champions, Google - is one of my favourite categories in the Tech4Good Awards each year. As head of the judges I probably shouldn't have favourites but, being blind myself, there isn't a category or area closer to my heart than access to the world (both online and real) through the empowering potential of technology to overcome disability or impairment. So I’d like to take a moment to celebrate the worthy winner and flag the fantastic finalists.

The winner: The Clarion

Developed by charity Open Up Music, The Clarion is a digital instrument that enables disabled people to express their musicality in unprecedented ways. Installable on iPad or PC, it can be set up to work seamlessly with assistive technology like Eyegaze or Infrared head trackers. This means it can be played with any part of the body using mouse or finger touch, but also head movement or eye movement. By removing the barriers that can come with a conventional instrument’s shape, size or the need to bow, pluck or blow it, The Clarion makes music-making accessible to all.

We spoke with Barry Farrimond MBE, Chief Executive Officer of Open Up Music (the company that created The Clarion) for his thoughts on winning the award.

"This award comes at a crucial time for Open Up Music as we start to seek new funding and partnerships for developing Clarion. Having this vote of confidence from a community that's at the forefront of driving accessibility is hugely motivating and reassuring."

"We'll continue to work closely with National Open Youth Orchestra and Open Orchestras Clarion players and their tutors, but also explore ways we can make Clarion more widely accessible and improve its capabilities as an instrument. One of our ambitions for Clarion is to give it its own distinctive sound. We also want to improve the level of expressiveness it enables, so that talented disabled musicians are no longer limited by their instrument. This will involve collaborating with a wide range of research and development partners, from professional musicians to music tech specialists across industry and academia," says Barry.

Some comments from The Clarion players

For young disabled people, the experience of playing an instrument in a group brings significant musical and personal gains. The sense of achievement and belonging builds up their confidence and, since 2015, The Clarion has driven uptake for Open Orchestras; an accessible orchestras programme credited for changing the face of music education for young disabled people. 

The sound musicians create through Clarion is down to how they hit the note. Starting to play The Clarion doesn’t require musical skills, but like all good instruments, it will take practice to play well; “This is the first music technology I’ve used that actually feels like an instrument! It’s great that The Clarion works with the movement of the musician, rather than the musician having to adapt to an instrument that has already been set” - Jocelyn Watkins, Classic FM's ‘SEN Music Teacher of the Year’

“My instrument is on my computer. It is called The Clarion. I can make different sounds and change the tone by moving my eyes on the screen” - Ella, National Open Youth Orchestra musician.

The Clarion player, Ibrahim, said: “It has taken quite a bit of practice, but now I feel like an expert. Having the independence it gives me makes me feel free.”

Find out more about The Clarion and Open Orchestras on its website.

The runners-up

Whilst The Clarion is a worthy winner, the other three finalists for the Accessibility Award were (and I really mean this) winners in their own right.

Present Pal

Present Pal is an innovative app that supports presenters with interactive and accessible flashcards for presentations. Since its launch in September 2018, it is now helping more than 3,000 students with dyslexia, autism and anxiety in more than 100 universities, colleges, and workplaces across the UK. 

“It’s the perfect sidekick to PowerPoint,” - Hector Minto, Accessibility Evangelist, Microsoft.

Sign2Word App

The Sign2Word app aims to transform the learning experience for Deaf learners by providing a platform to translate Sign Language into written English and create a personalised sign dictionary.

The signer uses their phone's camera to capture the upper part of their body. AI-based 'pose detection' software recognises the signs and translates them into text.

In the words of a professional BSL signer; “The app will revolutionise the way that Deaf learners access education and has the power to transform literacy levels. It will help Deaf people build their confidence socially whilst developing communication skills. Most importantly, it will enable Deaf students to take responsibility for their own education and encourage independent learning.”

BBC World Service Online 

The BBC World Service online provides regional and global impartial news and analysis in 44 languages with a focus on accessibility. There are up to 80 million visitors to its website each week - with around 85% being on mobile. 

Accessibility is usually considered from a Western assistive technology perspective. Disabled people in developing nations, regimes and war zones often do not have access to modern technologies, affordable data tariffs or a source of reliable, impartial information.

Of the many positive aspects to their entry, the fact that much of the BBC World Service content is also available in accessible downloadable formats shareable by pendrive, CD, file transfer sites and telegrams - providing news in regions where BBC services are blocked for millions of additional readers – was of particular note. 

The app also has a ‘dial-to-listen’ feature for WS Radio in regions where the cost of a phone call is cheaper than streaming data; "We believe this approach of supporting developing nation technologies on available platforms informed by user data is unique. WS is enabling equal access to impartial information, positively impacting on the lives of millions of people."

Further resources

• Blog: The Prime Minister: Back to school on digital inclusion
• Find out more about AbilityNet's free live webinar events. 
• Accessibility training: courses available for various digital roles

AbilityNet provides a range of free services to help disabled people and older people. If you can afford it, please donate to help us support older and disabled people through technology