This post is the tenth and final post in a series of posts that have been created to identify the best practice found in FE colleges by the Jisc infrastructure review service. An introduction to the infrastructure review synthesis project is provided in the first post in the series.
Governance
Most colleges can improve elements of their AUPs (acceptable use policies), notably around the safeguarding / Prevent Duty points discussed above.
The majority of colleges do not have security certifications such as Cyber Essentials in place.
This is a specific concern given the changes to the ESFA conditions of grant funding contract.
In the majority of college-based IT teams have a lower awareness of accessibility and inclusion matters: We note that this is again likely to be a function of the small size of some college-based IT teams. This limited support for assistive technology and / or accessibility could lead to a number of difficulties, notably around the application of the Equality Act, due to the anticipatory duty to meet the needs of disabled people as proscribed by the Equality Act.
However, in most cases, colleges move to improve this point when it is discussed in the infrastructure review if it has not already been addressed, for example by implementing portable desktop customisation for user’s accessibility settings, using a technology such as UE-V (user experience virtualisation, FSlogix Profile Container) or providing ‘roaming profiles’ on request, or universally. We also note that in most cases IT teams express the view that accessibility or assistive technology generally is ‘not their responsibility’, instead pointing us to the ALS (additional learning support) teams. Very few colleges have a dedicated assistive technology role, and where they do this post is rarely located in the IT team.
How Jisc can help:
- Jisc subject specialist for technology and the law (John Kelly) is available to support Jisc members with legal matters pertaining to technology use.
- Colleges may find the updated Jisc guide ‘records retention management’ useful in developing policy and practice around data retention standards.
- Jisc now offers a trusted way to gain and renew Cyber Essentials certification, helping to make sure vital security precautions are in place.
- Jisc offers a Cyber Essentials drop-in clinic to Jisc members in preparation for supporting members to achieve both Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus.
- Further information is available from the IASME consortium, notably the self-assessment questions.
- Jisc offers a range of support on assistive technology and accessibility.
- Jisc subject specialists are actively representing members requirements and views at various assistive technology and accessibility national forums such as the APPGAT (all party parliamentary group for assistive technology) and the DfE’s EdTech unit’s AT experts’ group.