This is my presentation at the RIDE 2022 Accelerating Innovation conference on 15th June 2022. University College of Estate Management (UCEM) is a leader in providing flexible and accessible supported online learning for people in built environment. UCEM caters to many non-traditional university students with the majority being mature part-time learners. About 12% of the students are registered with the disability and wellbeing service and this percentage has been increasing over the years. Hubble and Bolton (2021) briefing paper for the Parliament states that the number of students with disabilities in English higher education system has increased 47% since 2014/15. The enactment of The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 marked a major milestone in creating a proactive approach to accessibility needs of disabled students from the reactive stance of providing reasonable adjustments that was practiced under the Equality Act 2010. As the pandemic pushed all institutions to provide learning online it became even more important to create accessibility awareness among the staff. Since the inauguration of the Online Learning Research Centre at UCEM, improving accessibility of UCEM course materials has been a consistent theme. UCEM launched a self-paced, accessibility awareness course for the staff in the Autumn of 2021 equating to 6 hours of Continued Professional Development (CPD). The course is presented under sections each not more than an hour of learning activities. There are seven milestone badges that can be earned on the course for each of the sections. The course is non-compulsory but has had good uptake. Online workshops have been organized to complement and give extra support to reluctant starters. There were 17 staff members who completed the course earning the final award while there are many more in the process. Almost one in four UCEM staff members has earned at least a one accessibility awareness badge. This session will present how accessibility awareness is promoted and celebrated at UCEM. Keywords: Accessibility, Inclusion, Staff development, Online badges

1. Dr Tharindu Liyanagunawardena
Knowledge is Power:
Enhancing Accessibility
Awareness at UCEM

2. ©UCEM
UCEM’s Core Purpose
To provide accessible, relevant and cost-effective education,
enabling students to enhance careers, increase professionalism
and contribute to a better Built Environment.

3. ©UCEM
Accessibility is for everyone

4. ©UCEM
Accessibility Awareness

5. ©UCEM
Accessibility Awareness cont..
https://youtu.be/aC-1I2GutSU

6. ©UCEM
UCEM Accessibility Awareness Course
• Objectives:
• To raise accessibility awareness at UCEM to help staff members
comply with the latest government regulations, specifically The Public
Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility
Regulations 2018.
• To be a reference point for staff members with accessibility queries.

7. ©UCEM
UCEM Accessibility Awareness Course

8. ©UCEM
Sections and Badges issued
• Assistive Technology – 62
• Web accessibility & standards – 49
• Colour – 49
• Document structure – 38
• Images – 38
• Video & audio – 37
• Tables – 38
• Accessibility Awareness – 28

9. ©UCEM
Next Steps
@Tharindu__
tharindu@ucem.ac.uk