Consultation: Curriculum for Training ICT professional in Universal Design

In order for ICT industry to adopt Universal Design principles, methods and solutions, the professionals involved will need to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills. This is a crucial condition for an effective, as well as economic change in management and production process in the ICT industry.

A CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) on Curriculum for training Professionals in Universal Design, chaired by the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design is currently developing guidelines for use by anyone in industry looking to educate ICT professionals in the Universal Design approach. This document specifies courses in Universal Design aimed at ensuring a high-quality, comprehensive training plan that meets industry needs.

A consultation meeting to provide interested parties in Ireland with the opportunity to input into these draft guidelines will be held in DCU on March 19th. A draft of the document will be circulated to attendees in advance of the meeting.

Further info and all documents: http://www.Universaldesign.Ie/ict/cpd

Date: 9.30am – 1pm. Friday, 19th March, 2010.

Location: RINCE, Room S209, Research and Engineering Building, Dublin City University,Dublin 9

Agenda:

9.00amRegistration

9.30am Opening address. Prof Barry McMullin. Director RINCE, DCU

9.45am "Role of standards in promoting Universal Design and Innovation." Elizabeth O'Ferrall, NSAI.

10.10am "Supporting professional development for ICT practitioners". Mary Cleary - Professional Development Manager, Irish Computer Society.

10.30am "Training professionals in Universal Design". Dónal Rice, Senior Design Advisor, ICT - Centre for Excellence in Universal Design, NDA

10.50am Coffee

11.10am "A structured feedback session on the training guidelines" facilitated by Dónal Rice

12.30pm "Next steps and future collaborations." Facilitated by Barry McMullin

1.00pm Close - light lunch served

Further information:

• Who should attend? Anyone interested in the ICT industry interested in learning about Universal Design.
• Attendees are asked to read the guidelines in advance and prepare feedback using the CEN template. All feedback will be acknowledged in the final draft.
• Feedback can also be provided by following the instructions on NSAI
• European Committee for Standardization (CEN) provides a platform for the development of European Standards and other technical specifications. A CEN Workshop Agreement is a consensus-based specification, drawn up in an open Workshop environment.
• This meeting is an ad-hoc activity of the ICT subgroup of the Access for All Standards Consultative Committee of the NSAI.
• The CWA on UD Prof is due be finalised and published in Autumn 2010.
• All documentation available on NSAI