Our Approach
This is how we approach our work at the Rix Centre:
Valuing People – we stress the need to shape everything we provide for people with learning disabilities with them. We support them to voice their wishes, listen to what they communicate and shape our response accordingly.
Personalisation of services – our accessible information development and facilitation of self-advocacy helps service-users express their needs and preferences. We help them explore their options and make informed choices to genuinely ‘self-direct’ the service package that they need to participate in the wider community.
Person-centred practice – we provide tools and training which make this achievable and easier to realise, even with people who have complex communication difficulties.
Transition support - our product packages, training workshops and models of good practice tackle the special challenges faced by people with learning disabilities in their lives, especially through the difficult transition into adult life in the wider community post school.
Technology-Assisted Learning – we research technology-assisted learning with people with learning disabilities. We include their teachers, managers, assistants and the other parties involved in shaping E learning platforms, virtual learning environments and e folios. We raise issues and develop solutions, making tools for truly effective inclusive learning enabled by the latest technologies.
Web accessibility – we have developed a specialist understanding of the Web accessibility requirements of people with learning disabilities and explored a number of creative and technical approaches to address these issues. We provide advice and services for organisations seeking to get Web accessibility right for this community. We demonstrate best practice in compliance with standards and legal directives.
Participatory research – our development and evaluation actively involves people with learning disabilities alongside researchers as well as families and professional carers.
Knowledge Transfer – we constantly broker between academic and technical expertise of Rix Centre staff and research partners and the users, practitioners, suppliers and policymakers.
