Rix Centre Activities
The Rix Centre runs short courses in Multimedia Advocacy in which over 1,000 social care professionals and more than 200 people with learning disabilities have been trained. In these courses students work together to build Multimedia Advocacy Portfolios using digital cameras and computers, with which people with learning disabilities can plan their lives, improve their communications, and express their needs and desires. Professionals develop their support skills as well as confidence with new technologies that can improve their practice. Find out more about Multimedia Advocacy courses.
The Rix Centre has developed templates for ‘easy build’ web sites that enable production of information in multimedia formats that are accessible for people with learning disabilities. The Centre has used this technology with over 40 East London community organisations over recent months to tackle the challenge of providing useful information for young people making the transition to independent lives in the community. The system enables the young people themselves to make websites, share knowledge and experience and support their peers. Visit the Newham easy-read website.
The Rix Centre has run a programme of inclusive new media production training workshops and research. Over 20 national web development companies have been engaged in this pioneering work which explores alternative design approaches in partnership with a team of web users with learning disabilities. Through this work new media professionals have developed new insights into the needs of this audience group and have contributed to the Centre’s work on new standards and guidelines for web design so that those with learning disabilities can participate in the rich media world.
In addition the Centre’s team has advised numerous organisations developing new media on the special accessibility requirements of people with learning disabilities. These organisations have included Microsoft, BECTA, Macromedia, the BBC, Inclusion International and the World Wide Web Consortium Accessibility Group.
Ground-breaking research and development for people with profound disabilities
The Centre is developing our work in East London with people with severe and profound learning disabilities in its ‘Living Lab’. This is a programme of work in partnership with our neighbours in East London involving the design of innovative alternative computer interfaces for those who do not use a mouse and keyboard. Participants use switches, flash-cards and web cams with special software to create and share multimedia, develop new skills, express themselves and have fun! A second project will soon make a uniquely accessible and easy to use ‘e-portfolio’ available online especially for those with severe and profound disabilities to store and display their images, sound and video clips with minimal support.
Support for those taking up is provided through a new ‘Blog’ on the Centre’s website at ‘The Big Tree’ where they are guided on how to set up these systems themselves at low cost and provided with support as they put the new technologies into action. Visit The Big Tree Blog.
