NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DISABILITY PRACTITIONERS

News Archive

Upcoming Disability Equality Conferences

Disability Equality Scheme: Implementing and Mainstreaming Disability Equality

Tuesday 26th September 2006, Central London

This conference will provide you with advice and guidance on overcoming problems in completing your Disability Equality Scheme and implementing it beyond December 2006. [More information (PDF)]

The Disability Equality Duty: What does it mean for the Education Sector?

Wednesday 18th October 2006, Central London.

This one-day conference is aimed at chief executives and directors of services, strategy and performance and heads of legal departments in HE and FE. It will update delegates on the DED and give an outline of the guidance for the education sector to be published by the Disability Rights Commission. It will also look at ways in which you can prepare for the new Duty, including the statutory requirement to produce a Disability Equality Scheme. [More information]

September One-Day Conference

[12 August 2006] Please note that the one-day conference on Asperger's Syndrome and High Functioning Autism Affecting Teenagers and Adults, which was planned for September 21st, has been cancelled.

NADO Spring + Autumn Conference 2006

NADO's Spring Conference 2006 took place in London on March 16th. The theme of this event was Supporting Students with Asperger's Syndrome in Higher and Further Education.

The presentations and a transcript of the conference for NADO members. (login required)

The Autumn One-day Conference 2006 will cover the same topic and takes place on November 1st in Manchester. Please book early since the Spring Conference was sold out.

NADO Annual Conference & AGM 2006

The NADO 3-day Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting 2006 was held on 3rd, 4th and 5th July at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham City Centre. The focus was on higher education, further education and assessor issues.

• For members: Downloads of transcripts and presentations [login required]

Board of Directors Election 2006

[3 May 2006] In accordance with the Memorandum and Article of Association of NADO Limited, four Directors are required to stand down at the Annual General Meeting. Therefore, nominations are invited for positions of two FE Representatives and two Ordinary Directors. (login required)

Equality / Diversity Legislation

A Briefing on the recent and forthcoming developments in each area of equality / diversity legislation by Deb Viney, Diversity Advisor, can be downloaded from the documents section.

Disability Discrimination Act Briefing for Heads of Institutions: the new duties to promote disability equality

[9 February 2006] From December 2006, all public authorities, including all HEIs, will have new duties to promote disability equality. This briefing outlines what this means for senior managers in HEIs. (member login required)

Publications by NADO members

[14 November 2005] We are establishing a list of books and articles written by NADO members. Please send information about your publications to <webmaster@nadp-uk.org>

NDT Autumn Update for NADO Members

[19 October 2005] The National Disability Team (NDT) has provided an update about its activities for NADO members (login required).

NADO launches Legal Helpline Service

[15 September 2005] NADO have launched a Legal Helpline Service provided by Bond Pearce Solicitors. This is a service for NADO members only (login required).

NADO Annual Conference & AGM 2005

[Updated 15 September 2005] Presentations from the NADO Conference 2005: Beyond Compliance, which took place at the University of Warwick on 11/12 July, are now available for download.

NADO September Conference 2005

Implementing the Disability Equality Duty in post 16 education and update on the Disability Discrimination Act 1995

A NADO Conference in partnership with the Disability Rights Commission and Bond Pearce LLP Solicitors which takes place Thursday 8 September 2005 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Birmingham City Centre. Find out more...

[Update 26 August 2005] This event is now fully booked.

Institutional disability policies

[10 August 2005] NADO is trying to establish a repository of institutional disability policies (login required) for its members. If you would like to add yours to the list, email the document or a link to its location on your institution's website to <webmaster@nadp-uk.org>.

NADO Autumn Conference 2005

[Update 19 October 2005] The Autumn Conference: Supporting Students with Mental Health Issues is a rerun of the successful NADO Spring Conference 2005 and will take place in Manchester on Wednesday 2 November 2005.

This event is now fully booked.

NADO September Conference 2005

Implementing the Disability Equality Duty in post 16 education and update on the Disability Discrimination Act 1995

A NADO Conference in partnership with the Disability Rights Commission and Bond Pearce LLP Solicitors which takes place Thursday 8 September 2005 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Birmingham City Centre. Find out more...

[Update 26 August 2005] This event is now fully booked.

Work for NADO

NADO is seeking a part-time Membership Administrator.

NADO Annual Conference & AGM 2005

[Updated 12 July 2005] The NADO Conference 2005: Beyond Compliance took place at the University of Warwick on 11/12 July.

NDT Update for NADO members

[26 June 2005] The National Disability Team (NDT) has provided an update about its activities for NADO members (login required).

Quality Assurance Group (QAG) updates

[24 May 2005] Minutes of the meetings of the Disabled Student Allowance Quality Assurance Group (QAG) are available at the DfES website. NADO's QAG representative is Nicki Martin, who can be reached at <nicki@nadp-uk.org>

[Update 27 May 2005] Download the QAG April 2005 Update from the documents section.

Nominations for NADO Board of Directors

[21 May 2005] Nominations are invited to fill current vacancies on the NADO Board of Directors for HE Representative, FE Representative and Ordinary Director. The deadline for Nominations is Friday 10th June following which there will be a postal ballot and the result of which will be announced at the AGM on 11th July during the Annual Conference.

2003/4 disabled students statistics

The National Disability Team (NDT) has published statistics for 2003/4 that describe the number and percentage of disabled students studying on UK HE institution programmes.

Student Support Information

[7 February 2005] The DfES Higher Education Stakeholder Management Team has made several Student Support Information documents available to NADO members for feedback. (login required).

Public Sector Duty presentation

[27 January 2005] Powerpoint presentation from the Public Sector Duty workshop which took place at Skill's HE Conference in November 2004.

Download Public Sector Duty slides (MS Powerpoint .ppt, 361 Kb)

NDT Update for NADO members

[17 January 2005] The National Disability Team (NDT) has provided an update about its activities for NADO members (login required).

New site design

[29 October 2004] The NADO website has undergone a major redesign. While look and layout have been improved in accordance with W3C standards, style support for old browsers has finally been dropped. More information is available on the Help page. Please email feedback to <webmaster@nadp-uk.org>.

Consultation on the NADO Memorandum and Articles of Association

[5 October 2004] NADO Members: Your comments are requested on the NADO Memorandum and Articles of Association. (login required)

AGM 2004

[5 October 2004] NADO Members: Several documents from July's AGM are now available. (login required)

NADO One-Day Autumn Conference on Dyslexia

[20 September 2004] The Autumn Conference on Dyslexia, a re-run of the March event, will be held at the University of Manchester Conference Centre, Chancellors Hotel, on Wednesday, 3 November 2004. Find out more and book your place.

NDT study available

[3 September 2004] From NDT NEWS: The final report of the study Aspiration raising and transition of disabled students from further education to higher education commissioned by HEFCE and the LSC is now available at the NDT website.

First Conference of ADSHE

[6 July 2004] The aim of this conference, which will take place on 6 September 2004 at City University London, is to bring together advice and expertise on current issues concerning dyslexia and higher education and produce guidelines which will streamline good practice across the sector. Do come and make your voice heard!

Download Conference Leaflet (MS Word .doc, 515 Kb)

Action on Access Newsletter

[6 July 2004] The July 2004 Issue of the Action on Access Newsletter, produced jointly with the National Disability Team (NDT), can be downloaded by NADO members. (login required)

Asperger's Syndrome Questionnaires

[30 June 2004] Our Vice-Chair, Nicola Martin, is carrying out an ongoing project on the University experience of students with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) and the support they receive in Higher Education. Accordingly, she has devised two questionnaires on these topics entitled "Asperger's Syndrome Research". Your response would be greatly appreciated.

Download Questionnaire for Disability Officers (MS Word .doc, 45 Kb).

Download Questionnaire for Students (MS Word .doc, 59 Kb).

NADO Newsletter Summer 2004

[23 June 2004] NADO Members: The latest installment of the NADO Newsletter is now online. (login required)

QAA Report

[10 June 2004] The QAA Report - Access to Higher Education Development Project has now been published and responses to the report are encouraged.

External events

[24 May 2004] Action on Access invites you to an event titled Working together - a free one-day action conference that will be based around local issues of transition to further and higher education for Black & Minority Ethnic young people on Greater Merseyside - on 25 May 2004 at Sheffield Hallam University and 30th June 2004 in Liverpool.

This year's SEEC Annual Conference - New Patterns of Learning in Higher Education at Brunel University, September 9th and 10th, will focus on current practice, and emerging trends, relating to changes in the ways in which students gain access to higher education, new patterns of study and new routes to a higher education award.

Excellence Fellows Awards Scheme National Symposium Programme, Manchester, 17 June 2004. The Excellence Fellowship Awards scheme was introduced in 2002 to support the Government's plans for expanding participation in higher education.

The Society for Research in Higher Education (SRHE) in collaboration with the Learning and Skills Research Network London and South East (LSE LSRN), and the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA) invite you a collaborative seminar event: Foundation 'degrees' - The National and Local Picture, 15th and 16th July 2004, Nottingham. Contact SRHE, 76 Portland Place, London W1B 1NT, Tel. 020 7637 2766, Fax. 020 7637 2781, <srheoffice at srhe.ac.uk>.

REMIT Conference, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, 17 June 2004: REMIT is to hold a conference to address under-representation of black and minority ethnic teachers on the workforce, with particular reference to Scottish issues. Contact: Fiona Campbell, Wider Access Administrator, The Glasgow School of Art, 167 Renfrew Street, Glasgow G3 6RQ, Tel: +44 (0)141 353 4477.

DSA Quality Assurance Group Pilot Audits

[22 April 2004] The DSA Quality Assurance Group (QAG) consisting of representatives from the various interest groups has engaged in work to establish a single national scheme for quality assuring the work of those who carry out assessments of course-related needs for the DSA scheme. The group has produced a draft framework which sets out the criteria against which quality is assessed and the principles for operating the scheme.

In order to ensure that the framework is attainable by assessment centres, a pilot audit of the QAG paperwork was undertaken at five assessment centres between November 2003 and January 2004. Jenni Dyer, Policy Director at Skill, has written a report on the pilot audits.

NADO Annual Conference & AGM 2004

[12 July 2004 - timetable updated] The NADO Conference, to be held on 13/14 July 2004 at the Jubilee Campus, University of Nottingham, is now fully booked. This year's conference has the theme "Student Lifecycle approach to support in Further and Higher Education". Guest Speakers will include Professor John Tomlinson and Sophie Corlett. [Find out more...]

AGM 2004

[9 July 2004] The Memorandum and Articles of Association and a document containing proposals for consideration at the AGM and a voting form for NADO members not attending are available for download in the Members' area. (login required)

Joining the NADO Board of Directors

[21 June 2004] We are now accepting nominations for the NADO Board of Directors.

MA Supporting the Adult Learner

[15 June 2004] Middlesex University is requesting your input on a course currently in development, aimed at providing participants with knowledge, skills and understanding in the provision of learning support for the adult learner. [Find out more...]

Aimhigher Bulletin June 2004

[12 June 2004] The June 2004 Aimhigher Bulletin is now available at the Action on Access website.

Strategic planning and disability seminar

[10 June 2004] The National Disability Team (NDT), in partnership with Universities UK, SCOP, the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU), and the Scottish Disability Team (SDT) are organising a seminar on Friday 16 July for representatives of key organisations, networks and professional bodies to support the development of an inclusive approach to disability in higher education.

Supporting Blind & Partially Sighted Students in HE

[8 April 2004] A one-day course aimed at all HE staff who need to know how to support blind students. Organised by the National Centre for Tactile Diagrams, University of Hertfordshire.

Date: Wednesday, 19 May 2004.
Venue: Abercorn Conference Centre, Reid Kerr College, Paisley.

Skill's Information Service puts focus back on disabled students

[4 April 2004] Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities is announcing changes to its 6,000 enquiries per year Information Service on disability and post 16 education that until recently has been operating with lottery funding support. [Find out more...]

NADO One-Day Spring Conference

[Updated: 16 March 2004] Some of the presentations given at the NADO One-Day Spring Conference in London on Thursday 11 March 2004 are now available for download.

Learning and Skills Development Agency report

[9 March 2004] An LSDA report from November 2003 titled Development of a Common Funding Approach for Additional Learning Support: Summary Report is now available to NADO members. (login required)

NADO Newsletter Spring 2004

[24 February 2004] For NADO Members: The latest installment of the NADO Newsletter is now online. (login required)

Board of Directors Election 2004

• Current members of the Board of Directors and timetable for the election.
• David Laycock's letter to NADO members on the Chair and Vice-chair appointments.

[Update 24/02/04] We have received two nominations for the vacant post on the Board. These are both from Associate members. As Associate members were not able to serve on the Executive in the past, the Board is giving further consideration to this matter and will report further after its meeting on 22 April.

Upcoming Events

Some upcoming events of interest:

• Learning Journeys - Ensuring quality for adults with mental health difficulties, London, 12 February 2004.
• Deaf Arts Bournemouth University Symposium, 28 Febuary 2004.

Board Nominations 2003

[6 November 2003] The following nominations have been received for the Board vacancies:

• Elaine Shillcock (University of Manchester) - HE Representative
• Glenys Tucker (Worcester Sixth Form College) - FE Representative
• James Palfreman-Kay (University of Bournemouth) - Ordinary Member
• Nicola Martin (University of Derby College Buxton) - Ordinary Member
• Val Morgan (Queen Mary, University of London) -Ordinary Member
• Stephen Russell (University of Derby College Buxton) - Ordinary Member

As the number of nominations received equals the number of vacant posts, there will be no need to hold an election. Consequently, all those nominated will be appointed to the Board and should be prepared to attend a meeting to be held on Wednesday 17 December at the CCPD, University of Westminster.

A new home for the NADO website

[20 May 2003] The NADO website has moved to a new domain name, nado.org.uk. The old web address (nado.ac.uk) will still work for a while but it will only redirect to the new location. So please adjust your bookmarks.

If you have any questions please contact the NADO Company Secretary Jane Pawluk <admin@nadp-uk.org> or the NADO webmaster <webmaster@nadp-uk.org>

E-Access Bulletin

[18 April 2003] E-Access Bulletin is a free email newsletter on access to technology by blind and visually impaired people, supported by the RNIB. Coverage includes access to educational technologies and online learning, web accessibility etc. Subscribe at the E-Access Website. Archives are also available.

Peer Support Register

[9 April 2003] The up to date NADO Peer Support Register is now available in the members area. (Login required)

White Paper on the Future of HE

[29 March 2003] NADO members: Your comments are requested on Skill's response to the Government White Paper on the Future of Higher Education. (Login required)

Review of Non-medical helpers

[10 March 2003] For NADO Members: NADO has collated a number of job descriptions for Non-medical helpers for your use. (Login required)

NADO Newsletter May 2003

[20 May 2003] For NADO Members: The latest installment of the NADO Newsletter is now online. (login required)

NADO Annual Conference & AGM 2003

[30 January 2003] This year's conference has the theme "Roles, Responsibilities, Competencies, Terms & Conditions" and will be held on the the 1st and 2nd of July at the University of Lincoln.

Supporting Blind & Partially Sighted Students in HE

[18 February 2003] A one-day course for HE staff on access technology and accessible materials, organised by the National Centre for Tactile Diagrams, University of Hertfordshire.

Date: Wednesday, 2 April 2003. Venue: Royal National Institute for the Blind, London.

First UK Access Technology Trainers Qualify

[3 February 2003] The British Computer Association of the Blind is pleased to announce that two people have become the first to complete the BCAB Trainer Certification Scheme. [Press release]

NADO Newsletter January 2003

[30 January 2003] For NADO Members: The latest installment of the NADO Newsletter is now online. (login required)

New Publication

[5 November 2002] NADO Technical Briefing 2/2002 : The Dyslexias and Diagnostic Issues in Higher Education
by David Grant, PhD, Chartered Psychologist.

Available from the NADO Office for £5.

NADO Newsletter September 2002

[16 September 2002] For NADO Members: The latest installment of the NADO Newsletter is now online. (login required).

Discussion Papers

[22 June 2002] NADO Members! Two discussion papers have been added to the Members Area. Please send us your feedback.

NADO Annual Conference Presentations

[3 April 2002] For NADO Members: Several presentations from the NADO Conference "Delivering A Professional Support Service In Post-16 Education", which took place in March, have been added to the Members Area (login required).

New Publication :

[13 December 2001 (Update: 8 Feb 2002)] NADO Technical Briefing 1/2001 : Disability Officers in Higher Education
by Eileen McCabe, University of Westminster
A report about Disability Officers and their work roles, written and investigated in the context of Higher Education Institutions.

Read the conclusions and recommendations from the report.

Available from the NADO Office for £4.50 or FREE to all Members.

NADO Newsletter May 2002

[22 May 2002] For NADO Members:
The latest installment of the NADO Newsletter is now online. (login required).

NADO Constitution

[7 March 2002] For NADO Members:
The Constitution is now available online (login required).

NADO Annual Conference

[21 February 2002] The NADO Annual Conference "Delivering A Professional Support Service In Post-16 Education" will be taking place at the University of Lincoln on the 26th and 27th of March 2002. Programme and booking forms are now available.

New Website

[1 November 2001] Welcome to the new NADO website. These pages are still under development. Content and resources will be added over the coming weeks. Please check back regularly.