The Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) plays a crucial role in supporting disability services and students in universities across Australia.
Their mission is to contribute to the improvement of educational experiences and to the successful outcomes for students with disability in post-secondary education.
To address ongoing accessibility gaps in university procurement, ADCET set out to develop practical guidelines that embed accessibility from the very beginning. To bring this vision to life, they partnered with us at Intopia, drawing on our digital accessibility expertise and lived experience to shape an inclusive approach.
The challenge: Inaccessible ICT procurement in higher education
With the rapid move to online learning during COVID-19, many universities faced significant accessibility challenges. Technologies used for teaching and administration were not always accessible to staff and students with disabilities.
“We spoke with a staff member who couldn’t use their staff platform (a Content Management System) as it wasn’t accessible”, explained Darlene McLennan, Manager at ADCET.
We identified some key barriers:
- Lack of accessibility awareness among university procurement teams
- Vendors claiming compliance without practical usability considerations
- Limited inclusion of people with lived experience in decision-making processes
ADCET, in collaboration with the National Disability Coordination Officer Program (NDCO) and the Council of Australasian University Directors of Information Technology (CAUDIT), decided that creating an Accessible ICT Procurement Guide was the best approach to address these gaps.
“9 out of 10 jobs require a tertiary qualification. To ensure no one is left behind, we need universities to reduce accessibility barriers”, Darlene shared.
The solution: An accessible ICT procurement guide
Intopia worked closely with ADCET, NDCO, and CAUDIT to design a user-friendly and practical guide tailored for university procurement teams.
The guide included:
- Introduction to ICT Accessibility: Basic principles for procurement staff unfamiliar with accessibility.
- Waypoints in Accessible Procurement: Step-by-step guidance for embedding accessibility into every stage of procurement.
- Procurement Questions: Key questions to ask vendors to ensure accessibility is prioritised.
- Accessibility Stories: Real-world experiences from students and lecturers facing accessibility barriers.
- Clause Bank: Pre-approved accessibility clauses for procurement contracts.
- Risk Assessment Framework: A structured approach to evaluating accessibility-related risks.
- Legislation and Standards: A reference guide for relevant Australian accessibility laws and ICT standards.
- Understanding ACRs and VPATs): Practical guidance on assessing vendor-supplied Accessibility Compliance Reports.
To guide implementation, Intopia later led six webinars for university procurement teams on the guide and its application. These were hosted by CAUDIT. This ensured universities effectively integrated the guidelines into procurement processes.
Explore the Accessible ICT Procurement Guide.
The impact: A tangible shift towards inclusive procurement practices
The project delivered:
- Stronger Accessibility Advice: Universities now have a structured resource to ensure their digital tools and platforms are accessible.
- Informed Procurement Decisions: Procurement teams can make more informed choices with clear accessibility criteria.
- Wider Adoption Across Universities: The Guide has been embraced by multiple institutions, embedding accessibility in procurement culture
A model for accessible university procurement
The partnership between ADCET, CAUDIT, and Intopia was key to the project’s success. The Project Reference Group ensured diverse perspectives were considered, leading to a well-rounded, effective guide. This included staff and students with disability from universities, disability advocacy groups, and ICT professionals.
“Bringing people together collectively is really powerful. You gain a deeper understanding of the bigger picture and the problems, then work towards creative solutions”, Darlene shared.
The Accessible ICT Procurement Guide is an essential resource for Australian universities, ensuring accessibility is embedded at every stage of procurement. Having Intopia’s expertise in accessibility and project coordination was key to the guide’s success.
“Having Intopia’s knowledge and skills is a key part of why the accessibility guide was so good. Your project coordinators were professional and fully engaged, keeping us on track throughout. There were lots of moving parts and you continued to effectively move us to the outcome”.
We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a more accessible education sector and to collaborate with organisations committed to driving lasting change.