Dr Simon Ball

Senior Advisor

Dr Simon Ball leads the work of the JISC TechDis Service in Higher Education, in addition to leading on E-Assessment across the sectors.

Simon has recently launched the paper "Technology Change for Inclusion: 12 Steps Toards Embedding Inclusive Practice with Technology as a Whole Institution Culture" (see www.techdis.ac.uk/getTCI). This paper is accompanied by a briefing aimed at senior managers in HE institutions setting out clear steps they can take to achieve a more inclusive use of technology across their institution.

Simon manages the HEAT scheme (Higher Education Assistive Technology - see www.techdis.ac.uk/getheatscheme) which this year has been funded by JISC. This year's scheme should see a further 34 project case studies released in June 2009, ranging from the use of digital visualisers in creative writing, to the creation of a student usability testing suite and the evaluation of screen casts as a learning tool.

Simon is also involved currently in the delivery of the Online Accessibility Self Evaluations (www.techdis.ac.uk/getevaluated) as well as further developing the JISC TechDis range of staff development and instructional materials to raise the base level of inclusion provision across HE.

Simon is a member of the Scientific Committee for DSAI2009 (http://dsai2009.utad.pt), a conference on Software Development for Enhancing Accessibility and Fighting Info-exclusion.

Simon has authored, co-authored and edited a number of other publications:

• Ball, S., and Pearce, R. (2008) Learning scenarios and workspaces with Virtual Worlds: inclusion benefits and barriers of 'once-removed' participation. In: Kingsley, J. and Wankel, C. (eds.) Second Life in Higher Education. Kingsley International (in press).
• Ball, S. (2009) Teaching Inclusively Using Technology. In Judah, D. (ed.) (2009) E-Learning In HE: Strategy and Practice. Proceedings of the JISC Regional Support Centre for Yorkshire and Humber annual Higher Education conference 2009 
• Ball, S. (2009) Accessibility in E-Assessment. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education vol.34 (3), pp 293-303 http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a794979439~db=all~order=page
• Kelly, B., Sloan, D., Brown, S., Seale, J., Lauke, P., Ball, S. and Smith, S, (2009) Accessibility 2.0: Next Steps for Web Accessibility. Journal of Access Services 6 (1-2) pp 265-294
• Ball, S., and Pearce, R. (2008) Learning scenarios and workspaces with Virtual Worlds: inclusion benefits and barriers of 'once-removed' participation. Proceedings of ReLive 08. http://kn.open.ac.uk/public/document.cfm?docid=12133
• Ball, S. (2008) Design for all: How web accessibility affects different people. In: Craven, J. (ed.) Web Accessibility: Practical advice for the library and information professional. Facet Publishing
• Ball, S., and Sewell, J. (2008) Accessibility Standards are not always enough: The development of the Accessibility Passport. Proceedings of the International Conference on Computers Helping People With Special Needs. Lecture Notes in Computer Science 5105, pp264-267
• Ball, S., and Tenney, J. (2008) Xerte – a user-friendly tool for creating Accessible Learning Objects . Proceedings of the International Conference on Computers Helping People With Special Needs. Lecture Notes in Computer Science 5105, pp291-294
• Ball, S. and McNaught, A. (2008) Round Peg, Square Hole: Supporting via the Web Staff and Learners who do not fit into traditional learner-teacher-institution scenarios . Proceedings of the International Conference on Computers Helping People With Special Needs. Lecture Notes in Computer Science 5105, pp 215-218
• Kelly, B., Sloan, D., Brown, S., Seale, J., Petrie, H., Lauke, P., Ball, S. (2007) Accessibility 2.0 : people, policies and processes Proceedings of the 2007 international cross-disciplinary conference on Web accessibility (W4A) http://tinyurl.com/2p4nsh
• Ball, S. (2005) A Checklist For Inclusive Assessment: Getting Started With Accessibility - paper presented to the 9th International Computer-Assisted Assessment Conference, Loughborough, July 2005. http://www.caaconference.com/pastConferences/2005/proceedings/BallS.pdf
• Ball, S. and Rousell, J. (2004) Virtual Disability: Simulations as an Aid to Lecturers' Understanding of Disability . Proceedings of the International Conference on Computers Helping People With Special Needs (www.icchp.org)
• Ball, S., Barber, C., Buckel, L., Cooke, S., Gulc, E., Mole, J., Sutherland, A. (2003) Inclusive Learning and Teaching: ILT for Disabled Learners. Becta Ferl and JISC TechDis. http://www.techdis.ac.uk/index.php?p=3_10_4
• Ball, S. (2002) The View from Europe: a TechDis perspective on how European initiatives will impact on education, technology and disabilities. In: Phipps, L., Sutherland, A., Seale, J. (2002) Access All Areas. JISC TechDis Service and ALT. http://www.techdis.ac.uk/index.php?p=1_1_7_1
• Dilloway, M., Ball, S., Sutherland, A. (2002) Computer mediates conferencing case study: A JOB project student. In: Phipps, L., Sutherland, A., Seale, J. (2002) Access All Areas. JISC TechDis Service and ALT. http://www.techdis.ac.uk/index.php?p=1_1_7_1
• Effective Use of VLEs (InfoKit from JISC InfoNet) http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/effective-use-of-VLEs/index_html/document_view - this includes a chapter on Special Educational Needs in VLEs written by Simon
• Access To Practice http://www.techdis.ac.uk/resources/files/Accesstopractice.pdf - This publication, for which Simon was on the Editorial group, discusses how to overcome the barriers to practice learning for disabled social work students.
• Accessible Curricula http://www.techdis.ac.uk/resources/files/curricula.pdf - This publication, written by Carol Doyle and Karen Robson of UWIC, was edited and republished by TechDis in 2002 and remains an excellent basic grounding in issues pertaining to inclusive teaching in Higher Education.

 

Contact Details

Simon Ball
JISC TechDis Senior Advisor

JISC TechDis
c/o The Higher Education Academy Building
York Science Park
YORK
YO10 5BR

Email: simon@techdis.ac.uk
Tel: 44 (0)1904 717580
Skype: simontechdis

Key Links

E-assessment
Access All Areas
Inclusive Learning and Teaching: ILT for Disabled Learners
Accessible Curricula (PDF - 804kb)
Access To Practice (PDF - 500 kb)
InfoKit on Effective Use Of VLEs
A Checklist For Inclusive Assessment: Getting Started With Accessibility (PDF - email JISC TechDis for Word version)

Accessibility 2.0: People, Policies and Processes http://tinyurl.com/2p4nsh