On 18 February 2025 Ajay and Craig represented the Rix team at the launch of the report Connect to Success: Technology and Employment Support for Disabled People. The report was written by Robert McLaren from Policy Connect. The launch event took place at the House of Lords with Lord Shinkwin and Sir Stephen Timms MP, Minister for Social Security and Disability.
This report gives examples of how we can improve people’s use of and access to ATech (Accessible Technology). ATech includes resources like voice recognition software, screen readers, reading guides, and recorders. Recently, Artificial Intelligence has been incorporated into ATech to make it even more powerful and useful.
ATech is not just something that it is nice to have. For many people it is the difference that makes it possible for them to do their work and communicate with friends and family. It is life changing and essential. Not everyone has access to these technologies, and this means people are missing out on living their life to the full and having the chance to work.
The Government’s Get Britain Working White Paper was published in November 2024. It announced a new long-term ambition to achieve an 80% employment rate, with 2.1 million more people in work. The Connect to Success report explains how more people could get into the workplace, if only they had the ATech they need.
The report made three suggestions about how this could happen:
- People looking for work should be helped to explore how ATech could help them
- A new national ATech support centre should be set up to share successful projects and get people in the ATech community to work together to solve problems and develop innovative solutions
- When people are leaving education and looking for work, we need to get the right support in place, so people have all the ATech they need as they begin adulthood and start work
Rix Inclusive Research has been working hard to put some of these recommendations into practice over the last few years.
We celebrate the fact that our team includes co-researchers with lived experience of difference/disability who use accessible technology to play an active role in delivering projects at RIX. We recognise the power of lived experience and person centred working, and we build this into our projects, our events, and our software.
For example, our RIX EasySurvey software is a survey building tool that gives everyone the chance to share their views with its easy-to-use, accessible interface. Our RIX Wiki software provides an accessible About Me space that enables people to communicate using video, sound, pictures, and words.
We recently hosted an inclusive hackathon. ATech ideas like our Robo ramp were developed at this event by teams of people with and without disabilities. Our Robo ramp concept helps to make public transport more accessible and inclusive. Having ATech at work is critical but getting to that place of work is important too!
We welcome the Policy Connect report and as members of BATA (British Association of Accessible Technology) we look forward to working together with disabled people, organisations, and Government to co-produce the tools that people need to enjoy their life and achieve their goals.
Ajay’s thoughts
- Accessible technology is really important for me at work – I use a RIX Wiki to create a website that tells people about my life and my skills. I can record my voice on the Rix Wiki to help people learn about my life and my job
- ATech helps us to connect to each other
- It is important to learn how to use ATech properly so you can use it to communicate with people and your voice can be heard
- ATech means that I can work independently, and I don’t need other people to help me do my job