All-Party Parliamentary Group for Assistive Technology

APPGAT report: new regulations require digital accessibility in education

The APPGAT has published its first report: Accessible Virtual Learning Environments. The report makes recommendations to both the government and the education sector to ensure that new digital accessibility regulations are used to improve teaching and learning for all students.   

Education Secretary: technology for ‘access and inclusion’

The Secretary of State for Education Damian Hinds has announced that education technology will be a new priority for his department. In an op-ed in the Telegraph, Mr Hinds “set out an overarching vision for how the education sector can better exploit technology” and he identified inclusion as one of the key opportunity areas for technology in schools.  

Shadow Secretary of State addresses AT in schools

Angela Rayner MP gave a passionate keynote at the APPGAT symposium on assistive technology in schools. The Shadow Secretary of State told attendees "it's so important for everybody, including people that don’t have special educational needs, to understand and celebrate [people's abilities] and break those barriers, and assistive technology will help that. I don’t even think it costs that much: it cost more not to do that."

International Cooperation in Assistive Technology

The APPGAT welcomed the boards of both the British and American assistive technology associations for a meeting to foster closer ties between the UK and US assistive technology sector. Participants discussed the policy and market contexts for AT in the two countries and the roles of sector organisations in promoting trade, international cooperation and effective policy around AT.  

APPGAT meets with Minister

The Minister for Disabled People, Sarah Newton MP, meet with the APPGAT to discuss the work the parliamentary group. In her Claxton House office, the Minister stat down with members of here DWP team, and APPGAT Co-Chairs, Seema Malhotra MP and Lord Holmes, as well as APPGAT manager Robert McLaren and Jonathan Shaw, CEO of Policy Connect.

Inclusive Learning In Higher Education

The APPG for Assistive Technology meet, for the first time, away from Parliament itself - to explore a new model of inclusive learning in higher education. The group held a reception at the Sticky Campus classroom at the University of Westminster, where attendees got hands-on with an interactive learning space that incorporates assistive technology.  

Minister joins meeting on innovation in Assistive Technology

The Minister for Disabled People addressed a packed committee room in the house of lords for an APPGAT meeting that marked one year since the group was launched. The panel and discussion event considered the place of assistive technology in the government's Industrial Strategy. The Strategy aims to “boost the economy, build on the country’s strengths and embrace the opportunities of technological change” - at this meeting we heard the need for assistive technology to be at the hard of this effort

Enabling Play: Assistive Technology and Learning Through Play

A Lord's Committee Room abuzz with assistive technology toys and games! The APPGAT held its autumn meeting to celebrate the power of technology to enable play for disabled children.  

Shadow Children's Minister Emma Lewell-Buck joined a meeting of the APPGAT and spoke passionately on the value of learning through play. The meeting began with an exhibit of assistive technology (AT) toys and games, and attendees and speakers tried out the technology for themselves. Having seen the issues brought to life with the toys exhibit, the group then heard from the Shadow Minister and a panel of experts from across the AT and play sectors.

APPGAT cited in Select Committee Report

The Work and Pensions Select Committee has published its report on Assistive Technology. The APPGAT was cited seven times throughout the report, and several of our recommendations were reflected in those of the committee. 

"You must succeed in this incredibly important work" says Speaker of the House John Bercow at the launch of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Assistive Technology

On Monday 6th March 2017 the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Assistive Technology (APPGAT) officially launched in Speaker's House in the Palace of Westminster. Speaker, John Bercow opened the event with Seema Malhotra MP, Lord Chris Holmes, Microsoft and Hannah Rose following with speeches.

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