SEND Local Offer accessibility

To make sure Somerset’s SEND Local Offer is accessible to all, we need to focus on helping people to get there by removing barriers to viewing the Local Offer website.

Our data shows that whilst most areas of Somerset are at low risk of digital exclusion, there are still some communities at a high risk. This risk is bigger in areas with larger numbers of people living with a disability which limits day to day activity. So, we have put in place ways for families to access the Local Offer website if they do not have internet access or a computer at home.

The Local Offer website can be used with computers, tablets and smartphones across different operating systems and browsers.

We have

• free Wi-Fi available in libraries for anyone to use called People’s Network.
• computers available in libraries. These include a software called Supernova Access Suite which helps users with visual impairments using features including magnification, text reading and the ability to change the colours shown on screen
• courses to learn skills that are needed to use a computer – offered through Spark iT and Learn My Way

Library staff have been trained to offer help where appropriate or offer options for learning they can do using the library computers.