Bringing together accessibility research and enterprise activities

Elaine Pearson, Steve Green
University of Teesside

Universities are now expected to generate income through business activities as well as through increasing student numbers. One of the many challenges facing us in meeting this demand is how academics can apply their research expertise to income generation and at the same time feed back into their teaching activities. At the University of Teesside, (in collaboration with the University of Sunderland) one way we are tackling this challenge is through the Digital Knowledge Exchange( DKE), a project funded through the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF). The DKE has been granted over £1M for its initial four years of operation.

The aim of the project is to bring together businesses, public bodies, charities and other organisations to support innovation and income generation activities. The rationale is that by providing access to specialist research groups and expertise, we can effect transfer of knowledge that enables business to realise new skills, facilitate joint research activities and support new initiatives.

DKE offers services that draw on the research expertise of the School of Computing, in accessibility, usability, web services, serious games and elearning. This poster will illustrate one particular aspect of this project – the interplay of research and enterprise in supporting accessible online practices.