Terms of references
To develop an Inclusive soft skill training module for Help Desk Staff and Information Technology Accessibility Policy/Guideline documents
Background
UNICEF works on disability guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which in Article 2 expressly prohibits discrimination of any kind, including on the grounds of disability and also by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), in which Children with disabilities are visible throughout the treaty. Article 8 of the CRPD explicitly recognizes that Awareness Raising is needed to combat stereotypes and prejudices about disability while Article 9 stresses on the importance of accessibility to enable persons with disabilities to realise their potential UNICEF is actively engaged in helping member states to ratify and implement these Conventions.
In 2012 the Information Technology Solutions and Services Division (ITSSD) started a project for “enhancing Information Technology accessibility and support to staff members with disabilities”. The objective of the project is to develop policy process documents for institutionalization of Accessibility features and Accessibility Support in IT products and services, standardization of Assistive technology products, establishment of Long Term agreements with competent vendors for procurement of AT tools, build capacity to Help Desk staff members on soft skill (people skills) and hard skills (technology) necessary to support staff members with disabilities etc. As part of the project ITSSD is taking the initiative to develop “Information Technology Accessibility Policy/Guideline documents and Inclusive soft skill training package for Help Desk Staff”.
The training package should provide overview of accessibility concepts, disability terminologies, interaction and communication with users with disability, general accessibility needs, general ideas and concepts about assistive technology etc. The training module should incorporate ideas from UNCRPD, UNICEF ICT Help Desk support documents, existing training materials related to Disability etc. The accessibility policy and guideline documents should include industry best practices on accessibility inclusion, UN CRPD, UNICEF ITSS documents, universal design principles on accessibility to prepare a policy and guideline document for ITSS division to use during design, procurement, customization, release and support of new ICT services and products.
Purpose of the consultancy
Provide the following deliverables.
1. Develop a Help Desk training package for Information and Communication Technology Help Desk staff members.
2. Develop a policy document on Accessibility inclusion and Support for ICT products and services.
3. Develop a guideline documents for ITSS based on the policy document to elaborate certain aspects e.g. how to utilize UNCRPD, UNICEF policies for accessibility support, Universal product design principles etc.
Expected Result
1. Develop a Help Desk training package to enhance peoples and soft skills and basic technical skills on Accessibility enhancement tools (also known as Assistive Technology tools) for Information and Communication Technology Help Desk staff members to enable them providing ICT support to users with disabilities”.
Format:
The help desk training package will be developed as a transcript in Microsoft PowerPoint with embedded images, videos, sounds wherever necessary. The transcript should be ready to prepare a voice over Computer Based Training package to be published either in Compact Disks or Web in future. The training package will also include an evaluation component at the end of the module. It will have several ways of use by Help Desk staff members: face-to-face, group discussion, online training, webinars and others.
Objectives for the training package:
· To provide a comprehensive understanding of the social/human rights approach of disability and how it impacts on provisioning and using of ICT services and products, based on , UN Convention of Rights for Persons with Disability (UNCRPD), industry best practice etc. UNICEF may also provide training contents that can be incorporated in the training package.
· To generate a clear set of guidelines for the trainees in collaboration with focal persons from ITSSD, PD/Disability section for portraying a positive approach towards users (i.e. UNICEF staff/partners/stakeholders) with disabilities in an inclusionary way while providing ICT Help Desk support in line with UN CRPD, Relevant UNICEF documents, Industry best practices;
· Provide overview on the relevant sections from UN CRPD and other human rights conventions e.g. CRC, CEDAW in regards to the clear understanding of Reasonable accommodation on Accessibility and other relevant items talking about equitable rights at workplace.
· Provide a comprehensive understanding and familiarization of right vocabularies, terminologies, etiquettes, required for interaction and communication with users with disabilities while providing Help Desk support.
· Provide a general overview about disability profiles and appropriate AT tools to enhance Accessibility.
· Comprehensive overview on Assistive technology products/services, used for most disability profiles e.g. visual, hearing, cognitive, mobility etc. General awareness among help desk staff on built-in accessibility features in Operational ICT products and services from major vendors including Windows Operating Systems, Smartphones from Apple, Android etc, Microsoft word, Email systems including Outlook etc.
Target audiences:
UNICEF Information and Communication Technology Help Desk and Support staff members.
2. Develop a policy document on Accessibility inclusion and Support for ICT products and services. Develop a policy document which is in line with UNCRPD, Internal UNICEF documents on reasonable accommodation for Accessibility support, Industry best practices, to ensure due consideration for universal accessibility features in new ICT product and service design, procurement, testing, release and support. Consider Universal Product design principles for new ICT product and service design. Research on accessibility inclusion practices in the corporates and ICT industry and make recommendations in the policy document. Provide guideline for annual budget planning and allocation for necessary provisioning of AT ICT products.
Policy Format: Follow UNICEF/ITSS template for policy documents “Information Technology Normative Documents: Format and Content” CF/ITSS/STANDARD/2010-001.
3. Develop a guideline documents for ITSS based on the policy document to elaborate certain aspects e.g. how to utilize UNCRPD, UNICEF policies for accessibility support, Universal product design principles while
a. Designing a new ICT product
b. Procurement of new ICT product
c. Test and Release of new ICT product
d. Supporting new ICT product and services for staff members with disability.
Guideline Format: Follow UNICEF/ITSS template for policy documents “Information Technology Normative Documents: Format and Content” CF/ITSS/STANDARD/2010-001.
Timeframe: From Jan 2014 – Mar 2014 the consultant will be working 60 business days. Payment will be made based on a delivery schedule agreed during the contract offering.
1. Timeframe:
Deliverables / Duration(Estimated # of days) / Deadline /
Develop a Help Desk training package / 35 / 28Mar2014
Develop a policy document on Accessibility inclusion and Support for ICT products and services. / 8 / 07 Feb 2014
Develop a guideline documents for ITSS based on the policy document to elaborate certain aspects e.g. how to utilize UNCRPD, UNICEF policies for accessibility support, Universal product design principles etc. / 17 / 07 Feb 2014
TOTAL
Qualifications:
· At least 7 years of proven experience in the field of disability, accessibility enhancement, facilitating training, generating training packages.
· Proven experience in writing policy and guideline documents.
· Experience in development of online learning curricula and guidelines in the areas of ICT accessibility, assistive technology and other relevant components.
· Advanced degree in a relevant fields like Information technology , Business Administration, Social Sciences with works experience and certifications in the field of ICT
· Proven background and subject matter expertise in disability and inclusive/ accessible technologies;
· Strong understanding of UN and UNICEF approaches and experience in disability
· Proven experience in the creation and design of learning content
· Excellent writing skills
· Ability to work with minimal supervision
· Comprehensive understanding of Accessibility in Workplace, Assistive Technology for ICT products etc. based on UNCRPD and other relevant Industry best practices
Duty Stations
UNICEF New York Headquarters.
How to Apply:
Qualified candidates are requested to submit a daily rate, cover letter, a CV and P 11 form (which can be downloaded from our website at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html) to with subject line “Accessibility Project”, by 14 Dec 2013. Please indicate your ability and availability to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily rate will not be considered.