Accessibility strategies of boardN.I.
17.—(1) Each board shall prepare, in relation to controlled schools under its management—
(a)an accessibility strategy;
(b)further such strategies at such times as may be prescribed.
(2) An accessibility strategy is a strategy for, over a prescribed period—
(a)increasing the extent to which disabled pupils can participate in the schools' curriculums;
(b)improving the physical environment of the schools for the purpose of increasing the extent to which disabled pupils are able to take advantage of education and associated services provided or offered by the schools; and
(c)improving the delivery to disabled pupils—
(i)within a reasonable time, and
(ii)in ways which are determined after taking account of their disabilities and any preferences expressed by them or their parents,
of information which is provided in writing for pupils who are not disabled.
(3) In preparing its accessibility strategy, a board shall have regard to—
(a)the need to allocate adequate resources for implementing the strategy; and
(b)any guidance issued by the Department as to—
(i)the content of an accessibility strategy;
(ii)the form in which it is to be produced; and
(iii)the persons to be consulted in its preparation.
(4) An accessibility strategy shall be in writing.
(5) Each board shall—
(a)keep its accessibility strategy under review during the period to which it relates and, if necessary, revise it; and
(b)have regard to any guidance issued by the Department as to compliance with the requirements of sub-paragraph (a).
(6) It is the duty of each board to implement its accessibility strategy.
(7) A board shall—
(a)if asked to do so by the Department, give to the Department a copy of its accessibility strategy;
(b)if asked to do so by any other person, make a copy of its accessibility strategy available for inspection at such reasonable times as it may determine.
(8) In this Article “disabled pupil”, in relation to a school, includes a disabled person who may be admitted to the school as a pupil.