Media Biography – Ian Litterick
Ian Litterick – Founder and Executive Chairman
Ian founded iansyst in 1983, initially selling programs to teach people to use computers, and then software for training and education.
iansyst’s history and vision:
Over the last 13 years, with the support of colleagues, he has established iansyst as the leader in dyslexia awareness and support through technology. Ian’s vision for the future is for iansyst to be a one-stop-shop providing information, services and technologies for a broad range of disabilities.
Dyslexia as a condition and impact of assistive technologies:
With over 25 year’s experience of computers to support disabilities, Ian has developed a deep and thorough understanding of special educational needs and the role technology has in assisting development and bridging the learning divide.
Current academic dyslexia research:
As a member of the British Dyslexia Association’s New Technologies Committee (BDANTC), Ian provides expert advice on improving awareness of technological solutions for dyslexic difficulties. He also takes an interest in various policy and Government initiatives on areas such as copyright which affect people with dyslexia.
Ian is passionate about the provision of alternative formats to meet the needs of people with reading impairments, including those with Visual Impairments. He created iansyst’s policy, which aims to set down standards for alternative format provision for all suppliers and partners iansyst works with. Ian believes in order to achieve this, the following is required: proper training and standards for authors, better synthetic speech rendering, and improvements in electronic reader technology.
Campaigns such as Right to Read:
Ian represents the British Dyslexia Association’s New Technologies Committee (BDANTC) on the Right to Read Campaign steering committee, which is led by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and promotes the accessibility needs of people with reading impairments. Ian works with the group to campaign for everyone in the UK to have the right to read the same books at the same time and for the same price.
Skills and Experience:
Ian has a degree from Oxford, a Diploma in Social Administration from London School of Economics (LSE) and an MBA from one of the world’s leading and largest graduate business schools: INSEAD in France. He is a member of various campaigning and membership organisations concerned with dyslexia, disabilities, computers and technology.
created by: Jan Taylor
published on: 10 Jun 2009
