JISC

The JISC Technology Applications Programme (JTAP) was a highly focused programme aimed at assisting the HE community to get the best from its investment in IT. To achieve this, it reported on best practice in the community, both within UK HE and on experiences beyond. This enabled the community to learn from each other and avoid unnecessary duplication of effort in introducing, developing and exploiting systems.

JTAP funded projects which demonstrated the application of technology. This may be the application of novel technologies or applying existing techniques in new ways or in new areas. In this way we have been assisting UK HE to be in the vanguard of IT application so as to help maintain UK HE's worldwide competitive edge.

JTAP funded 4 clearing houses to actively inform the community in distinct areas:

• Use of IT to support staff and students with disabilities; and how by considering the needs of disabled users products and services are made more accessible for all users
• IMS standard on educational software; this will ensure interoperability between educational objects at all levels and so assist in the exploitation of educational material developed, and by being involved in its development we can ensure that it meets the needs of UK HE
• Use of smartcards in HE
• Videoconferencing

JTAP identified a number of critical areas where it has been concentrating its effort. These include:

• IT to support the management of HEIs
• Security
• Student Portable Computers (SPCs)
• Computer supported educational environments
• IT to support staff and students with disabilities
• HPC and Cluster Computing
• Standards
• Access to digital information
• Videoconferencing