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BeAccessible AI SkillsFree Gateway

Start using AI safely and confidently

A free, accessible starting point for non-technical learners.

Free • About 90 minutes • No coding

Your first step into practical, responsible AI

Complete the readiness check, work through two short lessons and keep the starter pack for future use.

Start the checkOpen printable starter pack

AI readiness check

Choose how true each statement feels today. There are no wrong answers. Your result stays on this device.

1. I can explain what generative AI can and cannot do.
2. I check important AI-generated claims before using them.
3. I know what information should not be shared with a public AI tool.
4. I can ask AI to produce clear, accessible content.
5. I have used AI for a real work, study, business or community task.
Lesson 1 • About 25 minutes

AI foundations and the safest place to start

What generative AI does

Generative AI predicts and creates text, images, audio or other content from patterns in training data. It can draft, organise and transform information quickly. It does not automatically know whether an answer is current, complete or true.

Use the Assist–Review–Avoid rule

  • Assist: Use AI for drafts, ideas, summaries and low-risk organisation.
  • Review: A person checks accuracy, tone, privacy, accessibility and consequences.
  • Avoid: Do not let a public AI tool make final medical, legal, financial, employment or safety decisions.
Privacy checkpoint: Do not paste identity numbers, passwords, medical details, private client information, confidential documents or unpublished personal records into a public AI tool without explicit authorisation and suitable safeguards.

Try it

Choose one low-risk task you already understand, such as drafting a meeting agenda, simplifying your own public text or organising a personal task list. Write down what a person must still check before using the result.

Lesson 2 • About 35 minutes

Create your first CLEAR prompt

A good prompt makes the task, audience, limits and expected result visible. Use the BeAccessible CLEAR pattern:

C — Context
What situation or background does the AI need?
L — Limits
What must it avoid, protect or keep within scope?
E — Examples or evidence
What source material or model should guide it?
A — Audience and accessibility
Who is this for and what access requirements matter?
R — Result format
What should the output contain and how should it be structured?

Copy and adapt this prompt

Context: I need a short email inviting small-business owners to an online information session. Limits: Do not invent dates, promises or statistics. Evidence: Use only the event details I provide below. Audience and accessibility: Write for busy non-technical readers, use plain language and meaningful headings. Result: Give me a subject line and an email of no more than 180 words with one clear call to action.

Check before using the answer

  1. Are the names, dates, numbers and links correct?
  2. Did the AI invent anything?
  3. Is the language respectful and understandable?
  4. Can people navigate and understand the structure?
  5. Would sharing or acting on this result create harm?

Keep your starter pack

The printable pack combines the safe-use checklist, CLEAR prompt builder and verification checklist in one low-data page.

Open the starter packContinue to R1,495 Essentials

Get information about the Essentials course

Accessibility Compliance Note

This Free Gateway uses real headings and fieldsets, labelled form controls, keyboard navigation, visible focus, plain language, responsive layouts, printable content and reduced-motion support. Readiness results are calculated and saved only on this device.