How to provide accessible information

Questions

1. Who needs accessible information?
2. Why should we worry about the needs of disabled people?
3. What makes information inaccessible?
4. Why is accessible information so important to disabled people?
5. What’s the difference between accessible information and accessible environments?
6. How can I make my information more accessible?
7. This is going to cost a lot of money, isn't it?
8. No one has ever requested an alternative format before. Couldn't we just get things produced if someone does make a request?
9. What is an accessible information policy?
10. How can SAIF help us improve our information?
11. Where can I find information about specific measurements for wheelchair access in and around buildings?
12. What are the new public sector duties under the Disability Discrimination Act?
13. What are the numbers of disabled people in the United Kingdom?

Questions and Answers

1. Who needs accessible information?
   • Everyone.
   • Specifically - 830,000 disabled people in Scotland.
   • That’s 1 in 7 of the population.
     
     As well as people with physical, sensory disabilities, learning difficulties and mental health difficulties, this also covers people with epilepsy, cancer, schizophrenia, Downs Syndrome and many other types of impairment.
     
     A significant amount of these people find it difficult to read the “average” information available from most service providers.
     
     
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2. Why should we worry about the needs of disabled people?
   • Social responsibility.
   • The Disability Discrimination Act (1995)
   • Reaching your audience
     
     As well as having a social responsibility to include traditionally excluded groups of people in our society, the law demands that you do it. In addition, if you ignore the needs of a large section of your target audience, they won’t know about and use your services.
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3. What makes information inaccessible?
   • Design
   • Format
   • Content
   • Availability
     
     Often the design gets in the way. For example, features such as overlapping text and images; small font size; difficult to read fonts; and lack of contrast between text and background can make reading difficult or impossible for a lot of people.
     
     Disabled people often get frustrated when service providers can’t or won’t meet their formatting needs. Even though it’s fairly simple to do – services often don’t provide information in alternative formats like large print, audio tape, braille or an easy-to-understand version.
     
     If the message isn't simple and straightforward or is obscured with jargon, people will turn off very quickly.
     
     It’s important to give as much thought to availability of information as you do to the content itself. If the information isn't displayed where disabled people can access it, how can they possible find out about services?
     
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4. Why is accessible information so important to disabled people?
   • It’s a right not a privilege
   • It empowers people
   • It’s essential for making decisions and choices
     
     Everyone should be able to receive information in the format that best suits their needs. Information is empowering. It enables people to take responsibility for the quality of their own lives. It does this because it helps people make decisions and choices that leave them in control. Accessible, clear and well-produced information is therefore essential to allow this to happen.
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5. What’s the difference between accessible information and accessible environments?
   • It’s often forgotten or overshadowed by physical access issues. Both are essential for social inclusion. Information provision is an area that we are all responsible for in some way.
     
     When people start to consider accessibility, they usually think of things like installing ramps, toilet facilities, induction loop systems and braille signage. Obviously physical accessibility is crucial for the effective inclusion of disabled people.
     
     However, physical accessibility is not the only thing that services need to consider. A service is not truly barrier-free if the information it gives out excludes disabled people.
     
     You might exclude people by not providing alternative formats, translation services or, at a very basic level, clear and well-produced information that is up to date and accurate.
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6. How can I make my information more accessible?
   • Get help and advice - ideally from disabled people themselves
   • Use practical resources to help you improve
   • Raise awareness within your organisation
   • Take positive action
     
     There are a lot of ways in which you can do this and a lot of organisations out there who can help you identify improvements and plan how to do it. In addition, there is a wide range of agencies that provide services like transcription into Braille or audiotape, access to sign language or community languages and advice on web accessibility.
     
     Adopt a “Can Do” attitude. Make suggestions within your workplace and lead by example. Don’t be put off by barriers. Share the lessons you learn.
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7. This is going to cost a lot of money, isn't it?
   • Not necessarily.
   • Start with clear and well-produced information.
   • Identify and offer alternative formats.
   • Decide what formats you will contract out and what ones you can produce in-house.
     
     If your initial information is produced in a clear and straightforward way and is tailored for the needs of your audience, then it is likely that you will include most of the people, most of the time. However, there will still be a need for other formats.
     
     Some formats like braille or audiotape do have a cost attached. The largest cost is for the initial transcription. If you offer braille on request and get it transcribed for one person any subsequent copies are relatively inexpensive. Also braille and tapes can be sent postage free to a visually impaired person.
     
     Other formats like LP, electronic format or using different fonts etc can easily and quickly be done in-house at very little cost.
     
     
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8. No one has ever requested an alternative format before. Couldn't we just get things produced if someone does make a request?
   • No. Take a holistic approach.
   • Plan for alternative formats the same way and at the same time you do for the paper version.
   • Get everyone in the organisation to agree an accessible information policy and procedures to back it up.
     
     Information should be produced in a range of formats that should be of equivalent quality, at the same price to the customer, and produced at the same time.
     
     Just like print publications, other formats such as braille or tape need planning. Many organisations start thinking about non-print versions only after the print version has been published.
     
     It is important not to assume that lack of demand for different formats means that disabled people do not want them. It is more likely to mean that they do not know they are available. Or are fed-up and frustrated asking for the same thing all the time and being met with a blank response or negative attitudes
     
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9. What is an accessible information policy?
   

   A way of establishing guidelines and procedures that help everyone in the organisation to understand and comply with legislation/good practice.
   
   One way of making sure that your organisation is meeting the needs of all its customers is to adopt an accessible information policy. This means setting yourself some guidelines to help you meet the needs of disabled people. Whether they are potential or current customers, clients, students or employees.
   
   Accessible information guidelines will help to ensure that an even approach is taken throughout your organisation. You can get started by looking at the legislation and good practice guidelines such as those produced by SAIF and others. Remember that every organisation is different. They have different structures that can support change or create barriers.

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10. How can SAIF help us improve our information?
    • With a range of free resources that try to summarise legislation and explain the issues in straightforward language e.g.
    • Standards for Disability Information & Advice Provision;
    • Guides, booklets and factsheets covering aspects of accessible information;
    • This website: saifscotland.org.uk
    • Tailored advice and guidance

11. Where can I find information about specific measurements for wheelchair access in and around buildings?

For general information you can download a copy of The Access Guide in pdf format here. The Access Guide is a useful wall chart that gives general good practice guidance on access issues for public buildings.  Using clear diagrams and best practice measurements the wall chart covers design for parking, entrances and crossings, doorways, toilets and controls.  It is designed to be a large wall poster and, for best results, should be printed on at least A3 size paper.  Alternatively you can phone SAIF on 0141 226 5261 for copies to be sent out free of charge or by email to

The Access Guide is the result of a partnership between UPDATE, The Centre for Inclusive Living in Glasgow, Margaret Blackwood Housing Association, Margaret Blackwood Technical Consultants and SAIF.

 

For more specific information you might try the Centre for Accessible Environments .  This website provides checklists with detailed information, for example for drop-down support rails and mirrors in accessible toilets.

For information on the British Standards Code of Practice for the Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people, (BS 8300:2001) go to the

British Standards website.

Inclusive Design Guidance

A Planning Advice Note on inclusive design has been published, April 2006.  It looks at how to improve the design of places so that they can be used by everyone - regardless of age, gender or disability.

The Planning Advice aims to:

• explain the importance of inclusive design
• identify the nature of the problems experienced in designing inclusive environments
• describe the legislative context
• outline the roles of the different stakeholders in delivering inclusive design
• identify the particular challenges of applying inclusive design to the historic environment
• provide a useful reference list of more detailed or technical advice.

The Planning Advice Note on Inclusive Design is available here
or can be obtained from the planning helpline at the Scottish Executive by calling 08457 741741

12.  What are the new public sector duties under the Disability Discrimination Act?

The Disability Equality Duty affects all public bodies from local councils to government departments, from universities to hospitals.  The law says they must now actively promote disability equality. 

This new legal duty will mean that any public body will need to actively look at ways of ensuring that disabled people are treated equally.  A similar duty was introduced on race equality a couple of years ago.

The new law requires organisations across the public sector to be proactive in ensuring that disabled people are treated fairly.

However, this duty is not necessarily about changes to buildings or adjustments for individuals, it's all about including equality for disabled people into the culture of public authorities in practical and demonstrated ways.  This means including disabled people and disability equality into everything from the outset, rather than focusing on individualised responses to specific disabled people.

For a much fuller description of the duties visit the Equality and Human Rights Commission website.

13.  What are the numbers of disabled people in the United Kingdom?

Estimates of the numbers of disabled people in Britain have recently been updated by the Department for Work and Pensions.  New estimates, from 2003-2004, show that there is a total of 10.1 million disabled children and adults in Britain, 9.5 million of those are adults.  The annual spending power of disabled people remains at £80 billion a year.

The estimate covers people with longstanding illness, disability or who have a significant difficulty with day-to-day activities.  Everyone in these groups would be protected by the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA),  however, it is not the total number of people covered by the DDA.