Making information accessible

Information provision is a one-way relationship in which government disseminates information to citizens and clients. Providing information which can be received and understood by the range of people who are being targeted is fundamental to the effectiveness of any engagement process.

The following information is provided to increase the accessibility of information provision strategies for people with a disability and the broader disability sector.

Language

Words convey not only an intended message but also our perceptions, values and feelings about our topic and our audience. Our choice of words also influences the way our audience will react to our message. Statements such as ‘the disabled are difficult to consult’ and ‘isn’t it great that those brave wheelies came along?’ create frustration and despair among people with a disability, their families and carers and the broader sector as they fail to recognise and value people as people and assume all people with a disability have the same level of ability to participate.

The language used to collectively describe people with a disability has historically been negative and depersonalising. More recently, attempts have been made to restore some balance by portraying overly positive and heroic messages about people with a disability. Today, the goal is for people with a disability to be portrayed as individuals who are generally leading ordinary lives.

Table 2 summarises some commonly used terms and more appropriate alternatives. Given the dynamic nature of language and the diversity of the disability sector it is important to talk with key stakeholders about what they consider to be appropriate language for a particular engagement process.

Disability Services Queensland has published A way with words Guidelines for the portrayal of people with a disability, which is available online at www.disability.qld.gov.au. This document provides more detailed information about appropriate language for communicating with and portraying people with a disability and also provides guidance on appropriate words, terms and phrases.

Written materials

Government agencies regularly use written tools to share information with stakeholders. A ‘plain English’ writing style may benefit people who have some difficulty reading. An ’easy English’ style is more appropriate for people who have greater difficulty reading. One instance where it might be appropriate to use easy English is if a larger proportion of the target audience has an intellectual disability. To ensure written materials can be read by as many people as possible, the following guidelines are recommended:

Plain English

• make information available in alternative formats on request, e.g. Braille, large font, screen reader
• use a sans (without) serif font
• use a minimum of 11 point font
• black type on white or off-white background is optimal, however, other contrasting colours may be appropriate
• use short sentences
• include headings which guide a reader through the topics covered
• paragraphs should only cover one idea and be shorter than five lines
• insert spaces between paragraphs
• use positive terms and avoid double negatives
• use direct language (e.g. address readers as ‘you’)
• avoid jargon
• use examples to illustrate key points
• do not use watermarks or pictures behind text
• use italics, underlining and other stylistic embellishments sparingly
• include detailed background or supporting materials as attachments rather than in the body of the text
• use cartoons, diagrams, pictures and symbols to support textual information
• for consultation papers, include the consultation questions and space for responses as an attachment. (Include open-ended questions in consultation.)
• include a tear-off section for people to submit if they wish to receive ongoing information or participate in future consultations.

Easy English

• avoid using blocks of text in capital letters (upper case)
• use thick matt paper so print does not show on double-sided pages
• use at least a size 14 font and larger for posters and flyers
• use only one side of the page on flyers
• use ring or spiral binding for larger documents
• use contents pages in longer documents
• use wide margins justified to the left
• avoid using italics or uppercase
• do not hyphenate words across lines or pages
• ensure text and background colours are contrasting
• use pictures, symbols, logos and photographs to add meaning to text
• use words for numbers one to nine.Use numerals from 10 onwards.

Note: Disability Services Queensland’s Marketing and Communication Branch can assist with contacts to produce these items. Disability Services Queensland has also produced guidelines for creating electronic word documents for people who are blind or are vision impaired.

Presentations

To ensure the message conveyed in a presentation is accessible to as many people as possible, consider the following strategies:

• if videos or films are shown, consider having these captioned to ensure they are accessible to people with a hearing impairment along with a range of others who may have difficulty in following verbal information
• provide a general description before screening videos or films to assist people with a vision impairment to listen and understand
• if speakers are supported by a sign language interpreter, position the interpreter next to the presenter if possible, ensure lighting is appropriate and that the interpreter can be seen by people who are deaf. It may be necessary to work with more than one interpreter for longer presentations to enable them to take breaks.
• provide written copies of prepared speeches, presentations and proceedings to sign interpreters and others who request them prior to the presentation to allow time for the content to be processed
• if the lighting is dimmed, ensure both the speaker and any interpreters remain visible in a lit area
• if overheads or a PowerPoint presentation are used:
  • use light-coloured letters on a dark background or vice versa
  • use 24 point font or larger
  • do not include more than four or five points per slide
  • explain the content of slides so that people who have a vision impairment are able to access all of the information presented including pictures, cartoons, graphs, etc.

Audio tape or CD ROM

Some people prefer to receive information on an audio tape or CD ROM. For a small fee, written information can be reproduced by specialist narrators such as those at the Queensland Narrating Service (phone 3846 1755).

Broadcast media

The Queensland radio station 4RPH 1296AM broadcasts a range of material including newspapers, magazines, books and journals to people who are unable or who prefer not to access hard-copy printed materials.

Note: Radio 4RPH is also investigating podcasts (where interviews and broadcast stories can be downloaded to a personal computer and replayed).

Television advertisements and announcements can be made more accessible by including closed captions.

Electronic information

Many agencies distribute information electronically to reach a wide audience in a relatively costeffective way. To ensure electronic information is as accessible as possible to people with a disability:

• make information available on disk or via email so people with access to specific technologies can transform the information into a format they can access, e.g. Braille, computer-generated voice technology or large print
• ensure materials can be read using a screen reader. Screen reader software uses a speech synthesiser to ’speak’ the information on a computer screen, including text, menus and control buttons. It is best to avoid the use of tables and columns as this technology reads left to right, one line at a time and so will read the first line of each column rather than all of the text within a cell.
• include information on how people can register to receive ongoing information or participate in future consultations
• if information is provided via a website:
  • use plain English
  • provide descriptions of photographs, symbols, etc.
  • provide text transcripts of video or audio messages on the site
  • use contrasting colours for the text and the background
  • use a standard HTML format
  • ensure readers can adjust font sizes, if required.

The World Wide Web consortium has published detailed information on the creation of online information which is accessible to people with a disability. Guidelines can be downloaded from www. w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag20.php.

Telephone and other conversations

Telephone or one-on-one conversations can be effective ways to provide information directly to individuals. The following strategies can assist in making telephone and other conversations more accessible to people with a disability.

People who have a hearing impairment or who are deaf

• Many people who are deaf are able to participate in telephone conversations and telelinks with the assistance of a telephone typewriter (TTY). If your organisation does not have access to a TTY in-house, the National Relay Service (phone 1800 555 677) can relay your spoken message to a TTY user and read you their typed reply.
• If you are meeting someone face-to-face, ask them how they would prefer to communicate and make the necessary arrangements in advance of your meeting.
• Choose venues without lots of background noise.
• Gain the attention of a person who is deaf or who has a hearing impairment, e.g. by touching their arm before you begin speaking.
• Face the person you are speaking with, sit or stand at their level and do not shout or exaggerate lip movements as this will make it difficult for people to lip read if they wish to.
• Write down key words or messages if necessary. Stop speaking while you write as people cannot read lips and notes at the same time.
• The Queensland Deaf Society (phone 3892 8500) and the Far North Deaf Interpreting Service (phone 4031 6315) can provide sign language interpreters to assist people who are deaf to participate in meetings, interviews, etc. When working with interpreters it is important to:
  • speak directly to the person who is deaf
  • seat yourself next to the interpreter, if possible
  • brief the interpreter before the session if possible
  • allow time for breaks, or book multiple interpreters.
• People who wear hearing aids can be supported to participate in meetings, consultations, etc. through the provision of audio loops. Many venues are fitted with audio loops and portable loops can also be hired from some staging companies. An audio loop is a wire loop attached to an amplifier which creates a magnetic field which broadcasts sound directly to people inside the loop who have a suitable hearing aid. The sound is broadcast in its undistorted form and can be customised to the specific needs of each individual via their hearing aid.

People who have a speech impairment

• Talk to people with a speech impairment as you would talk to any one else using a regular tone of voice.
• Be prepared to allow the person extra time to respond.
• Ask the person you are communicating with to help you to use a communication device if you are unsure.
• If you do not understand someone, ask the person to repeat their message in a different way or write it down.
• Do not insult or devalue people by oversimplifying information or denying them the opportunity to express their opinion.
• Do not speak for the individual or attempt to finish their sentences for them.

People who have a vision impairment or who are blind

• If you are meeting with a person who is blind or who has a vision impairment, always let them know who is in the room and let them know if people leave or join the discussion.
• People who are blind or who have a vision impairment cannot access visual cues available to others. Therefore it is important to describe thoughts, feelings and other things which may be going on that they cannot see.
• Do not pat a guide dog without first seeking permission. Guide dogs are working dogs and should not be distracted from their primary tasks.
• If you offer locational directions to a person with a vision impairment, be as specific as possible and make people aware of any obstacles in their path, e.g. the presence and number of steps.

People who have a cognitive disability

• Treat adults as adults.
• Tailor your communication to the person you are speaking with. Gestures, diagrams, photos or short sentences may enable some people to communicate more readily.
• Use plain language.
• Discuss only one topic at a time.
• People may have memory deficits and may repeat themselves, or require information to be repeated
• Choose a quiet space away from background noise to avoid distraction or overload.
• Take regular breaks and/or provide information over a number of sessions.
• Allow time for people to fully process information and develop their response.

People with a physical disability

• Ensure the meeting venue and associated facilities are accessible, e.g. parking and toilets.
• Sit rather than stand near a person who is in a wheelchair.
• Do not lean on a person’s wheelchair as this is an invasion of their space.
• Do not move a person’s wheelchair, crutch, walker or other mobility aid without permission.

Choosing the right technique(s)

With careful planning, most information-sharing processes can be made accessible to most people with a disability.

To ensure information reaches the widest possible audience, it is generally wise to distribute information using multiple formats to avoid any unforseen barriers.For example, while people with a physical disability may be able to read printed materials, some may have difficulties holding hard-copy documents and prefer to receive information electronically.

Consider providing text to existing disability networks so they may disseminate it to their members via regular mail-outs, email updates or presentations to gatherings. Notify networks of any other dissemination strategies also being used to avoid duplication. Networks may also be able to provide advice as to which format(s) their members are most likely to access.

• ^**Many people who are profoundly deaf associate themselves with the deaf community which has its own culture and languages (e.g. Auslan, finger spelling etc.) In this community, the term ‘deaf’ is generally considered a more appropriate way of describing someone than saying that they have a hearing impairment.