Challenging myths relating to accessibility and how inclusive practice is such a positive to your organisation
There is now a law for website accessibility in the UK. These are called ‘The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No.2) Accessibility Regulations 2018’ and implement the EU Directive on the accessibility of public sector websites and mobile applications.
If you are an organisation which is funded by Government (National, Local Government), it is expected that your website should reach WCAG 2.1 AA or European Equivalent EN 301 549.
The Government Digital Service have provided resources and sharing opportunities to support organisations to do this. These resources have links to meet ups and information, which you can find on this post.
We at DCN are also here to support you in setting up user groups and help you create and implement your access into your organisation.
Further information Government Digital Service: https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2018/09/24/how-were-helping-public-sector-websites-meet-accessibility-requirements/
There are key dates to consider in relation to this law:
You, as an organisation need to comply from 23 September 2019.
All existing public sector websites (this includes any externally funded community projects by a Government funded i.e. public sector organisation) by 22 September 2020. All mobile applications by 22 June 2021.
| What’s covered | Deadline to comply with the regulations |
| New public sector websites (published after 22 September 2018) | 22 September 2019 |
| All other public sector websites | 22 September 2020 |
| Public sector mobile applications | 22 June 2021 |
Source: https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2018/09/24/how-were-helping-public-sector-websites-meet-accessibility-requirements/
Meet the accessibility standard and provide an access statement (there will be a template for this in early 2019).
Check your website: Does it reach the AA standard?
There are resources on this post to help you. Also it is important test your website via a user group.
We at DCN can support you with developing user groups and there are companies such as Ability Net and those listed in resources that can help you.
There will be a template available in early 2019. Subscribe to https://gds.blog.gov.uk/subscribe/ for further details.
Your organisation needs to provide an access statement to tell the web visitor the areas that don’t meet AA standard and where they can get tools and information in order to make it to AA.
Ensure that your digital project has accessibility from the pre-planning and throughout the project, enabling time to test with users. See link: https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/technology/testing-for-accessibility
There are opportunities here to develop your website offer to increase engagement to your organisation. Your organisation may be in breach of the Equality Act 2010.
There are specific tasks that are low cost and simple such as captioning and use of accessibility settings on social media: https://www.musedcn.org.uk/2017/11/19/captioning-your-films-and-videos-stagetext/ and using captions on Youtube https://www.musedcn.org.uk/2018/06/07/how-to-be-more-accessible-on-social-media-snapchat-vimeo/
Organisations using tweetdeck: https://9to5mac.com/2018/07/03/tweetdeck-image-descriptions/
Using podcasts? Each podcast should have a script, remember to transcribe this as part of your online offer.
There is also new software that transcribes audio information which is available online. Ensure to check for accuracy.
Join the government accessibility google group
Over 800 civil servants with an interest in accessibility from over 50 government departments, agencies and organisations:
> Accessibility Community Google Group
Accessibility requirements for public sector websites and apps
Overview
Making your service accessible: an introduction
Testing with assistive technologies
Running research sessions with people with disabilities
What each role does in a service team
US Gov: Accessibility for teams
Find user research participants
Getting users’ consent for research
Choose a location for user research
Doing user research remotely by phone or video call
Using moderated usability testing
Home Office Poster: Researching Access Needs – who to include when?
Writing content for everyone (Blog)
How to create content that works well with screen readers (Blog)
How to make PDFs more accessible
Why GOV.UK content should be published in HTML and not PDF (Blog)
Accessibility for developers: an introduction
Improving accessibility with accessibility acceptance criteria (Blog)
Home Office Blog: Working together to achieve accessibility
Understanding disabilities and impairments: user profiles
GDS Accessibility Blog: Accessibility and Me Series
Home Office Posters: Dos and don’ts on designing for accessibility
Introducing the GOV.UK Design System
How do automated accessibility checkers compare?
18F Accessibility Guide: Checklist
BBC: Accessibility and Testing with Assistive Technology
Creating the UK government’s accessibility empathy lab (blog)
> What we mean when we talk about accessibility
> Consider the range of people that will use your product or service
Accessibility Community: Community Resources
Cross-government events and training in the User-Centred Design Community: Accessibility
The meetups happen every 3 – 4 months and are promoted in the Google Group
Write ups of previous events
Sensing Culture has been a three-year multi-partner project with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) as the lead partner, and funded by £438,900 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) with one mission at its heart – to remove the barriers that prevent blind and partially sighted people (BPS) from accessing their heritage.
It was born from an identified need within access organisations’, as well as the heritage sector at large, that more could and should be done to facilitate good museum experiences for people who experience sight loss.
Link to information, case studies and films here: https://www.sensingculture.org.uk/
Accessible Conference Guidance
These guidelines and tips come from Government Digital Service:
https://accessibility.blog.gov.uk/2018/03/13/advice-for-making-events-and-presentations-accessible/
Evacuation Plans
What evacuation plans do you have in place in getting people safely out of the building? See: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/422202/9446_Means_of_Escape_v2_.pdf
Assistance Dogs Guidance:
https://www.musedcn.org.uk/2018/01/12/assistance-dogs-uk-information-the-law-and-what-your-organisation-can-do/
For further information on captioning and BSL go to:
Stagetext: http://www.stagetext.org/
Presentations:
Vocaleyes: Making your presentations more accessible to blind and partially sighted people.
http://bit.ly/2M4FCi9
Ensure that handouts are available for neurodivergent people in advance.
Ensure that people are able to record the presentations to support their note taking.
This new report was published in May 2018 and written as part of the AHRC funded Connected Communities project: ‘Around the Toilet’.
Around the Toilet has key findings taken in collaboration with groups of people between April 2015 to February 2018 in what makes an accessible toilet space.
The original consultation group consisted of people who identified as trans, queer and disabled, carers, parents, workers and people whose religious beliefs impacted on toilet use. As well as urban planners and architects in the context of environmental design.
Key Findings (from aroundthetoilet.com) include:
The report features potential solutions and designs, however as recommended in the report. All designs must be in consultation with relevant agencies.
The full report is here:http://shura.shu.ac.uk/21258/1/Around%20the%20Toilet%20Report%20final%201.pdf
Guidelines for Digital Accessibility (including Audio Description on film):
http://vocaleyes.co.uk/services/museums-galleries-and-heritage/resources/guidelines-for-digital-accessibility-film/
This is a great video by our friends at Barclays Access on common accessibility myths which are common across the heritage sector and responses similar to ours.
This is a great film on the importance of inclusive practice in design. Go to our links pages and talk to us about inclusive practice in your museum or heritage organisation.
Terminology is important, because words reflect our attitudes and beliefs. However, some of the terms we tend to use may not reflect how some disabled people see themselves. Using the right words matters.
This is not about ‘political correctness’ but using wording and language which disabled people and disabled people’s organisations working to promote the social model of disability find acceptable.
Some negative terminology to be avoided includes the following examples
Some phrases are perfectly acceptable. People who use wheelchairs do ‘go for a walk’. It is perfectly acceptable to say to a person with a visual impairment ‘I will see you later’. Deaf people are unlikely to take offence at ‘Did you hear about…’ Common everyday phrases of this kind are unlikely to cause offence.
Michèle Taylor,
Disability and Equality Consultant and Trainer
www.micheletaylor.co.uk
Adapted from Manchester City Council’s website: www.manchester.gov.uk/disability/language/