MPS ACCESSIBLE FORMATS GUIDANCE Introduction: Why produce information in accessible formats? What is the Disability Discrimination Act? What is an alternative format? When should you make a document accessible? What should the document look like? What font size should you use? Publicising availability: How will people who need my document in an accessible format know it is available? Could I use the internet? Put your document on the central database so colleagues can use it What if I need my document to be translated into another language? Planning an event? Producing accessible communications: practical guidance on costs and what format to choose
Introduction: Why produce information in accessible formats? This document offers advice and guidance on how to produce information in accessible formats. More than 1.4 million people in London are disabled and 20% of London households include a disabled person. Disabled people are more vulnerable to crime and more concerned about crime (ref: COI Informability Unit, 2006). The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is committed to providing all Londoners access to MPS information. All MPS information and communication products, such as marketing materials (including leaflets and posters), forms, training manuals, corporate documents, events (including seminars and conferences) must be made as accessible as possible to as wide an audience as possible. Some of our audience are covered by legislation, such as the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995) & the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA 2005). However, the MPS believes that everyone has the right to expect a consistent and comparable level of service regardless of whether they are specifically covered by legislation. In order to achieve this the MPS is committed to ensuring its mainstream printed products are as accessible and inclusive as possible and providing information in different formats when necessary. People who may require information in alternative formats include: People with low levels of literacy Disabled people and people with long-term health conditions Ethnic minority groups
It should also be noted that some people would fall into more than one of the above categories. The way we present information to people will differ according to their individual requirements. What is the Disability Discrimination Act? The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995) gives disabled people rights in many areas, including employment, access to goods, facilities and services. As an employer and a provider of services to the public, the MPS must adhere to its duties. The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA 2005) extends the duties of all public bodies to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. Under the Act, where reasonable, a service provider may have to: Change a policy, practice or procedure which makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to make use of services Provide a reasonable alternative method of making services available to disabled people where a physical feature makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to make use of services Provide an auxiliary aid or service if it would enable (or make it easier for) disabled people to make use of services. This duty affects information and advice about services and could include providing extra help or making changes to the way services are provided. For further information on the DDA, please see/visit: http://intranet.aware.mps/CS/Diversity_and_Citizen_Focus/Disability/DCT_Dis abilityGuide.htm and click on DDA Complete Works What is an alternative format? An alternative format is a version of a document which has been tailored to make it accessible to a specific audience. Here are some examples of alternative formats: Audio (can be suitable for those with visual impairments or those who have literacy problems) Braille British Sign Language Large print Easy read (designed for those with learning disabilities) Video Other languages This list is by no means exhaustive.
Good practice When deciding what formats to use, it is always important to keep your audience’s requirements in mind. Never underestimate the value of face to face communication which, where practical, may be the most effective option for getting your message across. When should I make a document accessible? All information should be made as accessible as possible in its original form. For example, consider using 14 point font as standard so you do not need to produce a standard version and a version in 14 point. If you know a high proportion of your audience will require the information in an alternative format, for example if you know the majority of your audience have a visual impairment, consider producing a version accessible for this audience at the same time you produce the standard version. If, however, you expect a low demand for accessible formats, you could consider making them available on demand rather than in advance. If you decide not to produce accessible formats upfront, you should have a process ready to trigger, where practical, so you can provide the document in an accessible format upon request in a reasonable time frame. Producing summary versions of larger documents can also help to make information accessible and are another good way of making any consultation fair and open. Production costs should not be passed on to the customer, but planned for in advance by the author/owner. How to anticipate the need to make it accessible The best way of doing this is to consult your audience. You could also discuss with colleagues to see if they have any experience of dealing with the same audience. Most boroughs will have access to groups of disabled people who can officer advice. What should the document look like? Tone & wording to use In all information that you produce, you need to make sure that you use wording and tone that is appropriate for your audience. Ensure you avoid jargon, spell out acronyms, explain unusual terms and use plain English. Everyone should follow the Plain English guide: www.plainenglish.co.uk
Design and Layout Appropriate design and layout can maximise the effectiveness of your communication materials:
produce documents that are clear, short, simple and expressed in straightforward language use clear typography, large font sizes and uncluttered layouts to aid legibility and understanding use appropriate photographs, cartoons, illustrations and colourful graphics. This illustrates the contents of the leaflet, and gives a visual cue for people who have limited literacy in their mother tongue use of bullet points and summaries instead of having a complete translation of the original English document. Avoid using large blocks of text. Use a minimum of 12 point font for a general audience and a minimum of 14 point for readers with a visual impairment Use font styles which are clear and easy to read such as Ariel or Univers medium Consider the colour of the paper and the colour of the writing you are using – can you read that colour text on that colour paper easily? For example, it is easy to read black text on a white background but it is difficult (especially for those who are colour blind) to read red text on a green background.
No-one should produce any communications material before consulting your borough/ department communications officer and/or the Directorate of Public Affairs (DPA). Anyone producing communications material should refer to the MPS Corporate Identity guidelines which are available on the intranet: http://intranet.aware.mps/DPA/Directorate_of_Public_Affairs/Publicity/CorpID. htm If any further assistance is required, you should contact the DPA Publicity Branch. Publicising availability: How will people who need my document in an accessible format know it is available? When you produce information in accessible formats, you should publicise its availability, for example on the website, letting special interest groups know, and by raising awareness among staff. You should also consider publicising availability in other media relevant to your audience. This is particularly important if distribution is handled through other organisations, for example BSL videos are sometimes made available through organisations for deaf people.
Ownership Ownership of a document in an alternative format will remain the responsibility of the person/team who produced it. As will the cost of producing it in an alternative format (see Budget). Internet The intranet and internet allow for efficient storage and distribution of communications material. Materials in accessible formats and translated materials should be available on the intranet and/or internet as appropriate. Consideration should be given as to how non-English language users can access on-line information directly from the internet and how those who use screen readers and other accessible technologies can access the pages. Keep it current Information products, such as leaflets, need to be updated when policy changes and you must remember to update your accessible formats too. Sharing Material All items produced in an alternative format should be sent to the DPA Publicity Branch for inclusion on an MPS central database for other parts of the MPS to share. This will help prevent duplication and ensure consistency. The MPS Publicity Branch can be contacted via the DPA intranet pages or the following email address: dpapublicity@met.police.uk (type in DPA Publicity on AWARE). Internal Communications The same considerations need to be made when producing information for an internal audience as with an external audience. If you produce publications for staff you must consider the accessible formats that may be required. Images of disability The MPS is committed to portraying disabled people in real, everyday situations, leading active and fulfilling lives and engaging with others. You need to reflect this commitment if you are including visual images in what you are producing. By portraying disabled people in communications and representing them fairly in your advertising and publicity for example, we hope everyone will come to recognise that they are not an invisible minority. What is an image of disability? A representation of disability in your marketing communications.
An ‘image’ of disability can be anything from:
a photo a graphic a character in a storyline a visual association (for example, a disabled parking bay) an aural cue (for example, a voiceover in a radio advertisement) – disabled people can be heard as well as seen.
Avoid stereotyping by portraying a disproportionate number of wheelchair users and visually impaired people with white sticks. Marketing and communications have so much more creativity and scope than this. See www.imagesofdisability.org for further information. Translation Where printed material in an ethnic minority language is provided, it should be presented in bi-lingual format using both English and the mother tongue on the same page. This allows MPS staff to read the information with the customer. It also allows families to share information where there are different levels of English and mother tongue literacy within the household. The Central Office of Information (a government communications agency) advises that the twelve main recommended languages to get a document translated into are: Chinese; Vietnamese; Greek; Turkish; Punjabi; Hindi; Bengali; Urdu; Arabic; Gujarati; Sylheti (only spoken); Somali (only spoken). Publicity/Marketing campaigns Publicity campaigns are used to communicate specific messages to a specific audience. They usually have a set lifespan which can last from a few days to a number of months. They can include TV, radio or press advertising, direct mail and exhibitions and events as well as printed and electronic communications (on-line communications, e.g. internet, intranet). When developing a campaign, consider the requirements of your audience. You may need to produce information in accessible formats as part of the campaign. No campaigns should be produced without the knowledge of the Directorate of Public Affairs (DPA) or HR Marketing. Exhibitions and events Exhibitions and events, including conferences, seminars and launches, should be fully accessible to disabled people. Careful planning will help ensure all aspects of an event can accommodate disabled people. The aim is always to
provide the same level of service and accessibility for disabled people as for non-disabled people. It is good practice to find out in advance if any attendees will have specific requirements. See Appendix One for further detail on holding an event. No event should be organised or sponsored without the knowledge of the Events Income Generation Unit. Budget The cost of producing a piece of information in an accessible format must be built into the initial budget for producing the information. There is no central budget set aside for producing information in alternative formats. Evaluation You should regularly monitor and review methods of communicating in alternative formats to ensure that information is being provided in the most effective way. Consultation with the various groups of people involved should be included in any evaluation of your communications activity.
Producing accessible communications This section gives brief practical guidance on how to produce accessible communications. The following accessible formats are most commonly used to meet disabled people’s communications requirements. A very rough guide to cost and demand has been given for each format. These are based on likely cost and demand in most situations. It is not possible to give actual costs these will vary depending, for example, on the length of the product, the quantity produced, the deadline for delivery and the quality of the product. Audio versions Audio versions, for example cassettes and CDs, are usually produced from the final signed-off text of the standard format. They should be scripted to make them user-friendly. You will need to consider how best to present any information in diagrams, tables or footnotes. The contractor you are using should be able to give advice. Cassettes and CDs should begin with an introduction giving:
the title the publication date and edition number who the information is from who it is for what it is about the contents (for example, section headings) an explanation of how to navigate the tape or CD (for example, have sections or pages been indexed in some way?) the length.
There are certain phrases that are less appropriate in audio. Make any references in the standard format, such as ‘see page X’, appropriate for the format of the cassette or CD. And any reference to other products should say whether it is available in an accessible format. Where it is the most cost-effective solution, cassettes should be provided in clear plastic cases. The cassettes should display in clear print the name of the cassette, edition and side, if appropriate, on a plastic sticker. Cassettes should also display the appropriate logo on both sides. It can also be useful to include a braille or tactile label on the cassette body so that it is easy to tell which side is which. Cost: Medium Demand: Low/medium
Large print The contents of large print documents must be the same as the standard format, except where page references have changed or reference needs to be made to other large print products. You should pay special attention to make sure the layout is still appropriate, as positioning will change because of the size of text. The typeface should be in clear contrast with its background, for example black text on a white or yellow background. Text should normally be a minimum of 14 point, but ideally in no less than 16 point. Avoid passages of italic type as some people find this difficult to read. The document should be no larger than A4. Generally it is good practice to avoid graphics and images in large print material as they can act as a barrier to reading the text. Paper should not be glossy and should be thick enough to prevent it being transparent and text from the other side showing through. If you want to create a large print version of a document you are producing, you need to get the typesetter to set the document in the larger point size that you have chosen, then you can arrange to get the reset document printed. Cost: Medium Demand: High Braille The contents of braille documents should give the same information as the standard format, except where reference needs to be made to braille products. Any pictures should be described and you need to consider how best to use information in tables, graphs, charts or diagrams. Contractors will be able to advise on layout. If the document is complicated or will be out of date quickly, other ways of giving the information should be considered, including telephone contact numbers. Cost: Medium Demand: Low Videos and DVDs Videos and DVDs can be produced using British Sign Language (BSL), subtitling and lip reading techniques with all speech to camera, depending upon the target audience. BSL is now an official language. If the video is aimed at a general audience consisting of mostly non-disabled people, you need to consider whether you need to produce a separate
accessible version for disabled people. Depending on the likely disabled audience, this could include:
the addition of a BSL signer in a superimposed box in the corner of the screen (care needs to be taken during the original filming to leave an appropriate place) subtitles audio description (a voice over explaining the action for blind or visually impaired people) braille cards to allow blind and visually impaired people to follow the action.
Videos may also be used as an alternative means of communication for deaf and hearing impaired people where a general audience gets the communications through another method. In this case, in addition to the above suggestions, you should consider using BSL signers as the main presenters of the video, who would also speak directly to camera to allow lipreading. It may be useful to get advice from an organisation of deaf people such as the British Deaf Association. Seminars or one-to-one meetings supported by palantypists and/or BSL interpreters may be a good alternative solution for smaller audiences. Videos should be produced using a specialist video production company. Cost: High Demand: Low Easy Read and symbol systems Easy read versions of documents use clear language as well as illustrations, symbols and photographs. Makaton is an example of a system which uses symbols. Easy read documents should be considered for audiences with learning disabilities where standard plain English documents are still too complex. Cost: High Demand: Low Face to face communications Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of face to face communications. A one to one service where possible is often cheaper and more effective than some of the other methods. Cost: variable Demand: High
Suggested suppliers to use when producing accessible formats Organisation Airs Gateshead Central Library Prince Consort Road, Gateshead, NE8 4LN 0191 433 8450 voice 0191 477 7852 fax 0191 478 5986 text inf@airsghd.demon.co,uk Anglia Polytechnic University Regional Transcription Centre Sawyers Building Bishop Hall Lane Chelmsford CM1 1SQ 01245 493131 ext 3175 01245 269488 fax rtc@apu.ac.uk Braille Bureau County Hall West Bridgford Nottingham NG2 7QP 0115 982 3823 ext 3157 0115 981 7153 fax Mencap Accessibility Unit 020 7696 6965 929 7696 5551 accessibility@mencap.org.uk Braille Large Print Audio Tape BSL Video Formats
Braille Audio Tape (including tone indexing) Digital (CD) Large Print Electronic Text Tactile Maps & Diagrams Accessible Business Cards
Braille Large Print Audio Tape
Playback Service for the Blind, Resource Centre for the Blind 17 Gullane Street, Glasgow, G11 6AH 0141 334 2983 playback@btinternet.com Shropshire Disability Information Centre, Disability Resource Centre, Lancaster Road, Harlescott, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY1 3NJ
General advice on accessibility for people with a learning disability Editing and writing of accessible material Focus groups where people with a learning document can provide detail feedback on your documents or services. Audio Tape
Braille Large Print Audio Tape
01743 444599 01743 440000 Transcription Service Transmedia LINK Oxford House Mt. Ephraim Road Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1EN Tel 0870 24 10 772 Fax 0870 24 10 773 info@transmedialink.co.uk Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) 19-23 Featherstone Street, London, EC14 8SL Voice 020 7296 8000 Text 020 7296 8001 Fax 020 7296 8199 Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) 105 Judd Street London WC1H 9NE 020 7388 1266 020 7388 2034 Fax Disability Resource Team 2nd Floor 6 Park Road, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 0AA 020 8943 0022 020 8943 5162 fax mauricepress@enterprise.co.uk Techno-Vision Braille Services Ltd. 76 Bunting Road Industrial Estate, Northampton, NN2 6EE 01604 792 777 01604 792 726 fax info@techno-vision.co.uk
Alternative formats for visually impaired people including Audio Braille Large Print
Will offer advice on alternative formats for Deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people.
Will offer advice on alternative formats for Visually impaired people.
Audio Tape Braille Large Print
Braille transcriptions, Basic large print (Provides Braille transcripts to Capita)
Appendix One: Further guidance on holding events You will need to consider timings of the event to ensure that disabled people can reach the venue in time for the start and leave in time to get home, and make sure there are appropriate breaks during the day. If an overnight stay is required, check whether accommodation is fully accessible to your disabled delegates. Prior to booking the venue you should check both the venue’s level of accessibility and whether disabled people can easily travel to the venue, including whether there is appropriate car parking or dropping off areas. It is not appropriate to ask disabled people to use a service entrance and service lift when everyone else is welcomed through the main entrance. When estimating numbers of attendees always bear in mind that some disabled delegates may wish to bring support staff or an assistance dog with them. As a minimum you should ensure that the venue has:
accessible entrances facilities for assistance dogs unobstructed foyers and corridors accessible lifts to all conference areas, if on different floors hearing loops large-print or tactile signage good lighting accessible toilets near to the conference room.
You should consider well in advance of the conference whether you need to provide other support such as:
palantypists (who can provide real time verbatim transcripts on a large screen) or British Sign Language interpreters (a minimum of two will normally be required).
If so, then this may affect seating arrangements since disabled people wishing to use BSL will need to sit in front of the signers. The palantyping service will require a large screen situated centrally so the text is clearly legible. Be aware that some types of delegates badges are not suitable for people with manual dexterity difficulties. You should give thought to the refreshments you intend to provide and how you intend to provide them. For example, some people may have specific dietary requirements and a fork buffet may be unsuitable for some disabled people. A good way of ensuring you also meet the specific requirements of those disabled people invited to your event is to issue invitation letters early,
requesting details of individual requirements. The letter should offer a choice of ways to respond to the invitation, for example by phone, post or email. If you have any further communication with the person prior to the event be careful to use the communication methods they prefer. Make sure that delegate packs in formats accessible to the attendees are available at the event and consider providing conference materials in other media such as speech transcripts or accessible versions of presentation slides. There may also be requirements such as facilities for assistance-dogs, and accommodating the need for carers or personal assistants to be present. For further advice on events, exhibitions and seminars, please contact the Events and Income Development Unit (EIDU) on TEL NO.