forum home page > BCIDN > Guides > EU Report > Access to services

Broadcasting and Creative Industries Disability Network

Disabled Access to Broadcast Services

As a broadcaster you need to consider how disabled people can access the whole range of your services, not just your programmes. There are now a number of broadcasters who use some or all of the following ways to ensure that disabled people can fully access their services:

Programme Support

Listeners and viewers are regularly invited to telephone for fact-sheets, further information, advice, and merchandise. They're also often signposted to web sites associated with specific programmes. Broadcasters need to ensure that all such programme support features are fully accessible to disabled people.

If you're promoting a telephone number, then highlight any fax and text-phone numbers for people with communication difficulties, or sensory impairments. You should offer support materials in alternative formats (such as audiotapes, or electronic or large print versions of any leaflets or literature). You don't have to provide exactly the format requested. For example, a visually impaired listener might request a fact-sheet in Braille, but on discussion the listener might agree that an audiotape would be a reasonable alternative, or a computer disc that they can put into their own computer, which will be read by voice-recognition software.

Access to Programmes

Watching television can be very difficult for many viewers who are deaf or have partial hearing, and for viewers who are blind or partially sighted. The numbers of people with sight or hearing impairments is increasing as populations age, so a high percentage of your audience would welcome additional services, even if they do not consider themselves disabled. There are 3 types of access services that can make viewing both possible and enjoyable. These are:

Audio Description

Audio description is an additional narration that describes visual appearance and action, enabling blind or partially sighted people to enjoy visual art, TV, film, theatre or other live events.

The audio description is carefully interspersed around the soundtrack/main narrative so as not to interfere with dialogue. It is added on after the film is completed. This is easy in the case of DVDs, but for videos a separate audio described video needs to be produced.

Even if you are not involved in the audio description of your programme, it is good practice to think about the visually impaired members of your audience when putting the programme together. Try to avoid or minimise the use of captions on screen with no voice-over, and where possible ensure both subtitles and voice-over for foreign language contributors.

If you've never experienced audio description you can try it at www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/closep/audiodescription_guideto.shtml

Signing

Viewers who are Deaf or have partial hearing and who use Sign Language to communicate can access certain TV programmes in which a sign language interpreter appears on screen (usually in a box in part of the screen) and explains what is being said.

Sub-titling

Sub-titling is where the text of speech appears on the TV screen. This is commonly used for foreign language productions, but when provided for deaf and hearing impaired viewers sub-titles might also include a description of sound effects or brief details of music tracks.

Phone-ins

Whenever the public is given an opportunity to voice opinions in a programme such as a phone-in, it is crucial that disabled people are not excluded. Phone-ins not only present a barrier for deaf people, but also for people with speech impairments and for people with learning difficulties. This can be overcome by use of fax and e-mail, but remember that, when a fax or an e-mail is being used as a substitute for speaking on the phone, the producer has to think carefully before editing the message. It should be treated as far as possible in the same way as the spoken word, vetted for expletives and cut off if it is too long. To help people judge how much to write, clear instructions should be given as to length, based on the longest contribution that could reasonably be included in spoken form.

Of course, if people are being canvassed for views, or being asked to respond in some way during or to a programme, an alternative to the telephone such as fax and e-mail should be available as an accessible option. A text service can also be provided for hearing impaired people to send messages via their mobile phones, or use a telephone Relay Service.

Websites

All websites need to be accessible for disabled people but unfortunately the majority of websites are not. It is not just disabled people who find web access difficult. Computer users can set their own preferences on Web browsers for size of text, colour of screen and typeface. To avoid making this necessary for disabled audiences, website designers should follow principles of clear print design and in addition:

For the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Accessibility Guidelines see www.cast.org

For further information on producing other accessible information including websites, the Employers Forum on Disability publishes various guides

See also PAS 78:2006 Guide to good practice in commissioning accessible websites available from the DRC website