Communications

Overall aim

Disabled people have equal access to the information they need to make informed choices about all aspects of their lives. All public communications use appropriate language, imagery and tone, reflecting disabled people's equality in society.

Achievements from 2005 to 2009

• Since launching in 2004,www.direct.gov.uk (external link) has expanded to provide over 250 pages of information specifically for disabled people.
• In 2006 the Blue Badge map was launched online, with improvements in 2008 to enable access via mobile phones. Disabled people can use the map, not just to find Blue Badge parking bays, but also accessible public toilets, train stations, football stadia and beaches.
• Development of an innovative accessible media player (external link), which will improve the accessibility of video online.
• The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) introduced an accessibility standard as part of the Public Information Review to look at communications, channels and language. This is being rolled out to all DWP staff.
• 'Employ ability' campaign (external link) launched to change the attitudes of medium-sized businesses towards employing disabled workers, and provide practical information and support to help businesses to employ and retain disabled people in their workforce.
• Set up of 'Significan't' (external link), a government-funded user-led social enterprise providing 'SignVideo' - instant and high quality sign language interpretation via videophone.

Next steps on our strategy

• Further develop the Images of Disability campaign (external link) to improve the attitudes, standards and practice of government communicators and other groups towards disabled people.
• Work with disabled people to further improve the relevance and usefulness of Directgov (external link).
• Develop communications to encourage health and social care practitioners to adopt an independent living approach in their work with disabled people.
• All websites of central government departments will meet minimum government online accessibility standards (WCAG 1.0 AA) by December 2009.
• Websites owned by central government executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies will conform to minimum government online accessibility standards (WCAG 1.0 AA) by March 2011.
• Develop strategy to ensure disabled people are able to participate online on an equal basis with non-disabled people.

• Article 9 - accessibility
• Article 21 - freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information

• 1.1 (awareness building and attitude changing programme to create support for an independent living approach).
• 1.2 (communicate Independent Living messages to practitioners).
• 1.3 (communication materials to practitioners).
• 1.4 (communicate Independent Living messages to users and potential users of services and carers).
• 1.5 (focus on specific communication needs of different groups of disabled people, including black and minority ethnic (BME) communities and older people).
• 11.2 (involving disabled parents in all activities relating to supporting families).
• 11.2.1 (accessible information for parents).