Media & Disability

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• Guide on media & disability
  • Who Created this Guide?
  • Disabled People as Programme Participants
  • Employing Disabled People
  • Access to Broadcast Services
  • Communicating with Disabled People
    • Disability Etiquette
    • Meeting People who are Blind or Visually Impaired
    • Meeting People who are Deaf or Hearing Impaired
    • Meeting People with Speech Difficulties
    • Meeting People with Mobility Impairments
    • Interviews
  • Adjustments and Aids for People Specific Disabilities
  • Glossary of Terms
• Project Development
• Legislation
• Resources
• Interesting Links
• News

Guide on media & disability

Interviews

• When preparing to interview a disabled person, you may need to adjust your usual arrangements. Do not assume you know what will be needed. Ask the individual.
• Every candidate should be asked if they have any particular requirements in connection with the interview, if they are to do well.
• Although you should be prepared to make adjustments, do not make assumptions about what a person can or cannot do. Disabled people often develop their own creative solutions to work-based challenges.
• Focus on the main task and requirements of the job and the person’s skills.
• Do not be distracted by issues which are not related to work, such as gender, age, disability or ethnic origin.
• Restrict questions about the effect of the person’s disability to those that potentially affect their ability to do the job.
• One might be, “How can we help you be successful in this job?”
• Only ask about the person’s life outside work if you would ask such questions of every other candidate.
• Do not ask, “What happened to you?”

Adjustments for Interviews

Examples of adjustments you might make at an interview include:

• Changing the venue to a more accessible interview room for a wheelchair user.
• Re-arranging the seating or lighting so that a deaf person can lip-read more easily.
• Arranging for an appropriate person to help you communicate, such as a sign language interpreter.
• Allowing the individual to bring an assistant or companion to the interview. They might not want them to come in, so a waiting place nearly may be needed.

Meetings and Events

When planning a meeting or event remember that “access” refers to facilities as well as buildings. It covers approaches, entrances, floor surfaces, lifts, speaker platforms, lecterns, catering and toilets, as well as providing extra time, interpreters and communications support, notes in Braille or on audio cassette, large print programmes and auxiliary aids such as hearing loops.

• If you think there may be access problems, either give advance warning of the problem, or preferably, find a better venue.
• Advertise that the venue is fully accessible, providing relevant detail, or disabled people may not risk coming.
• Make sure reception staff know you are expecting disabled people. Ask them to read this guide and tell them about any particular requests.
• Ensure there is room for people with visual or mobility impairments to move about easily, both at the meeting and when taking refreshments.
• Make sure help, and some seats and tables, are available. It is difficult to sign with a glass of champagne in your hand!
• Reduce or remove any background noise.
• Offer clipboards to wheelchair users.
• Make sure parking arrangements are adequate. Provide directions and, if necessary, valet parking.
• Clearly sign accessible toilet facilities, and ensure that staff are aware of their location.
• Staff should be aware of the evacuation plan, including refuge point and evacuation procedure.
• Ideally, the building should be equipped with a “deaf-alert” (that is, a visual) fire alarm.

Invitations

• On papers that go out before the meeting, ask people to let you know what adjustments they need.
• Rather than referring to “special needs”, ask if people have any “particular requirements”.
• Use a phrase such as, “Please let us know what we can do to make our reception fully accessible to you?” or, “Do you need us to change anything to make sure you play a full part in this meeting?”