Media & Disability

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Guide on media & disability

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.