Accessible Information project

Beginning Spring 2006

Aims

This project is about improving access to public open space through the development and dissemination of accessible information. Involving people will be an important part of the work. People with learning difficulties, sensory impairments, physical disabilities, as well as young and older people, will be involved in planning and producing accessible information that can be used to make environments more accessible for everyone. The work will involve collaboration with the Eden Project, Westonbirt Arboretum and Sheffield City Council.

Background

The overall aim is to improve the quality of life of people who experience disadvantage through disability or age. In particular, the project will open up opportunities for disabled and older people to use, enjoy and actively participate in greenspace.

Our work targets the organisations and groups responsible for designing and managing areas of public and community greenspace. By improving the quality of their work in developing inclusive and accessible approaches, we bring lasting benefits to disabled and older people. From experience we know that most service providers want to improve the accessibility of their work but need help. The Disability Discrimination Act and awareness of the increasing proportion of older people in society (approx. 1 in 5) is already prompting more investment in access improvements. There is a critical need to support this increased motivation with access to advice, information and sharing of problems and ideas.

The work involved

The work is focused on a three year programme, involving the following main activities:

1. Provide guidelines, fact sheets and tools to demonstrate the value and importance of accessible information, illustrate examples of good practice and to give practical instructions on how to produce it. This will give service providers (e.g. greenspace managers) better understanding of the importance of accessible information for people with a range of disabilities, leading to production of accessible information by environmental organisations.

2. Involve disabled people in focus groups to identify their information needs, and in user-testing to evaluate pilot materials. This will give people the chance to influence design and planning decisions, and therefore the guidelines and products will be based on the real, not assumed, needs of disabled people. Also, it will create new consultation tools for organisations and service providers to use, creating ongoing links between service providers and disabled people.

3. Develop new materials such as tactile maps and models to provide examples of good practice for designers and managers to follow. As a result, carers, support workers, families and friends of disabled people will be better able to plan outings, activities and learning support. As the use of such models becomes more commonplace, the general public will be more aware of diversity and the communication needs of different people.

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