Last modified
$Date: 28th March 2007
Choosing the right organisation to provide you with information, advice and support around the Disability Discrimination Act is critical - as with many pieces of legislation there are many issues which need to be considered beyond what is actually contained in its text.
A reliable service will have all of the necessary skills and experience required to ensure that you are given complete and sound advice.
The following is a brief outline of what you should, and shouldn't, be looking for to ensure that both your needs and the needs of your disabled customers or employees are met.
The Disability Discrimination Act is not a compliance based piece of legislation. Each case is decided on its own merits when, and if, it reaches a court.
The quickest and easiest way to see if a website is accessible is to look for an access statement or symbols which are found at the bottom of this and every other page on the ask-nimbus website.
The use of things like background pictures, which interfere with the contrast of the text, and the use of serif fonts, like times new roman, will potentially make using a website very difficult for some disabled people.
If an organisation seems to have simply tagged on disability related services to their main function in order to profit from the Disability Discrimination Act - you would really need to question their ability to provide you with a decent holistic service.
A service with access issues on their website may in fact be breaching the Disability Discrimination Act themselves.
If an organisation seems to have simply tagged on disability related services to their main function in order to profit from the Disability Discrimination Act - you would really need to question their ability to provide you with a decent holistic service.
If all you see is lists of quotes from legislation and building regulations you only get half a service for the same price.
Or anything which portrays disabled people as objects of sympathy or pity. Any of these would signify a far from adequate understanding of disability, disabled people and therefore the DDA. Not only that, but using services like this could actually end up worsening your ability to meet the Disability Discrimination Act and therefore put you at greater risk of having action bought against you.
If you want to know why these phrases are significant then we recommend you attend our Disability Equality Training course
It stands to reason that you should choose a disability related consultant who actually understands disability, impairment and Disabled People
You should really use a disabled person themselves but you need to ensure that they have the experience and understanding to provide you with a well balanced holistic opinion - not someone with their own axe to grind.
Access to websites is a big issue at the moment and accreditation and quality assurance is easily obtained for the right websites. People with visual impairments can have some considerable difficulty in accessing some sites, but certain software can enable them to access the information. Some web designs mean this software doesn't work.
You may only use one service, but you have the confidence that they have the experience and understanding to draw upon to make that one service the best you can expect.
There are reams and reams of good practice advice and solutions provided by disabled people themselves that will change you from barely complying with the law to you actually adding value to what you do.
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