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Accessibility: accessibility is about designing and planning for everyone
This toolkit considers access to:
- The built environment (being able to use buildings and transport)
- Communication (being able to communicate with people on equal terms)
- Information (being able to find and understand information)
You should consider all three areas of access when planning and running your event.
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The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995) states that by 2004 organisations are required to have taken reasonable steps to remove physical barriers that prevent people with disabilities gaining access to their services. *In April 2005 a new Disability Discrimination Act was passed by Parliament, which amends or extends provisions in the DDA 1995. Some of the new laws came into force in December 05 and other changes in Dec 06. The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) website has further information.
Access is not just about providing a ramp for wheelchair users. It is about creating an environment that everybody feels comfortable using. This includes people with impairments, such as deaf, deaf-blind and hearing impaired people, people with learning difficulties, people with mobility impairments (including elderly people), wheelchair users, blind and visually impaired people and people with sensory impairments, epilepsy and dyslexia. It also includes, people with pushchairs and people whose first language is not English.
“Everyone has the right to freely participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.” Universal declaration of human rights article 27 (1948).
Access is important to all people and everybody will benefit from a well-designed accessible arts event.
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Disability and accessibility:
People are not disabled by their impairments but by the environment and society in which they live.
- The built environment creates many barriers for people. Design can stop many people from entering a building or using transport.
- Negative or patronising attitudes stop people from doing things. Society disables people by judging how they should live and behave.
- Lack of information disables people. A person who cannot access information is seriously disadvantaged.
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This toolkit uses the social definition for disability, i.e. disability is social restriction rather than individual impairment.
Accessible Arts Toolkit Home
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