Information Checklist
This document contains checklists. If you require the checklists in an alternative format please contact the Access and Inclusion Branch on 9426 9200.
This checklist relates to the following Disability Access and Inclusion Plan Outcome:
Outcome 3 – People with disability receive information from a public authority in a format that will enable them to access the information as readily as other people are able to access it.
Outcome 7 – People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to obtain and maintain employment with a public authority.
Contents
Contents
Aims
Examples
Reasons for checklist
Using this checklist
Information checklist
Part 1 Information checklist
Part 2 Introducing the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Webpage
Accessibility checklist
Issues and actions
Information checklist
Aims
· To identify the barriers that people with disability experience when accessing public information.
· To determine ways of improving the accessibility of public information for people with disability.
Reasons for information checklists
People with disability frequently experience difficulty in accessing public information. The types of disability that impact on an individual’s ability to access information include hearing loss or deafness, impaired vision or blindness or disabilities that affect the ability to learn or think (such as intellectual disability or psychiatric illness). Many communication difficulties can be avoided. It is recommended that a range of communication options is provided so that individuals can use the communication method that best suits their needs.
For example, if written information is provided use clear and concise language, in a font style and size that is easy to read. For people who have low vision or who are blind, it is also important to have information freely available on request in alternative formats such as audio recording, large print, computer disk and Braille.
There are a variety of communication techniques that can be used to assist people who have a hearing impairment or who are deaf. Better Hearing Kits on public counters are valuable for informing visitors that staff know how to speak to someone who experiences difficulty hearing. The provision of audio loops at public meetings will enable people who are using hearing aids to participate. For people who are deaf, skilled sign language interpreters may be arranged by contacting the WA Deaf Society.
People who are deaf or who have a hearing impairment can also communicate using an adapted telephone called a telephone typewriter (TTY). Organisations can communicate with customers who are deaf or who have a hearing impairment either by using the TTY national relay service or by purchasing their own TTY.
All public information should be located in accessible venues and clearly identified.
Technological developments, such as the world wide web, are making major changes to communication. It is vital that web sites are designed to be accessible to people with disability.
Examples of printed information
Examples of the types of information provided by public authorities that all members of the community, including people with disability, may need to access include:
· timetables
· programs
· council minutes
· annual reports
· signs
· maps
· directories
· library books
· brochures
· accounts
· websites.
Principles of accessible printed information
Making information easy to see, read, process and understood increases the likelihood of key messages reaching target audiences including people with disability. If the message is not instantly readable it will quickly be dismissed.
Principles for accessible printed information include:
· Use a plain sans serif font like Arial, Helvetica and Univers. Sans serif typeface is one that does not have the small features called serifs at the end of the strokes. Without these ‘strokes’ the text is easier to read.
· Avoid italics and underlining as it makes letters appear like they merge into one another.
· Avoid using uppercase in whole words as for many people the word will look like a rectangle. Part of how we recognise words is related to their shape. When lowercase is used we have more shape to the word and it is easier to process and recognise.
· Aligning text from the left ensures there is a consistent space between each word, making it easier on the eyes and consequently easier to read. When centred or justified text alignment is used we tend to focus more on the varying point of where the text line starts or the varying size of the spaces between words.
· Ensure text is a minimum of 12pt and 14pt or larger on brochures and advertising.
· Ensure that there is strong colour contrast between the text and background. If the colour contrast is slight many people will be unable to distinguish between the text and the background. Vision Australia has a free ‘Colour Contrast Analyser’ which can assist with checking the colour contrast and is available at www.visionaustralia.org.au .
· Avoid watermarks as they confuse the reader and add another layer which makes the text harder to distinguish.
· Print on matt or satin non-reflective paper. Gloss or shiny paper makes reading more difficult in different lighting.
· Use plain English, short sentences and avoid jargon.
· Use clear headings that indicate to the reader what they are about to read in the body of the text.
· Make sure pictures and diagrams match what is being said in the text and are not over-used.
PowerPoint presentations
It is recommended that PowerPoint presentations are made clear and easy to understand by:
· following the above principles for printed information
· using a minimum of 24pt font size in Arial or Helvetica.
The provision of alternative formats
PDF/Word Format
If the document is in a PDF format make sure it is also available in Word format. PDFs can be difficult for some screen reading technologies used by people with vision impairments. Having a Word version available also assists people who need to increase the size of the text.
Providing information in alternative formats
Information in alternative formats should be provided on request from a person with disability. Information can usually be provided in alternative formats for little or no additional cost to the provider.
The most appropriate alternative format can vary according to an individual’s specific communication requirements and may include:
· the internet
· computer disk
· audio recording
· large print text
· 990RPH Information Radio
· audio loops (with appropriate signage) that are fitted for public meetings and events where public address systems are used
· captioning of any videos or films, including advertisements, produced by the organisation
· AUSLAN (Australian sign language) interpreting service
· a Telephone Typewriter (TTY) or the ACE captioned telephone interpreting service
· Braille, if requested.
State government agencies should publicise that their information is available in alternative formats on request from a person with disability on:
· documents with a statement that reads, "This publication is available in
alternative formats, on request from a person with disability", or words to that effect
· to the community through initiatives such as:
o newsletters/publications
o community newspapers
o Information Radio
o TV announcements with captions for people with a hearing impairment
o notices where public documents are displayed in libraries and other facilities
o informing disability service sector organisations.
Signage
All external and internal signage should be positioned to be clearly visible to people with disability, in accordance with the Building Code of Australia (BCA), Australian Standards, AS 1428.1 and AS1428.2. International symbols, maps and other graphics may be useful. Australian Standard, AS 2899.1, Public Information, Symbols and Signs are also relevant.
Better Hearing signs on public counters
These stand-up counter cards contain information for staff about communicating with people with hearing impairments. It is recommended that they be placed on all public counters. Better Hearing Kits are available from Better Hearing Australia, WA.
Captioning TV advertisements, videos and DVDs
Captioning of government TV commercials and videos became a requirement under Premier’s Circular number 19/01, issued on 24 September 2001. These guidelines now supersede Circular 19/01 and include a requirement for captioning DVDs as outlined below.
To provide equity of access to government public information for those members of the community with a hearing impairment, captions must be provided on all government TV advertising, videos and DVDs.
The following requirements are to be met in relation to government TV commercials, videos and DVDs:
· closed captions must be provided on all government TV advertising including commercials, sponsorships, community service announcements and billboards
· open captions must be provided on all government videos and DVDs when they are:
o being shown in a government office, at an exhibition or trade show, or as part of a public display
o given, lent, sold or hired
o used for training (including community education).
Sponsorships, billboards and community service announcements are commonly used terminology in the media industry and represent different forms of electronic commercials. The word billboard, in this context, is a form of sponsored commercial that appears on TV.
This requirement also applies to video and DVD materials provided online.
Explanatory note:
Closed captions are used for TV programs. They are called closed because you need teletext equipment to see them. Open captions are used for DVDs. They are called open because they are always on screen and do not need any special equipment to see them.
Internet and intranet accessibility
Accessible websites assist to ensure people with disability can access and view your information online. The provision of information and online services through the web is covered under the Disability Discrimination Act (1993). The best practice guidelines used internationally on making websites accessible to people with disability are the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, released by the World Wide Web Consortium in 2008.
The WCAG 2.0 have checkpoints to rate the accessibility of website elements, and each checkpoint is assigned a Level: A, AA or AAA. For a web page to conform to WCAG 2.0 at Level A all of the Level A checkpoints must be fulfilled. For a website to conform to Level AA (higher than A) accessibility, both Level A and AA criteria must be conformed to. Finally, for a website at the highest level of accessibility (AAA), all levels must be conformed to in all website elements.
The state government guidelines recommend that websites should:
· at the very least meet the WCAG 2.0 Level A level for accessibility
· meet the WCAG 2.0 Level AA for accessibility
· ideally meet the WCAG 2.0 Level AA for accessibility to obtain optimal accessibility for all users.
The policy requires state government web content to be accessible for as many people as possible, including people with disability, people living in remote locations and people using alternative technologies such as mobile phones.
The policy applies to public facing websites, intranet and extranets. All websites within this scope are to be compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG) Version 2.0 Level A (minimum) or Level AA (preferred) by 31 December 2013.
The requirement introduced on 1 July 2010 for new and redeveloped websites to be compliant with WCAG Version 2.0 Level A (minimum), continues under this policy. Where agencies have created or redeveloped websites since 1 July 2010 that do not meet this accessibility requirement, then these websites will need to meet the requirement by, at the latest, 31 December 2013.
These accessibility requirements are based on the internationally recognised Web Content Accessibility Guidelines developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
State government agencies must also comply with Public Sector Commissioner’s Circular 2009-02, Website Governance Framework, which ensures a consistent approach to the development and management of state government websites. The framework assists agencies to deliver user-friendly information and services that are aligned to the needs of citizens and business, and ensures that websites project a more unified, positive image of the State Government and the services it provides.
The Website Standards and Guidelines suite of documents form part of the Website Governance Framework. Agencies need to comply with the following documents:
· Website Principles
· Website Standards: Common Website Elements v1.2
· Guidelines for State Government Websites
· Self-assessment Website Standards Checklist: Common Website Elements
· Self-assessment Website Guidelines Checklist.
These documents, the Public Sector Commissioner’s Circulars and the Website Accessibility Policy are all available from the Public Sector Commissioner’s website www.publicsector.wa.gov.au or by email .
The website accessibility requirement for state government websites is set out in the Public Sector Commissioner’s Circular 2011-03 (Website Accessibility) and the associated Website Accessibility Policy.
Tips to make your website accessible
Images
· Ensure your images have alternative (alt) text unless they are purely for decorations. For images that are purely decoration such as a bullet point or border, the alt text should be empty or null. For very long or descriptive alt text, the long description attribute should be used (longdesc). Text should be used rather than an image of text, unless the image is part of a logo or brand name.
· Check your alt text by putting your mouse over the image and a yellow box should appear with a description of what the image is (unless it is for decoration).
· The reason for this is that people with sight impairment listen to alt text to hear what the image represents. Text presented as an image can become unclear when the image size is increased by people, particularly with sight impairment.
Audio and video
· Ensure you have subtitles, captions or at the very least written transcripts available with video and audio content.
· If there is audio that plays automatically on a website, ensure that these sounds can be paused or stopped by the users.
· Check your audio and video has open captions (captions that are available all the time) or written transcripts and that there is a pause or stop on automatic audio on your pages.
· The reason for this is that people with hearing impairment read captions and subtitles. Sounds that play automatically with no option to pause or stop can be confusing to people listening to content.