The course is delivered by members and supporters of a local learning disability advocacy project, Speak Out.

The course aims to increase your confidence and to dispel the myth that providing accessible information is the province of specialists. You will have the opportunity to hear what helps and what doesn’t help in producing accessible information.

Using readily available resources you will try your hand at improving the accessibility of your written material. Whilst the focus of this course is producing written information that is accessible for people with learning disabilities the tips and techniques you will learn will help you to produce materials accessible to other groups.

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• describe what helps and hinders enhancing the accessibility of information


• identify helpful fonts, script sizes and layouts


• describe sources of free information and images useful in making documents accessible


• put straight forward tips and techniques into practice


• consider making information accessible from the outset

The Equalities Act 2010 places a responsibility on anyone providing services to make reasonable adjustments to people with a disability. Such reasonable adjustments can include providing information in an accessible format. This course is relevant to anyone wishing to develop their skills and understanding of providing information in an accessible format.

Accessible Information Standard - Making health and social care information accessible

From 31 July 2016, all organisations that provide NHS care or adult social care are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard.

The standard aims to make sure that people who have a disability, impairment or sensory loss are provided with information that they can easily read or understand with support so they can communicate effectively with health and social care services.

Commissioners of NHS and publicly-funded adult social care must also meet this standard, in that they must make sure that contracts, frameworks and performance-management arrangements with provider bodies enable and promote the Standard’s requirements.

Successful implementation will lead to improved outcomes and experiences, and the provision of safer and more personalised care and services to those individuals who come within the Standard’s scope.

The Standard sets the framework and provides clear direction for a dramatic improvement in the ability of the NHS and adult social care system to meet the information and communication support needs of disabled people.

The ‘Summer 2016 update‘, which summarises what organisations are required to do to comply with the Accessible Information Standard.  The update is also available in easy read, audio, video and braille.

There is also a new accessible information guide that has been developed by BHCC to improve our communications with people and help us meet our legal duties under the accessible information standard for health and adult social care services. The standard defines a consistent approach to make sure people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss can access and understand the information they need.

The guidance has been broadened to make it relevant for everyone to use. It includes suggestions to improve the way people communicate face-to-face, on the phone and in writing, as well as advice on producing information in different formats (such as large print, audio, easy read, translations or braille), or providing interpreters and other communications support.