Sectors

Developments in digital publishing and reading provide the opportunity to ensure that as books are ‘born digital’ they are also ‘born accessible’. This means that everyone, including those of us who are blind, have low vision or another print disability, are able to read regular eBooks and audio books. This is the dream, now a reality for some, of ‘the same book, at the same time, at the same price’.

For this to happen, digital books need to conform to accessible standards, and reading apps and devices need to pay attention to accessibility. Fortunately, there’s great progress in standards and best practice for accessibility, developed in a collaborative and open way at the international level.

The role for UKAAF is to:

• help to explain the needs of people with print disabilities to colleagues in the publishing industry
• to support the publishing industry with successful adoption of technologies, solutions and practices that improve accessibility
• to help raise awareness of accessible reading options among professionals such as librarians, disability support staff and educators.

UKAAF is proud to be a member of the UK Accessibility Action Group, an initiative of the Publishers Association. UKAAF engages with international work groups through the DAISY Consortium.

The Examination Subject Group meets to work on specific projects.  The group holds responsibility for the Best Practice Guidance Document For Producers and Modifiers and will publish this document annually in consultation with the awarding organisations and OFQUAL.  The group does also provide support in the development of policies and expertise to education organisations.

Notably, the group has recently advised OFQUAL on standards and best practices for the development of modified papers.

Members are either Qualified Teachers of the Visually Impaired (QTVI’s), VI professsionals or exam modifiers.

Publications

Best Practice Guidance Document for Producers and Modifiers

• Music – this area of the guidance needs a more in-depth review about the ways in which music is assessed at GCSE and A Level.
• Computer studies – there has been a significant change in the way in which this is being assessed in recent years – we want to look at matching the guidance better to the approach in standard print papers.
• Graphs and diagrams – further guidance for MLP, Braille and tactile products.
• Grade 1 indicators and guidance for their use.

The UK Government is as committed to creating a society that works for everyone, where all are included and can participate fully.  The UK supported the development of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), and was one of the first nations to sign up to it. The Equality Act 2010 (EA 2010) provides some of the strongest equalities legislation in the world to ensure that every disabled person lives free from discrimination and harassment.

UKAAF fully supports the UK Government’s aims and Lord Colin Low, our President, is a well known advocate for the rights of blind and partially sighted people, being himself blind from birth. As a former chairman of the RNIB and sitting member of the House of Lords, Lord Low represents UKAAF interests in areas of public policy.

The EU Web Accessibility Directive (EN 501-349) 2016/2102, implemented by UK The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018, means public sector organisations have a legal duty to make sure websites and apps meet accessibility requirements. UK public sector websites published on or after 23 September 2018 must be compliant by 23 September 2019. Any websites published after this date must be compliant before going live. Public sector websites published before 23 September 2018 must be compliant by 23 September 2020. Apps need to meet the regulations by 23 June 2021. Monitoring reports must be communicated to the Commission and made public for the first time by 23 December 2021.

UKAAF provides advice to public sector bodies on adoption of measures that meet EU Web Accessibility standards, in particular HTML, ePub and PDF standards, which are referenced by the directive.

UKAAF responded to the UK Government’s Marrakesh copyright consultation in 2018. The Marrakesh WIPO agreement aims to improve access to published works for persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled, and presents an unprecedented opportunity for access to printed works for this community. The Treaty achieves this through international harmonisation of copyright exceptions, allowing the creation and supply of accessible format versions of copyright works, under certain conditions, without infringing copyright.

We are currently seeking a lead to form the UKAAF public sector subject area to develop more targeted guidance in this area.

Useful Links

UK Government advice on accessible communications
Making online public services accessible
UK The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018

The UK Association for Accessible Formats (UKAAF) sets standards for accessible formats in the UK which meet end-user needs. The following minimum standards for Accessible Formats for service providers can be used as a checklist by producers, end-users, or those procuring accessible format materials to ensure that these are of an acceptable level of quality to meet user needs.

Detailed guidance is available from UKAAF to help people produce and provide materials which meet these minimum standards.

Useful Links

An Introduction to Accessible Formats for service providers – PDF

An Introduction to Accessible Formats for service providers – DOCX

An Introduction to Accessible Formats for service providers – BRF