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Accessible Information Strategies

Having materials available for voters in a format they can access, read and understand independently is all part of providing inclusive customer service.

Alternative Formats

Braille

Braille is a reading system of raised dots. There is English Braille and French Braille. Grade 1 Braille is the most basic representation of letters, numbers and punctuation while Grade 2 combines approximately 300 contractions. It is important that braillists certified by the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) create any Braille materials you develop for your campaign.

Large Print

Large print uses a set of standards for printed materials that improve readability beyond standard design and formatting. This includes a larger font size (14 to 16 point) for characters plus the use of non-serif fonts, like Arial or Verdana, increased spacing and improved contrast. You can produce simple large print documents yourself in-house, but more complex materials need to be sent to a printer who specializes in large print formats.

Captioning

Captioning translates the audio portion of a video presentation by way of subtitles, or captions, which usually appear on the bottom of the screen. Captioning may be closed or open. Closed captions can only be seen on a television screen that is equipped with a device called a closed caption decoder. Open captions appear whenever the video is shown. Captioning makes television programs, films and other visual media with sound accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Electronic Text

Used with computer synthetic voice technology (screen reading software) that enables people with a vision loss or who have learning disabilities to hear a spoken translation of what others see on the monitor.

Audio Format

An alternative format for people with a vision, intellectual or developmental, or learning disability, and are unable to read print.

Descriptive Video Service (DVS)

DVS provides descriptive narration of key visual elements – such as the activity, participants and locations – without interfering with dialog or sound effects, making television programs and advertising, films, and other visual media accessible for people with a vision loss.

Sign Language Video Format

An alternative format for Deaf voters is to provide information in sign language in video format.

Assistive Technologies and Services

Sign Language Interpreting

Sign Language Interpreting supports communication between people who use American Sign Language (ASL) and people who use spoken English [or Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) and spoken French]. Sign language interpreters are knowledgeable in the language and culture of both Deaf and hearing people. They provide communication in both a sign language and a spoken language and are bound by a professional Code of Ethics. Sign Language is an important component of any public meeting you might hold or participate in.

Real-time captioning

Real-time captioning or CART uses stenographic and laptop computer technology. A captionist types exactly what each speaker says and the dialogue appears on a laptop computer monitor or is projected to a large screen so that it can be read by all participants, including people with a hearing loss. Realtime captioning is an important component of any larger public meeting you might hold or participate in.

Assistive Listening Technology & Systems

Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) are designed to improve communication for people with hearing loss in situations where hearing aids alone are inadequate. Assistive listening devices carry the sound across distance and over background sounds. The desired sound is sent directly into the listener’s ears. Instead of hearing from across the room, sound is heard as if the speaker is right next to the listener and background sounds are reduced. Assistive listening devices include FM systems, infrared systems and personal amplification systems. Any or all of these devices would be a useful inclusion in an accessible office environment.

FM systems send signals from the transmitter to the receivers by way of wireless, designated radio waves. The speaker uses the transmitter or it can be jacked into the amplifier of an existing PA system. The receiver is worn by the hard of hearing individual who can adjust the volume.

Infrared systems use light energy to transmit the signal from the transmitter to the receiver.

Personal amplification systems assist communication with a hard of hearing person who is not wearing a hearing aid. It is a portable one-to-one communication device. A speaker talks into the lapel microphone. The sound is then carried directly to the headset of the hard of hearing individual. This minimizes background noises and the distance between speaker and listener.

Telecommunications

TTY (Teletypewriter) consists of a keyboard and small display screen that lets people communicate by telephone via typed conversation. If both the caller and the receiver have a TTY, the call can take place directly person to person.

Relay Service If one of the callers does not have a TTY, they can still communicate through a telephone relay operator. The operator acts as a communication link by typing what the hearing person says so that it appears as written text on the TTY screen and voicing what the TTY user types. The number for the relay operator is 1-800-855-0511.

It is important that all of your staff and volunteers are trained in the use of TTY and Relay Service.