This document discusses accessibility and inclusivity at a university. It provides statistics showing that 7% of students have a declared disability. The Equality Act of 2010 protects people with disabilities and requires reasonable adjustments. Disability is defined broadly under the act. The document outlines ways the university library aims to make its services accessible, such as alternative formats, assistive technology advisors, accessible study rooms, and more. It emphasizes delivering an inclusive service and complying with legal responsibilities to treat all customers equally.

1. Welcome Host
2/3 – Accessibility and Inclusivity

2. The benefits of an accessible service:
Why bother?
•Identify the benefits of providing an accessible
service.
•The Equality Act – how we go about meeting the
legal requirements.
•Delivering a first class service to all our customers.
Welcome All

3. University Student Statistics – 7% declared
Students with Disabilities - 2018-2019
Disability type Postgraduate Research Postgraduate Taught Undergraduate Grand Total
A disability not listed 10 7 99 116
Autistic Spectrum Disorder 12 5 88 105
Blind / partially sighted 1 1 20 22
Deaf / hearing impairment 3 2 39 44
Learning difficulty 1 3 12 16
Learning difficulty e.g. Dyslexia 35 98 860 993
Mental health difficulties 20 36 295 351
Multiple disabilities 6 7 81 94
Other disability 6 8 21 35
Unseen disability eg. diabetes, epilepsy 25 12 163 200
Wheelchair user/ mobility difficulties 8 4 33 45
Grand Total 127 183 1711 2021
Total number of Students 2920 4624 22182 29726

4. Welcome All
Accessibility – why bother?
• People with disabilities form a significant proportion of
the UK population.
• You have legal responsibilities as a service provider
under the Equality Act.
• The reputation of your business is based on the service
standards you offer to all of your customers.
• It’s part of our organisational culture – CSE, etc.
• Morally & socially – why wouldn’t we want to treat
everyone as equals?!

5. Welcome All
The Equality Act
• The Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 & 2005 (DDA) aimed to
reduce the discrimination that people with disabilities faced.
• Replaced in Oct 2010 by The Equality Act 2010.
Gives people with disabilities legal rights in a number of areas,
including access to goods, facilities and services, employment and
education. This can apply to a carer or parent of a disabled person.
• The Equality Act.

6. Defining disability
Under The Equality Act 2010,
disability is defined as a
physical or mental
impairment that has a
substantial and long-term
adverse effect on a person’s
ability to carry out normal
day-to-day activities
Activity – Visible & Invisible
Disabilities

7. Welcome All
What does the definition include? (1)
• Blind and partially sighted people
• Deaf and hearing impaired people
• People who have mobility problems
• People with learning disabilities
• People with mental health conditions
• People with severe disfigurements

8. Welcome All
What does the definition include? (2)
• People with long-term health problems, e.g. diabetes
• People with progressive conditions, e.g. multiple
sclerosis
• People who have been diagnosed with HIV and cancer
• People with manual dexterity problems, e.g. typing
• People with continence problems

9. Other things to note
• Not just those you can see but those you may not
be aware of
• People who have had a disability in the past are
also covered, e.g. episodes of mental illness
• Other conditions where normal day to day activities
are impaired may be covered, e.g. severe back
pain, arthritis

10. Welcome All
What is discrimination?
• Under the Equality Act, discrimination occurs when:
– a disabled person or their carer is treated less
favourably than someone else
– the treatment is for a reason relating to the person’s
disability
– the treatment cannot be justified
The responsibility lies with you as an individual

11. The Law in Practice – Activity p.12
• Reasonable adjustments vs. discrimination
• Discrimination against people with assistance dogs
• Chip and Sign
Welcome All

12. Delivering a First Class Service
Welcome All

13. • Make sure you understand your legal
responsibilities
• Avoid discrimination against disabled customers
• Make reasonable adjustments to your operations,
facilities and services
• Offer customers with access requirements the
same high standards of service you offer to others
• Meet the spirit as well as the letter of the law

14. Basingstoke & District Awareness Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJssu_PAw4w&fe
ature=youtu.be
• Group Discussion – Causes of Offence?
• Removing Barriers Activity – p.14
Welcome All

15. Welcome All
Library Services – Activity
• In your groups take 10 minutes to flipchart all the ways the library aims to
make our service accessible for all.
• Remember to think about all different types of disability

16. Library services and activities
• Accessibility webpages and print guide
• Student Wellbeing
• Extended Loans
• Lockers
• Transition event
• Alternative formats and Sensus Access
Welcome All

17. Library services and activities
• Hardware loans scheme
• Accessible study rooms
• Assistive Technology Advisor
• Height adjustable desks
• Photocopying and retrieval of items
• Liaison work
Welcome All

18. Library services and activities
• Personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs)
• Building accessibility
• Northern Collaboration
• Welcome to Excellence training. Additional learning
resources
• Library Accessibility Group
Welcome All