Background - Alternative formats

This section includes information on:

• British Sign Language
• Subtitling
• Braille
• Moon
• Makaton
• Audio
• Audio Description
• Telephone
• Textphones

British Sign Language

What?

• British Sign Language (BSL) is the gestural language of the UK's deaf community. It is a language that is completely unrelated to English (or any of the UK's spoken languages).
• BSL is used across the UK, although there are considerable differences in regional dialects. The BSL used in Belfast, for example, is very different from the dialect used in the Channel Islands.
• In March 2003, BSL was officially recognised by the government as being a full, independent language. This recognition has been important for the status that it has given BSL and its deaf users. It also means that money is now being invested in training more deaf BSL tutors and BSL-English interpreters.

Who?

• We do not know exactly how many people use BSL but estimates of the number of deaf signers who use it as their first language range from 50,000 to 70,000.
• Many hearing people also know some BSL because they have family members, friends or colleagues who are deaf, and recent figures from the British Deaf Association suggest that on any day up to 250,000 people use some BSL.

How? Ofcom provides guidelines on signing, including technical specifications.

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Subtitling

What?

• Subtitling is text on screen representing speech and sound effects that may not be audible to people with hearing impairments, synchronised as closely as possible to the sound.
• For deaf people and those with hearing impairments, subtitles are likely to be the most important source of information that others receive aurally.

Who?

• People using subtitling range from those who have become hard of hearing in later life, to those who have been profoundly deaf since birth.
• Many people with good hearing also use subtitles so that they can watch television with the sound muted (e.g. so that they can simultaneously talk on the telephone), or learn English.
• Viewers with a mild to moderate hearing loss are likely to rely on subtitles to aid their hearing rather than as a substitute.
• All of the groups mentioned above are likely, to a greater or lesser extent, to lipread to a degree. Subtitle users reflect the full range of proficiency in English; some profoundly deaf people regard BSL as their first language and are less fluent in written English.

How? Ofcom provides guidelines on subtitling, including technical specifications.

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Braille

What? Braille is a system of raised dots that people read with their fingers. There are around 20,000 people in the United Kingdom who say that Braille is their preferred reading medium. Many more use Braille for labelling.

Who? Blind and partially sighted people who use Braille. Braille is the preferred medium of around 13,000 people and is accessible to over 20 per cent of working age people who are registered blind. Braille readers are often influential and active members of the blind community, passing on information to other blind people.

How? Grade 2 Braille - where common words and letter sequences are abbreviated - is the form used by experienced readers. Get expert advice on converting tables and diagrams. Follow Braille conventions on headings, contents lists, indents and page numbering. For small-scale items, like letters, it is possible to use automatic translation

When? Braille should be provided to those who request it. However, it is important to make an assessment, based on the target audience for a product and how much active marketing is planned about the likelihood of it being requested because it is very expensive to produce.

What else? If you produce Braille regularly, it can be useful to spot check the quality of translation by paying a Braille proofreader. Contact RNIB for details.

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Moon

What?

• Moon is a system of reading and writing in which tactile symbols based on lines and curves are used to represent letters, numbers and punctuation marks.
• Moon is easier to learn than Braille, as the letters are easier to distinguish by touch. However, Moon cannot be written by hand, is even bulkier than Braille and there is very little literature available.

Who? Moon is used by a very small number of people, most of whom are elderly.

How? It is unlikely that you will receive requests for Moon and you do not need to produce materials in Moon as a matter of course. If you do receive a request for Moon, it may be worth asking whether another format, such as audiotape, would be a useable alternative. If Moon is required, contact the RNIB.

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Makaton

What?

• Makaton uses gestures drawn from British Sign Language, words and pictures to explain what is wanted. Makaton is an internationally recognised communication programme, used in more than 40 countries worldwide.
• Makaton symbols support the written word, in the same way that signs support speech.

Who? Makaton was developed for those who struggle to understand the spoken word, such as those with profound learning disabilities. Most Makaton users are children and adults who need it as their main means of communication. Others include their families, carers, friends and professionals, such as teachers, speech and language therapists, social workers, playgroup staff, college lecturers, instructors, nurses, and psychiatrists.

How? The Makaton® dictionary has a reduced vocabulary and works with the rules above.

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Audio

What? Radio, audiotape, audio CD-ROM and online formats. Audio files are generally available on CD-ROM or as MP3 files and are easy and quick to produce. There are also ‘talking newspapers’ and audio magazines, including those produced by the Royal National Institute of Blind People, which can be a good channel for targeting visually impaired members of your target audience.

Who? People with visual impairments, people with literacy problems and members of the mainstream audience who prefer to listen to information.

How? Arrange information in a logical order. Avoid background noise and music. Use voices that are appropriate to the subject matter and audience. Give people time to understand calls to action.

Use Open-i to deliver information in visual or audio format.

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Audio description

What? Audio description is an additional commentary that describes on-screen or on-stage action, body language and facial expressions. It is available on:

• television
• video and DVD
• cinemas
• museums and galleries
• theatres
• sports venues

Who? Audio description is for people with visual impairments.

How? Ofcom provides guidelines on audio-description, including technical specifications.

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Telephone

What? Crucial information, for example about pensions, benefits, health, council and income tax needs to be found easily by everyone who needs it. This includes by telephone.

Who? Many disabled people, especially older people, will not have access to the internet or may have difficulties using it. The telephone can be a very important method of communication.

How? The practice of using website FAQs to answer common questions and hiding the telephone number for a service is not acceptable. Information provided only in digital format will exclude some customers. Telephone operators should have training in communicating with disabled people.

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Textphones

What? Some organisations have textphones or BT Typetalk, a free national relay service using operators to connect someone with a textphone to someone using a phone, can be used.

What? Typetalk is a free national relay service using operators to connect someone with a textphone to someone using a phone.

Who?

• Textphones are used by those with hearing impairments.
• Some deafblind people (with both sight and hearing loss) have enough hearing to use the telephone, if background noise is kept to a minimum and the caller speaks clearly and at a pace which suits the individual. Some deafblind people have enough sight to use a textphone.

How? The textphone user contacts the operator and the operator rings the hearing person and relays messages to and from them, by typing or talking.

For practical tips, visit the top tips section of this guidance.

For other information resources, go to the resources section of this guidance.

Page last reviewed: 11 August 2008

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