Embracing accessibility to tap into new audiences
Issue Five
Hello, I’m Priti Salian, an independent journalist, researcher and media trainer based out of Bengaluru, a city in the south of India. Welcome to the fifth edition of Reframing Disability, your fortnightly dispatch untangling disability-inclusive narratives.
In this issue, hear from Chitranshu Tewari about Newslaundry’s initiative for website and app accessibility, steps towards inclusion by the Indian government, new data on disability, and opportunities for journalists and disability advocates.
It’s the end of the year and I know you’re busy celebrating or winding down. But I hope you’ll make some time to read this issue which offers so much hope for the future.
First, a big shoutout to all subscribers who make it a point to engage with every post and write back to me. I can’t tell you how validating and uplifting your thoughts are in this lonely journey of putting together the newsletter every two weeks. I’m thrilled about the dialogue this newsletter has started because of you!
Writing each issue of this newsletter requires a fair bit of work, as I conduct interviews, dig into research, and keep up-to-date with the news and opportunities I could bring to you in each issue. And yet, Reframing Disability is free, because I want it to reach every person who is eager for insights on inclusive storytelling. I would be grateful if you could support me by sharing it widely and spreading the word.
Newslaundry’s accessibility initiative, NewsAble
If you’re a news publication, I’m sure you’re always looking for ways to reach new audiences.
Eight months ago, Delhi-based independent news site, Newslaundry, found a way to reach a completely new segment of audiences - persons with access needs. By making their website and app completely accessible, they realised, they could potentially reach millions of people in the country who need accessibility to consume news products.
The thought occurred to product and revenue director Chitranshu Tewari when a few consumers wrote in with feedback. “Their friends and relatives who used accessibility on their devices were unable to access Newslaundry stories,” Chitranshu told Reframing Disability.
“I didn’t know anything about accessibility back then,” Chitranshu said. So, he started to learn from scratch.
He got insights from a colour-blind colleague who is a developer, and references from the paper I wrote on disability inclusion in India’s news and newsrooms during my journalism fellowship at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.
“I couldn’t find much literature on the lack of diversity and representation in news organisations in India,” Chitranshu said.
A few international news sites like the Washington Post and the New York Times became accessibility role models for him.
What helped the most, though, is engaging with people with diverse disabilities to understand their needs.
Newslaundry named its website and app accessibility initiative, NewsAble, set to be complete by the end of January.
The news site hired a few developers specifically for this work, and the team has invested time - a good part of the year - working on the project.
Currently, Newslaundry is rewriting large parts of the website and app codes to make them compatible with accessibility settings on operating systems across devices. Over 30 people with diverse disabilities have been testing it for the past six weeks.
By the end of January, Chitranshu said, Newslaundry’s products will be compliant with screen readers, and settings such as colour contrast, transcripts and subtitles, closed captions, voice search, customisable dyslexia-friendly fonts and keyboard navigation.
“Some things will not be fixed completely by fixing the code,” Chitranshu said. “Captions and subtitles may still be inaccurate, especially when not in English. Audio description can’t be added unless done manually.”
Once the app and website are completely accessible, Newslaundry will start working on the integration of audio descriptions in videos and rectification of any inaccuracies in captions.
The editorial team has been trained to include features like image descriptions and transcripts for podcasts. The editors would clean up the transcripts before publishing them.
The process of integrating accessibility hasn’t been without its challenges though.
There was some initial resistance from the team because it involved a little extra work. But because of the management buy-in and a top-down approach on accessibility the entire team is on board now.
“The tech stack we’re using is over 10 years old so we had to rewrite a lot of it,” Chitranshu said.
Newslaundry uses third-party tools including the Content Management System (CMS). “As a publisher, you might decide to be accessible, but if the CMS is inaccessible it makes your life difficult,” he said.
A lot of Newslaundry’s work on accessibility has involved figuring out and finding a way around existing products. Exactly the reason why accessibility should be baked into the product in the beginning rather than being an afterthought.
But as Newslaundry decided, it is important to start somewhere, sometime. Starting from where you are and building on it gradually, one step at a time is the way to go.
“It is very important to understand that making your product accessible will open up a new audience for you. It is an opportunity to serve a large chunk of the user base that isn’t being served,” Chitranshu said. “If you approach accessibility from that idea, it is easier to get management buy-in and convince various stakeholders.”
“Accessibility is not something you can pull off alone,” he said. It will require help from different teams and departments.
Chitranshu said that rolling out accessible products is just the beginning. “We will keep making iterations based on audience review.”
He hopes that Newslaundry’s initiative will nudge other Indian publishers to take it on as well.
I hope so too!
The Election Commission of India urges politicians to be respectful towards persons with disabilities
Some Indian politicians have been found insulting disability and people with disabilities in their speeches. To hold them accountable, ahead of the general elections next year, the Election Commission of India has released guidelines on the use of sensitive language for persons with disabilities.
Listed below are a few in simple language:
Political parties and their representatives should not use disability, persons with disabilities, or terms referring to either, in the context of human incapacity during any public speech, in their writings or political campaigns. All material should be reviewed for ableist language before release.
Political parties and their representatives should strictly avoid comments related to disabilities or persons with disabilities that may be offensive or perpetuates stereotypes and prejudices. It is an offence punishable by law.
Political parties should make their public speeches, campaigns, activities, events, website and social media accessible for all citizens.
Political parties may provide a training module on disability for party workers at all levels of the political process, and appoint a nodal authority to hear complaints from persons with disabilities pertaining to usage of ableist language.
Political parties may endeavour to include more persons with disabilities as members and party workers.
New data on disability
Disaggregated data on disability is critical to shaping policies, laws, urban planning, programmes and funding, social security initiatives, national emergency and disaster response, and so much more. If disabled people are not counted, how will they count?
So, here’s some recently released data you could use in your storytelling or advocacy.
To make a business case for hiring persons with disabilities
The new Disability:IN and Accenture report on the state of disability inclusion at work focusing primarily on the United States market is out.
“We are happy to report that in the past five years the business case for hiring persons with disabilities has become even stronger,” the report mentions.
“Specifically, companies that have led on key disability inclusion criteria during that time have realized: 1.6x more revenue, 2.6x more net income, and 2x more economic profit than other participants in Disability:IN’s annual benchmark survey. They are also 25% more likely to outperform on productivity compared to their industry peers that have not participated in the survey, measured as revenue per employee. They also receive twice as many positive reviews related to aspects of disability inclusion than industry peers on Glassdoor.”
To advocate for accessibility in Indian courts
A recent report by India’s Supreme Court’s Centre for Research and Planning calls for urgent action to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities.
According to The Print, “the report found that 49.9 percent of district courts did not have ramps, and 74.3 percent didn’t have wheelchairs.
It also revealed that only 5.1 percent of district courts have tactile paving to assist persons with visual impairments in navigating the court building.”
Sign language interpreters for deaf and hard of hearing people were available only in 2.8% of districts in India.
Opportunities
WID’s Global Heumann Fellowship Program
For - Disabled, visionary leaders with a demonstrated history in advocacy, communications, and influential collaboration.
Deadline- 31 March 2024
“WID’s Global Heumann Fellowship Program will honour and grow Judy’s legacy by supporting disability leaders and advocates around the world to work on projects that promote disability rights and disability justice in their regional communities, as a bridge to an equitable, inclusive, and just world.”
Disability in Health Care Reporting Fellowship by STAT
For - US-based journalists
Deadline - 24 Jan (please check the time on the website as the time zone is not mentioned)
“The 12-month program is aimed at journalists interested in covering disability issues while learning the basics of health and science reporting. This fellowship is meant to focus on the intersections of disability and health care, the life sciences, and a rapidly expanding health technology sector. Fellows will report on the barriers disabled people face in these realms, and explore possible solutions.”
Thanks for reading this issue of Reframing Disability. I wish you a happy, healthy, and creative 2024! I look forward to your thoughts in comments or as a reply to this email. Let’s connect!
If you have taken a step towards accessibility, share it as #AccessibilityBrag and #ReframingDisability on socials. Tag me on LinkedIn and Twitter, and I’ll support you.
Talk soon in the new year!
Warmly,
Priti
Awesome priti needs to be shared.. Best wishes to newsAble.. I'd like to be connected