FAQ

Accessibility means social inclusion and customer-centredness that enhances the safety of all visitors and often adds to the experience. For example, clear signage is useful to everyone, as are spacious and well-lit routes. Our audiences should reflect all the various communities in our society. Everybody is entitled to take part in cultural activities. Taking people with functional impairments into account is important, because a large portion of people may be left out of what is on offer if we do not recognise the need to remove obstacles to participation. Due to population aging, up to a third of people have impairments, for example, in hearing, seeing or moving around. For more details see the page: What is accessibility?

It is worth starting by filling in a survey form to evaluate the current situation. You can use the information gained to make an action plan. There are links to checklists on the surveys page. Cooperate with you audiences, plan together!

Mark the location of an accessible entrance both by the main entrance and on the accessible entrance itself. It is good to include a ground plan, with routes marked on it. Remember to use big enough lettering and good contrast. Text (in various languages) along with access symbols (baby carriage and wheel chair) will help people find the right door.

Companies specialising in communication instruments will be happy to offer their services.

Service points should be designed so that children and people in wheelchairs can get past and move around. The service counter should not be more than 800 mm high and there should be knee room beneath it, the height of which is at least 670 mm and its depth 400 mm. Service points should also be fitted with hearing-aid induction loops. The existence of the induction loop is to be indicated by a symbol.

Design for All, i.e. designed for everyone, means design that improves the usability and accessibility of environments, products and services for all users. Although there are certain differences, terms like "universal design", "accessible design", "universal access", "barrier free design", refer to similar approaches.

A good sign system starts at the entrance and carries on into the other spaces logically and in a way that is easy to notice. A good sign is clear: it has enough contrast and a recognisable symbol. Signs based on sight, hearing and touch should be used in parallel. There should be signs telling about all the services.

There should be two wheelchair places for the first 60 seats, and then one wheelchair place for every further 60 seats or part thereof. In auditoriums for over 250 people with fixed seating, it should be possible to turn fixed seating into extra places for occasional wheelchair use. (Source: Esteetön rakennus ja ympäristö. Suunnitteluopas 1998. Rakennustieto)

Even though it is not possible to move around the building freely, museum collections can be viewed in other ways. Some objects can very probably be viewed outside of a glass case and taken to the visitors. Maybe visitors can inspect inaccessible content via written or audiovisual material. All communication should include details of accessibility, so that the visitor knows to be prepared for obstacles that make mobility difficult.

Assessing the accessibility of the event can be begun by taking a look at the survey forms for assessing the accessibility of a cultural site. The lists are easy to use, both as an aid in planning and as a checklist for the practical arrangements.

When doing theatre interpreting, interpreters often work in pairs, i.e. there are two of them. It is worth agreeing with them in advance all the practical arrangements, such as where the interpreting is to be done, the need for a chair, and what kind of lighting will be focused on the interpreter. The interpreting should preferably be done right beside or on the stage, so that the interpreter can hear well and signing viewers can easily follow both the interpreter and the events on stage at the same time.

Theatre interpreting is demanding, and so interpreters have to be given an opportunity to prepare for the job carefully. The interpreter should, for instance, have access to the script and see the performance at least once before doing the interpreting (at no extra expense). All the arrangements mentioned here facilitate successful interpretation and thus also give signing audience members an equal opportunity to enjoy the performance!

There is a lot of information available on the Internet, for example, via a search for "accessible websites".