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Foreword

The ways in which we communicate with each other, both individually and as a society, have never been more diverse. New communications technologies continue to emerge, providing more choice and opportunity for consumers to access entertainment and information and to interact with each other. But full participation for all is not a given; service providers and manufacturers need to take into account the needs of disabled people.

As the UK's communications regulator, Ofcom has a number of duties designed to ensure disabled people have fair access to electronic communications. These include setting and monitoring targets for television access services (subtitling, audio description and signing) and encouraging the availability of easy to use equipment. In telecommunications we regulate the text relay service, which enables Deaf people and hearing people to communicate with each other. We are also working with telecoms providers to make new and existing telecoms services and technology accessible to disabled people.

The independent Ofcom Advisory Committee on Older and Disabled People provides advice to the main Ofcom Board to ensure that Ofcom's policies and practices take into consideration views expressed by older and disabled consumers. Our Consumer Panel Member for NI is registered disabled. The Chair of our Community Radio Fund Panel is also disabled.

This Disability Action Plan is an important document in that it is a statement of Ofcom's commitment to and proposals for fulfilling the statutory obligations in compliance with Section 49A of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended by the Disability Discrimination (NI) Order 2006). This Act places new duties on public authorities, when carrying out their functions to have regard to the need to promote positive attitudes towards disabled people; and to encourage participation by disabled people in public life.

The Plan is also important because it outlines how disability issues can be more effectively mainstreamed within Ofcom, thus ensuring that they are a key consideration in the whole range of policy decision-making within the organisation.

David Currie
Chairman, Ofcom

The full document is available below:

• Disability Action Plan for Northern Ireland [pdf]
  Full Print Version
• How to respond

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