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Updated 24|01|07

Foreword by the Chairman

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. There are also disabled members on the independent Ofcom Consumer Panel. The Chair of our Community Radio Fund Panel is also disabled.

For our part, Ofcom is committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce while recruiting the best talent available. We are also committed to promoting equality of opportunity and good relations between disabled and non-disabled people and do not tolerate unlawful disability discrimination and harassment. Diversity amongst our colleagues is valued.

The main aim of our first Disability Equality Scheme is to ensure that disability equality is not reliant on the commitment of a few individuals but instead is fully integrated as part of our normal daily business. It is founded on best practice principles and has been shaped with the involvement of disabled people from across the UK.

David Currie
Chairman, Ofcom

The full document is available below:

• Disability Equality Scheme [pdf]
  Full Print Version - Updated 24|01|07
• Disability Equality Scheme [rtf2]
  Full Print Version in RTF format - Updated 24|01|07
• Disability Equality Scheme [pdf]
  Easy read summary

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