Guidelines

Alternative Formats

A report by the RNIB shows the extent of the "information famine" that 2 million people with sight problems face. It shows that the problems they face are also shared by a significant proportion of the sighted population. For example, one in five of the general public could be at risk because they cannot read the small print on food labels or medicines. These problems occur across the whole range of information which most people routinely take for granted.

People with sight problems across the UK were asked if it was important to make different kinds of information "accessible": 66% wanted to be able to read instructions for household appliances.

Blind and partially sighted people have the same information needs as everyone else. But many visually impaired people will not be able to understand information unless it is made available in a suitable format. It is important to remember that there is no single method which suits all blind and partially sighted people all of the time. Even the same person will use different methods at different times and under different circumstances.

People were asked which of the following ways do they read (by sight level):

	Blind %	PS %	PS+ %	PS++ %	All %
Ordinary print	25	58	79	83	66
Large print	19	41	45	35	36
Someone else reads to me	67	42	23	17	33
Audio tape	40	11	8	5	12
Braille	4	0.4	0	0	1
None of these	11	10	6	9	10

As multiple answers were allowed, the columns may total more than 100%

Key

Blind: approximately equates to a person being registrable as "blind" by their local authority. In this report, they are people with a visual acuity level of less than 6/60. (This means that what a fully sighted person can see at sixty metres distance, this person can see only at less than six metres distance).

Partial sight: approximately equivalent to registrability as "partially sighted". This includes people with a visual acuity level of 6/60 to up to but less than 6/18.

PS+: contains people with a level of sight of 6/18 to less than 6/12 (that is, a significant loss of visual acuity, but not mormally great enough to be registered as partially sighted).

PS++: contains people with a sight level of 6/12 or better, but who still have a level of sight loss which is uncorrectable by aids such as glasses. People in this category are likely to have difficulty in reading small print as well as text at a distance, such as street names and notice boards. Those who can see best in this group have sight appraoching what might be described as normal.

Solutions

Print Media

Aim for clarity at all time when choosing a typeface or designing a layout. If in doubt, keep it simple.

Type size

Depending on typeface used, 12 point could be considered as the minimum type size for standard format
14 point is now commonly used, so more people can access the standard format
Print above 16 point is considered to be large print

Font weight

Use medium or bold formats; avoid light fonts
Use bold for emphasis since words are often recognisable by their shape. If using bold ensure white space within charcters is not detrimentally diminished
Reversing out (white letters through a black block) only works if the size and weight of characters are sufficient bold. This design is best used sparingly and on computer screens

Font style
Choose a clear, easy-to-read typeface that will distinguish between characters and numerals. Kerning between specific characters eg. ensure not run together to form other characters

Examples of the legibility of different fonts

Spacing

Word spacing should be even
Linked paragraphs should not be widely spaced
Initials or words should not be divided or split across a line break
The space between lines (known as leading) should be generous but not too generous. It could prove difficult to find the start of the next line (return sweep). The space between lines also depends on line length eg. shorter line lengths (columns) require less leading
Indents, if used, should not drive too far in
55 - 60 characters per line

Contrast
Aim for a clear contrast, as high as possible, between the text/image on the page and the background colour.

White/off-white/cream paper creates the best contrast with black ink
Avoid printing text over photographs or illustrations or over a wash, effect or tint that reduces contrast and clarity

Layout and design
Good layout and design should help to guide the reader around the material.

Keep layouts clear and clean
Group information logically
Guide the user with a contents page, index, headings, page numbers and numbered sections where possible
Break up large blocks of text with space, bullet points or cross-references (a relevant word or few words of copy inserted where it is appropriate in the text)
Conversion from standard print to large print size may make it necessary to alter the layout, especially where the original is in columns. Check the page beginnings and endings, as these will have changed
Do not range text around picture objects, as varying line lengths can be hard to read
Avoid use of italics
Do not use underlining
Minimise all caps

Columns

Allow white space around columns
A vertical line will help to guide the reader's eye

Justification

Use left justification with a ragged right margin to avoid uneven spacing between words
Do not split words at ends of lines
Avoid hyphenation

Pictures or diagrams

The contents of a graph, for example, should be explained in words too

Production and presentation

When selecting paper, use a matt rather than glossy finish, to reduce glare; choose a weight that obscures any show-through of print, a minimum of 90 gsm
Avoid leaflets that unfold to A3 or larger, as they can be difficult to handle
Books and booklets open flat if thay are wire or comb-bound rather than perfect-bound
Consider having 2 or 3 sections as separate booklets if the information is very bulky to handle
Design materials for easy storage on standard bookshelves

Audio Tape

Content of audio tape Photograph of an audio cassette

Give a summary of the subject and a contents list at the start
Number items and use the numbers in the contents list and at the start of each item
Place key information such as contact numbers, addresses and key facts and figures at the beginning or end of the side or item so that they are easy to find and to refer back to
Explain what is coming next so the listeners can decide whether to carry on listening or skip to the next item.
Separate items clearly with a short silence, piece of music and/or tone indexing
Always spell any complicated words or names
Say when the recording or side is ending so the listener knows that the silence is not due to a fault on the tape or the machine

Distribution of audio tape

Package audio tapes in card slip covers rather than plastic boxes. Shattered plastic can be dangerous and there is no danger of card covers breaking in the post
Label both the tape and the cover with the title and/or contents and date of production in as large print as space allows
Certain taped items can be sent through the Royal Mail 'Articles for Blind People' Freepost service

Braille

Preparing text for brailling

It might be necessary to edit the text before transcription, parts of the text might need adapting for braille readers
It might also be necessary to make some changes to the way the text is structured. For example: columns should be avoided if possible. Most formatting and graphical characters, such as bullets, may not be of any use at all in braille. Often there is no braille equivalent

Printing of braille

A4-sized sheets of braille are easiest to handle and mutliple sheets of braille open easily when comb-bound
A coversheet with details of the title, contents and date of production in both braille and print will be helpful for identification

Distribution of braille

Braille information can be provided on disks. MS DOS is the most basic computer language and therefore the most easily read, although some formatting will be lost
Braille information sent through the post can go by the Royal Mail's 'Articles for Blind People' Freepost service

Electronic Media

CD-Rom and email Photograph of a CD-Rom
Many blind and visually impaired people, particularly those in work, have access to computer equipment that makes written information accessible. Three commonly used systems are text-to-speech, text to braille and computer-enhanced or enlarged text.

Layout and content

Documents need to be designed in a clear and simple manner. If it is not possible to ask the customer what system they use and therefore create a file they can read, ensure the file can be saved as a text-only version
If information other than straight text is used ie graphics, make sure that there is a text equivalent. Tables could be converted to text or presented as a speadsheet and sent as an Excel file
If it is a lengthy, complex document a system needs to be devised to make it easy for the user to search it. For example, plus signs can be used to indicate different levels of heading - each main heading could be preceded by 2 plus signs and minor headings by a single plus sign

Labelling and sending

Files should have sensible names and titles, filenames should mean something
Consider carefully how to word the subject line of an email
When creating and saving a document, let the computer choose the file extension. This helps the recipients know what kind of file has been sent
When sending disks through the post, try to include labelling in large print and, if possible, in braille

Internet
Users can access and download a wide range of computer files, free software packages and video and audio files from the internet. As the internet becomes more accessible via cable technology the potential for combining it with television to create a flexible interactive source of information is increasing. It is also possible to access the internet through 'set-top boxes' which plug into a tv and provide an alternative to access via a computer.

Web site designers should follow the principles of Print Media, given earlier. Additionally, as a short term measure while the web site is being made accessible, an option to view an unformated, text only, version can be provided. Customers can download and use a voice synthesiser or print out in braille or otherwise resize or reformat.

Further information

Arditi A. Making Text Legible: Designing for People with Partial Sight. Lighthouse International, 1999.
Bruce I and Baker M. Access to written information: the views of 1,000 people with sight problems. RNIB, ISBN 1-85878-506-5, September 2001
Gregory W. The Informability Manual - Making information more accessible in the light of the Disability Discrimination Act. HMSO, ISBN 0-11-702038-9, 1996
Hartley J. Designing Instructional Text for Older Readers: A Literature Review. British Journal of Educational Technology, Vol 25 No 3 pp 172-188
Sutton J. A Guide to Making Documents Accessible to People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired. American Council of the Blind, 2002
Producing Accessible Information - A practical and strategic guide. Employer's Forum on Disability, 2000
Confederation of Transcribed Information Services (COTIS)
Designing websites for people with learning disabilities. The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities
Dyslexia Style Guide. The British Dyslexia Association
LPfont - An Investigation into the Legibility of Large Print Typefaces
Making your information accessible for customers with sight problems. European Blind Union.
Mandoforms Accessible on-line forms
RNIB See it Right pack. 12 booklets with practical advice on designing, producing and planning for accessible information
Text Email Newsletter Standard (TEN Standard) This standard is designed to ease navigation of plain text email newsletters by all readers, including those using screen-readers and other special access technologies
Tiresias LPfont - A large print typeface specially designed for people with low vision
UK Braille Producers
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)