Accessible
communication in
Barcelona
Barcelona City Council
Area of Social Rights
Municipal Institute for People with
Disabilities
The Role of ICT in the Development of Inclusive Society for Persons with Disabilities
8-9 October 2015, Belgrade
Barcelona City Council
Social Rights Area
Municipal Institute of People with Disabilities (IMPD)
Body that oversees that all municipal departments incorporate
the philosophy of accessibility to their information, procedures,
management, activities, etc.
Communicative Accessibility in Barcelona
Political actions:
Accessibility Criteria in Municipal Public Events
In 1999 it was approved by the City
Council of Barcelona the document
“Accessibility Criteria in Municipal Public
Events”, which was updated in 2011. The
main principles were reflected in a
brochure that was spread to all municipal
departments.
Social services:
Adapted Teleassistance Service
The users of tele assistance service with special communication needs
(hearing or speech impairments, poor literacy or lack of knowledge of the
language) can use a device that let them choose among pictograms or
written messages and customize screens for a better understanding.
Public Transport:
Accessible Communication in Metro and Bus
All the buses and most of underground
stations are adapted for people with visual
or auditory impairment. Screens and voice
messages, inter alia, make it possible for
everybody to be able to move without
limits around the city.
Public Transport:
Accessible Communication in Metro and Bus
Public Education:
Information and Communication Technologies in Education
We use new technologies in special and inclusive education
Culture:
Accessible Communication in Museums and Civic Centres
Barcelona’s Council commitment is to assure that the museums and civic centres
offer the following elements for an accessible communication:
• Magnetic loops
• Accessible signaling elements
• Accessible communication products (audio guides, braille guides, tactile
models, QR codes to access the information by voice…) and accessible website
• Accessible activities and acts (sign language, subtitles, audio description…)
• Tours for people with impaired hearing or visual disabilities.
Culture:
Accessible Communication in Museums and Civic Centres
Culture:
Accessible Communication in Public Libraries
Like we have seen for the museums, we try
tu assure that public libraries have the
following elements:
• Magnetic loops
• Accessible signaling elements
• Braille products
• Technical accessories for an accessible
communication. All districts have one or
more libraries with software for the
reading of blind people, and five of them
have a large kit of products
• Accessible website
• Sign language and direct subtitling in the
activities
Culture:
Accessible Communication in Public Libraries
Culture:
Accessible Communication in City’s Events
We also work for the accessible communication in city’s events, always or
on demand:
• Sign language
• Direct subtitling or over titling
• Direct audio description
• FM stations
• Braille texts
• Reserved seats for people with visual and hearing impairments
• Accessible communication channels, information boards and signal
elements
• Information about accessibility actions in brochures and websites
Culture:
Accessible Communication in City’s Events
Culture:
Accessible Communication in City’s Events
Culture:
Accessible Communication in Performing Arts
Theatres, auditoriums and another cultural centres have these elements
for an accessible communication, always or on demand:
• Sign language
• Direct subtitling or over titling
• Direct audio description
• Guided tactile tours to the stage and the costumes
• Story description
• Magnetic loops
• Braille texts
• Web texts
• Reserved seats for people with visual and hearing disabilities
• Accessible communication channels, information boards and signal
elements
• Information about accessibility actions in brochures and websites
Culture:
Accessible Communication in Performing Arts
Information Offices:
Attention to people with special communication needs
The IMPD has edited and distributed to municipal staff a guide about how to
attend people with special communication needs at the citizen information
areas, which explains the needs of these people and the most suitable
measures to adapt the communication.
Council Communication
Accessible Documents and Videos
The IMPD advise all municipal communication departments on how to
generate digital and printed accessible documentation and accessible
videos.
Council Communication
Accessible Webs and Meetings
The web www.bcn.cat and all their hosted websites have been created with the
commitment of universal accessible design and contents, applying standard WAI
(Web Accessibility Initiative). In the same way, the formal events and conferences
are accessible with direct subtitling and sign language.
Mobile Technologies:
Support to new Apps
The IMPD promote the development of new technologies that can provide
solutions to the needs of people with disabilities. In the area of the
applications for mobile phones, IMPD has promoted various solutions
directly related with accessible communication.