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ruth malkin
Member - 4 posts
What is missing from the disability equality legislation, and that is in danger of getting lost altogether, is an understanding of the social model of disability. Inclusive design and inclusive practices are about removing the disabling barriers. When we live in a barrier free society (and we are not there yet at all - contrary to popular opinion!) there will be no disabled people. There will be people with impairments participating as equals, their access requirements having been identified and met.
That is what is wrong with the current equality legislation - an incorrect understanding of disability, which is (unfortunately) enshrined in law, given that the legal definition of disability is based on medical condition. Until this is rectified there will always be the problems that have correctly been identified by Professor Keith Bright.
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Nnenna Azubike
Member - 1 post
Indeed as Keith expressed, there are concerns an interpretation of the equality bill dymystifing issues on the DDA, which is where the Facilities Manager's inclusive role will see to making the facility adaptive to the changing needs and users of the facility making usability possible across thee broad spectrum of users...the aged, disabled, children, race, religion
Inclusive design should actually take a TQM approach to improving on what is existing so that facilities and their services are made available to all.
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Keith Bright
Member - 1 post
I think the comments you both make are really valid. It is also a question of how we ensure that environments are designed and managed to be inclusive rather than just being provided for people who apparently have some type of 'special need'.
It still surprises me that some designers, owners and managers of buildings and spaces continue to see the needs of disabled people to be quite different and totally divorced from the needs of everyone else. That is really what I meant by 'keep flying the flag' - trying to educate and inform on the reality rather than the misconception - which I think is something I and others will be doing for some time to come!
However, to be positive, in terms of improving accessibility progress is being made. People are more aware of the issues than they were say 10 or even 5 years ago. And I genuinely think that most people in the property/construction professions trying to improve accessibility are using the social rather than medical model - because a lot of the good guidance is based around that. However, I am also sure they don't realise they are doing so!!
I also genuinely believe nobody ever sets out to purposely design or manage an environment or space that is inaccessible. Much of it is because of not understanding the issues involved and not being aware of the good guidenace that does exist nowadays. But to be fair, it is important for those of us in access to remember that designers, owners and managers have so many other issues to deal with, so many other balls to keep in the air (H&S, Fire, maintenance, Occupiers Liabitiy, Legionella, cleaning, budgets etc) that we can't reasonably expect them to be experts in them all. However, it is reasonable to expect them to know when they need expert advice, and to exect them to get it when they do.
My main concern with the Equality Bill is that some individual issues that are imporant, perhaps uniquely important, within the individual areas of disability, gender, religion, age etc may be lost or watered down if we get 'experts' in 'equailty' who don't fully understand the finer points of each of area - and that, in my view is quite likely.
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