In February 2010 I felt I had been discriminated against, as a disabled person, by Waterstones Book store. I was deeply hurt by what occurred that day and decided to use the Disability Discrimination Act. This is my story of that day and the events that proceeded it.


February 5th 2010 - The day it all started.

On Friday the 5th of February, 2010, I entered Waterstones to purchase a travel book at 19 Earl Street. I was accompanied by my personal assistant (PA/carer). The travel section was located on a split level with stair access. On asking a member of staff at the till how I could get up to that level, she directed me to 'the accessible entrance' around the outside of the building. [The building is on a slight hill].

On leaving the store I located the second entrance which had a large step [left]. I have Muscular Dystrophy and use an electric wheelchair due to limited limb movement. As such, I was unable to access this level. I sent my PA back into the shop to ask about a ramp for this step but she came back and told me there was no ramp.

On re-entering the store I spoke to the same member of staff who said that "other people manage".

How I felt


I was made to feel an inconvenience and bothersome customer which caused me great distress. I was also uncomfortable about having to express my frustration in-between the staff member serving other people. No attempt was made to find out if staff could have helped (e.g. locating a book from that level for me etc). I said I had rights under the Disability Discrimination Act and wanted to speak with the manager. She replied that she didn't know anything about the DDA and that there was no one I could speak to. I repeated that I wanted to see someone and she said there was no ramp because of the building being listed.

I felt she was not listening to me and treating me with the respect that other customers would receive. I was then told the manager was in and on an upper floor. Feeling deceived and insulted I went upstairs and a helpful member of staff called to see where the manager was (in another branch) and offered me his e-mail address.

February 9th 2010 - Next steps.

I phoned the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and a very helpful person went through the questions to see if I had a case for discrimination. Once he knew that I met the requirements (i.e. was disabled by the definition of the DDA) he gave me my case number and advice to start down the route that is usual. This meant clearly explaining what had happened to the manager and seeking a response to a template list of questions provided by the EHRC within 14 days, recorded delivery.

February 13th 2010

My letter was confirmed to have been received by the assistant manager who said that he had passed my letter to their DDA expert which should enable a portable ramp.

February 18th 2010

The manager confirms sight of my letter and writes to me. [Click here to see letter 1]

Step 2 - Raise it up a notch

The letter, I felt, did not answer the questions so I politely thanked them for responding and said that I look forward to finding out the further details on the type of disability equality training staff received, whether it is reviewed for effectiveness etc. I suspected it was just a passing mention on a generic equality course which is why staff were unable to offer me an appropriate service. I wanted to find out more including what the results of their last DDA review were and why this had not identified the possibilities of a ramp. I explained I wanted to be confident that this would not happen to another customer.

April 8th 2010 - no further response so I moved to official proceedings.

I phoned the EHRC and they sent me the paper work for the next step.

April 9th - I served documents to Waterstones 'Questions Procedure'

Using the Questions Procedure can help a disabled person:

• decide whether or not to bring legal proceedings in the county court in England and Wales, or sheriff court in Scotland; and 

• present his or her complaint to the court in the most effective way.

A question in a questionnaire and any reply by a defendant is admissible in evidence in court if the claimant’s questionnaire is ‘served on’ (sent to) the defendant.

April 15th

I receive a letter from the manager. He said

"Waterstones as a company has undertaken a  full survey of all of its branches to ascertain how they meet the needs of its disabled customers. It has a list of work to be done, with those branches with the most shopfloor space that is inaccessible at the top of the list. The Earl Street Branch in Maidstone is some way down the list, with approximately 10% of space inaccessible. Waterstones as a Company is committed to acting on as soon as possible as many of these issues as it can,  given the current financial situation of the Company
 
We have decided as a Branch not to wait, and to act straight away to change the situation.Your experience has prompted us to review the use of the back of our Ground Floor as a sales area. As a result of this review we have decided no longer to use this as a shopfloor area and to close it off, relocating those sections to other more accessible parts of the Branch. We are looking to do this work in June 2010."

This very cleverly dodged the key question in the papers that were served where they can declare that they did indeed act unlawfully (or they can say they didn't and explain why it was lawful).

I didn't really want to go to court - I just wanted them to hold their hands up and say 'what we did was unlawful, discriminatory and we apologise'. I hadn't had this part of my question answered.

April 26th - Seeking the answers to the papers that were served.

I e-mailed to remind them they had not answered the specific question form the questionnaire. Did they agree they had failed to make reasonable adjustment and provided a service in a worse manner because I was a disabled person? Had they failed to train their staff adequately?

I started making enquiries about legal action - it could cost me over £1000 to get a judge to make them respond and it didn't look hopeful I would be entitled to legal aid type support.

June 4th 2010 - I received an e-mail to say their response was in the post - the papers came back, completed, on the day of the 8 week response deadline.

They agreed with my statement of what happened and how they discriminated against me by failing in a range of different ways. I had what I wanted and the alterations to the building were due to start a few weeks ago.

So, sword or poking stick.... well, it got a result but I can't go through that every time I am discriminated against just to get someone to change. No disabled person wants to relive the distress and hurt that it causes for the duration of a complaint that could last months or even years.

There are still thousands of stores, of all kinds, who won't make reasonable adjustments until they receive a complaint. Even things which are relatively cheap and quick to action - like the portable ramp and a friendly member of staff who had been trained in disability equality AND the DDA. Training is not just a few hours on 'how to communicate' and a top ten crib sheet about dealing with customers who have impairments (which is what this member of staff got). Attitude is a huge thing and just good old customer service! Smiles are free for example.

So all in all - it gave them a poke but it is not the mighty sword that will get Waterstones thinking about all their other stores on a 'waiting list' for action.

I certainly will never shop there again and I will share my story with others so they can decide where they buy their next book from.

Tags:attitudes | business | DDA | disability | discrimination | respect | waterstones | books

This follows on from my previous blog and contains my experience of a Twitter Party

Now - this is where Twitter comes into its own when you add a hashtag ( # followed by a word e.g. #equality) to the end of your message. If you go on Twitter, you can search for everyone in the world who has added the same hashtag to the end of their message and it will be displayed in a time-line. Hence people can see what others are saying on the same topic - and join the conversation.

The most used hashtag for my account is #mhlparty (over 430 Tweets) and it's my first experience at a Twitter Party I am going to share with you today - from a disabled person's perspective.

Accessible Parties.

I like the idea of parties - being around friends, having a laugh, good music and a bit of dancing. On the other hand I feel very uncomfortable in environments like these. For starters, crowded areas where everyone is standing up or dancing/falling over drunk is not my idea of fun. Perhaps because I can't stand up (use a wheelchair) and need some space to move, perhaps because people always used to fall over me as they wobbled to and from the bar. Maybe it was the drunken games of 'who dares chat the cripple up' or the fact that I could commit suicide on less than 1 Unit of Alcohol. Add to this the noise and the fact that my voice is sometimes little more than a whisper does not a conversation make.

All in all, I'm just not cut out to do the Party thing - even though the idea of loud music and waving a glow stick around all night has huge appeal!

Then I started tweeting whilst watching Most Haunted on the television, having a love of all things ghost like since the Ghostbusters first came out in my childhood. Prior to University I was so interested in the Paranormal because of personal experiences that I was originally going to do a Parapsychology degree. I guess you would say I'm a skeptic believer i.e. I believe in paranormal activity but don't believe every sound or bump in a spooky place is spirit activity. So, I take things like Most Haunted with a huge pinch of salt and a good dose of entertainment. Whether you believe or not, Most Haunted as a series has a huge fan base and I saw that some people who watched the show were Tweeting about a Most Haunted Live Party (mhlparty). I had to find out more - so I did and although the show brought us together we all agreed that it was our party and interactions with each other that made the night a fantastic one.

Left: My attempt at psychic art. This picture tweet was my prediction that paranormal findings related to WWII planes might feature (as they were at an old RAF base). Just as I thought - my prediction came true - must indeed be psychic!!

What is a Twitter Party?

Well for mhlparty, it was the idea of the lovely @JuicyJulesRocks and anyone who watches the show can join in. Each Tweet carries the hashtag so we can focus on just party tweets and we have a core group of about 12-20 people with the party theme being based on the show. We all seem to hold the same viewpoint - pretty darnn skeptical about the show but still loving it (and occasionally something does happen which makes us all go a bit quiet and reach for a pillow to hide behind!).

A party is held for every Live event - that's 3 hours of tweeting for 3-7 nights and can best be described as virtual role play. For example, someone will run a bar and make sure we are all well topped up if not getting a bit tipsy by the end of the night and others will let people know what music is playing (our favourite of course being on replay is usually Ghost Busters or for devillish investigations Road to Hell has been known to pop up on the old Jukebox). Not forgetting the party nibbles, lots of chocolate and I tend to supply glowsticks! We have a mhlparty website hoted by the lovely @MrRant and party games include competitions such as 'best costume' and the ever popular 'guess how many times they will swear on live TV'. In fact, our party has had a few mentions on air and we have had an official drop in who monitors the swearing from the broadcasting perspective and helps with the official 'count'.

If you have ever listened to Audio Description of a party scene on a TV programme - Tweets read a bit like that! Our own, virtual, interactive party world. Yes, people probably think we are all quite mad but essentially, we have a laugh and a chat, we've made some good friends and have a great night.

The best sort of party for me?

Yes, most definitely.

• To start with, I didn't have to phone up and check for wheelchair access or
• figure out inaccessible transport/parking.
• I didn't have to explain to anyone why I can't drink alcohol.
• I didn't need to feel 100% well to join in.
• I get a giggle because of my crazy party costume and not in a hurtful way because I've tried to cram my funny shaped body into party clothes.
• I have no fear of bullying or harrassement - or of being safe from some of the terrible disability hate crime of today.
• In all reality I am comfy and warm in my living room and not worrying about hot, claustrophobic environments.
• I can eat and drink what I want at a virtual party - unlike real life.
• I don't have to worry about trying to use a toilet that is inaccessible and wet underfoot with alcohol, vomit and urine - especially when I can only transfer in bare feet.
• I don't need to worry about getting home safely and
• best of all, I can communicate with people rather than words remaining as frustrated thoughts when I haven't the strength to get them out. Without communication, life can be lonely and it's easy for people to pre-judge me as anti-social.

Of course wheelchair users and people with all sorts of impairments go clubbing and enjoy the night life - but my choice is to stay in and party in an alternative way.

A sign of equality?

Nobody knows I have an impairment in most virtual parties - it's not relevant. I don't hide my impairment from anyone but I don't make a point of telling everyone I meet that I use a wheelchair unless it is relevant to the message or situation. I found it interesting that I could Tweet about every day life for months before people started asking if I used a wheelchair because otherwise a tweet didn't make sense! It's not everyday that someone can say they rolled down a hill when out for a walk. It's perhaps testimony to just how far equality has gone. I'm loving my virtual world - so drop in for a chat or a cup of tea anytime you wish :-)

* Dedicated to all the wonderful mhlparty goers.

Tags:disabled | access | socialising | twitter | Mhlparty | disablism | social networking | blogging against disablism day

Twitter - my new best friend.


Twitter has been a global phenomenon for a while now. Until last year I had no idea, what it was or why I was hearing about Tweets everywhere. I wasn't inspired to give it a go thinking it can't be much different to the Face Book Status concept. That was until one day around this time last year I became a little too curious - and now I need therapy, really I do!

Hello everyone. My name is @crip_tic and I'm a Twitter holic.

To find out how I enjoyed a party for the first time in my life using Twitter - continue to the next blog post!


Twitter v. Facebook Status.

Twitter is definitely my social network of choice where I have made real friends and work contacts. I do a lot of work from home and TweetDeck (my free Twitter mission control software for reading and sending Tweets) is on all day on my desktop and on my iPhone when I'm away from my desk. I am only Twitter free when I'm teaching or asleep.

My hundreds of 'friends' on Facebook are largely people who are 'used' for the sake of playing games rather than actually forming friendships and some of the posts are quite frankly annoying, self pitying or self indulgent congratulatory messages about how clever they are, how drunk they were or how much Jesus loves them. Either that or people share their misery in good old Country and Western style 'Dogs dead, divorce papers came through, teenage daughter is pregnant and worst of all the price of cider has gone up'. Much more of that and I'd have to add depression to my list of ailments.

Interestingly, I have some friends with bi-polar who refuse to get involved with Facebook so perhaps they had been tipped off beforehand!! On the other hand, some of the status messages do make me wonder if it's just one big peer support group FOR people with varying mental health problems and it could be argued that due to the therapeutic and supportive benefits of Facebook - perhaps it should be funded by the NHS?

What's Twitter all about and is it accessible to disabled people?

The moment I created my account and typed my first message into the 'what's happening' box I was hooked. Essentially that is the start and end of all that Tweeting is about - these tiny glimpses into life, lovingly known as Tweets. People share what they are doing, where they are, photographs, drawings, links, what they like/don't like, what they think or talk about a TV programme they are watching ... you get the idea.

The concept is amazingly simple. No annoying adverts, no games - just a list of Tweets. You tell the world what you're doing in less than 140 characters. Others will be doing the same in real-time rather like instant messages. If you follow people, you will see their Tweets appear in your time-line. Likewise, if they follow you, they will see your Tweets.

Accessible Twitter

Twitter, could be used by virtually anyone in conjunction with assistive technology that might be needed to use a computer/phone or learning support to master the basics.

People can Tweet in so many different ways and one of my favourites is by drawing pictures. It's not that I can't type or read, but more because I use a graphics tablet instead of a mouse and like to be more creative with communicating my message (and sometimes it's a lot funnier because I can't draw for toffee!) On my desktop I use Wacom Minis which is free tablet software for Wacom tablets. It allows you to run an application called Draw Tweet on either a Mac or PC. It's really easy to use and could suit someone who prefers to communicate for whatever reason by drawing with some basic pens and colours. My pictures are saved in TwitPic which is a free photograph and drawing website linked to my Twitter account.

Using photographs to share what you are doing is another none-text way of getting your message across and something I use quite a bit. Video is also an option allowing BSL users to tweet signed messages to each other. Visually impaired people (amongst millions of sighted people) might consider audio tweets as an option. For people who prefer text input, there is a website which makes tweets easier for visually impaired people and a range of desktop software and phone applications to try out. On TweetDeck for example you can alter the colours of text against the background which might be useful if you're dyslexic but doesn't allow for changes in font size within the application or a change in the font itself.



To find out more about how I enjoyed a party for the first time in my life using Twitter - continue to the next blog post!

Tags:disabled | access | socialising | twitter | disablism | social networking | blogging against disablism day

From the archive - Birmingham 2006

So why on earth Buuurrm-ing-am. Well we had tickets to see 'I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue' (BBC Radio 4) on the Sunday night so we made a weekend of it. Friday night we said 'Tom Tom' take us to our Holiday Inn. Well actually, we said take us to 'x' road - and it did (but not the right one - an hour and a half away from the hotel... eh hmmm [cough]).

We arrived very late, checked in and went to our room. It wasn't accessible - normal room.

Back we went and without a word the guy at reception handed over another key card. After a trek, once again, down the corridor, the room wasn't the twin we had booked...back again. Anyway, basically the booking got messed up somehow so we stayed in the twin. Not even an apology.

Good and Bad.

How did I rate this room. Bathroom was half of the room next door converted and was big enough for a bath and a shower - but only a bath and oodles of room. Not a bad room really. Just 0/10 for friendliness of reception - shame on you.

Saturday we went to the Black Country Museum. It rained for the majority of the day. Accessibility is as expected for a Victorian recreated museum (bump bump bump.... oh how I love cobbles). They did have portable ramps to go where no Victorian could have gone before and we even donned on a hard hart and went down the mine. It was so funny. The chap (guide) kept referring to me as 'the chair' in a really Brummy accents. Every time we stopped to hear the 'story' of that part of the mine complete with resin pit pony and figures, he signposted each member of our party to a particular viewing spot so 'the chair' could see. Each time we stopped we had this loud ushering of people into their places. You had to be there - it was very John Cleese. My hat kept falling down to cover my eyes and I couldn't see anything as we trundled through the narrow passages.

Sunday we basically stayed inside until it was time to go the city centre to 'see' our Radio Show. It was really funny and a good night.

Monday we checked out - and the tried to charge us £600 for three nights!! Finally having argued my case with another guest who had been charged too much, we paid up and headed back home.

So... that was Birmingham!

Tags:disability equality | access | holiday inn

April 2006 - An alternative view to the value of Naidex.

This week is Naidex week. For all you none-disabled sorts - that's the NEC Birmingham Show for all things related to disability equipment.... or at least that was my memory of it.

It used to be the 'try it and see' for health and social care staff and of course 'we' the great public. - Everything from accessible kitchens and bathroom equipment to the latest in colostomy bags and leisure things (my favourite being the wheelchair accessible roundabout and swing for children - I wish they had them for big kids as well!!).

Some things you thought - never in a million years will disabled people want one of them in their homes because it looks horrible, uncomfortable and only comes in 'medical green' as a colour option .... only to overheard an OT place an order for 500. Do they ever learn... no I think NOT.

I happened to be browsing the list of exhibitors last nights and the latest inventions that are up for 'an award'. Oh how things have changed over the years.

Fantastic NEW products include....... The Great John. Of course this can only be one thing - a reinforced toilet for obese people which boasts a 200% larger seat and - you guessed it is an American invention. A new commode and large wheelchair ... for Bariatric patients (obese people)... and so on. Can you see a theme here.

The UK is now benefitting from more disabled people (to balance the demise of our people due to genetic testing LOL) and of course there needs to be appropriate adjustment in the equipment field.

Also in the past years there has been a rise in the number of stands devoted to discrimination (yes the DRC are there) and organisations of disabled people - now we are getting somewhere - life isn't always about trying to 'fix us' in some way with a bit of equipment.

What does make me angry - the cost of these 'liberating' gizmos.... see my other posts.

Tags:equipment | disability | gadgets

For this trip we pootled off to Brighton and checked into the Holiday Inn on the sea front. Disabled parking is right on the front and is charged at the same amount as the underground hotel carpark.

Although we didn't pay the extra for a sea view, the accessible room did have a good front view through a window the entire length of the room. We also a had a balcony but access is through a narrow door without a low or level threshold.

I gave the room 1/10. The 1 point was for being able to get into the room and for one of the largest rooms we have stayed in - big enough for two Kingsized beds.

Where did the other 9 points go.... well.

Dreadful bathroom:

For starters, 8 of them went on the naff design of the bathroom. For example the door opened inwards so if you need help to transfer - once you have done so the other person can't get out (or back in). If someone fell off the loo nobody could get in to help because chances are you would be in front of the door and splatted on the floor. Talking about the floor - lovely white shiny tiles which are great for slipping and sliding. Oh and did I mention a grab rail stuck in the most stupidest of places - if you need a wide base to raise from seated to standing - forget it as the rail comes up from the floor and pins you to the loo... need I go on.

I will say one other thing - special people who book special rooms can not be trusted with hot water - so the tap water is regulated to 'luke warm' making a wash at the sink a cold and unpleasant experience - we used boiled water from the kettle to make it usable. I ended up using the bathroom in the lobby which was very accessible.

The good thing (and reason for booking it) was that we were a very short walk from the theatre where we had tickets to see Chris Rea. We had been before to this venue and you get to sit with all the other special people on the 'balcony' opposite the stage (it’s actually a good spot despite
the ’seat all disabled people together’ ethos).

The other 1 point was lost for the tables in the room - none of them accessible to me because they were too low to eat off when we had room service for dinner and breakfast. Even Kevin, sitting on chairs provided in the room could not get under the main 'desk' - poor design all round.

Tags:holiday inn | disability equality | access

My review of our two day trip to Greenwich, London. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express and used the Dockland Light Railway (DLR) to get to Greenwich (or a ten minute drive by car).

Day 1 - Cutty Sark by car then to the hotel.

Day 2 - Greenwich Observatory & National Maritime Museum

Cutty Sark: It was raining and cold but we parked right next door in a pay and display car park. Kevin had just put in near a fiver for the afternoon - only to read it was free to blue badge holders.

The Cutty Sark has one accessible floor (the one beneath being the cargo hold and the one above the top deck and cabins). Most of the displays were on the accessible deck with the gift shop. Apparently they are putting the whole ship under cover with an external lift to all three decks in the next few year - and had reduced exhibits as a result of badly needed repairs and restoration. The 'model / plans' were displayed showing this great new access - yet were not on an accessible floor!! Oh yes, and at precisely the same time we were there on every third Sunday you will be subject to loud singing of sea shantees from local volunteer 'sailors' (prepare to be blasted or take ear muffs if you want to concentrate on reading the history of the ship!!). You can't really visit Greenwich without going on board to discover the joys of tea and its import- hurrah for tea I say!

We took shelter and had a meal in a local pub - expect London prices for a basic pub meal.

Accommodation

Holiday Inn express. Our first room had wheelchair access with 'wet room' with shower seat. Alas the sink was somewhat high and inset into the unit meaning I couldn't wash my hair in the sink. Also noticed that plugs were really low down even for a wheelchair user. As we discovered the shower then didn't work so we moved to another room fairly easily the next day. This was bigger and a different layout, again with a wet room. Electric sockets were at a more reasonable level along with other furniture - a much better room. It is worth looking at different accessible rooms if possible as they were both different. Parking was right next to the front door.

Day 2 - Greenwich Observatory & National Maritime Museum

Transport:

DLR from Silvertown station. A short walk from our hotel with one change on the outward journey. The DLR carriages themselves are very accessible in terms of wheelchair access. However we were let down by the platform lifts. We were supposed to get off at the Cutty Sark Station which is a few minutes walk to the Museum etc. However you must reach street level via a lift - which wasn't working. We had to get another train to the next stop at Greenwich - but that lift was broke also. Now we had to go to the next one which would not be within walking distance of our destination. We got off at the next stop where you could cross by ramps to the opposite platform. We returned to Greenwich stop only to find the lift again did not work on this side of the platform. However, we could reach street level and left the station and walked to the park.

What would have been ten minutes by car used up half of our day getting on and off trains. Apparently the 'lifts never work' which is not a lot of use for wheelchair users who want to do something other than visit a platform before going home again.

On the return journey we had to change twice - once at Canary Wharf during rush hour.... say no more. It was almost impossible to get off the train without just mowing people over - so I wouldn't advise travelling at that time.

So, trains are easy to access - if you find a working lift to the platforms.

Greenwich Observatory

We walked through the park and up the hill - use the road to reach the observatory rather than the steep path at the front which is impossible to get up. Alas this too was undergoing work for a new building and part of the museum - leaving not a lot left open. The new buildings will be more accessible and had lifts ready for when they open.

It is a good view from the top and at night is illuminated a a laser beams out showing the Meridian Line. The park shuts at dusk though. We will come back again in a few years to take a peak.

Greenwich Maritime Museum

Access was very good and we spent until closing time here. Many galleries to wander around and exhibits. Photographs aren't allowed which is a shame and entry was free. I can't remember how many lifts we had to get in and out of - lots as the galleries are on different levels and 'half levels' which is confusing! I could actually see the exhibits which was good - lots of galleries have cases you can't see into whilst seated so it was good in this respect.

Tags:disability equality | access | holiday inn express

When is an accessible Premier Inn not an accessible Premier Inn?

Answer: When you phone and talk to staff at Poole North about accessible rooms.

I don’t normally question the accessibility of rooms in these types of places. However, having stayed at so many either for short breaks, work or visiting family, I know that no two are the same.

Sometimes it is a subtle difference or a difference that determines my personal level of access (like not needing to take so much disability equipment if I can transfer to the loo on one particular side).

Something made me query the sink (in which I would be washing hair and so on) as to whether it was built into a wall, built into a unit or was free standing to get underneath and up close from my wheelchair.

My husband called first and the person on the desk said they were built in... followed by ‘oh no, I don’t think so in the disabled rooms’. The moment the person gave me reason to doubt, prompted a second phone call the next day for a second opinion. This person also didn’t fill me with confidence.

Staff couldn’t provide a photo of the bathroom which would have cleared up the query once and for all so I had to enlist my brother, who was in that area this week, to visit and take a look himself (and take some photos). Of course, it was good of staff to let him do that but what would have been much easier is to see a picture of the rooms and layout. A cheap and easy solution that would have meant minimum inconvenience for all concerned and increased their standard of customer care.

Just having ‘accessible rooms’ is really not enough because different layouts pose different barriers for different people and a picture could really help resolve a customer’s query.

I believe photographs of accessible rooms, holiday cottages etc should be a minimum part of any disability standard because disabled people don’t always fit the ’accessibility standard’ box.

Tags:DDA | access | disabled | tourism | travel

My Zoo provides casual gamers with insight into disability equality.

My Zoo is a casual game from Eyrewood Studios for the Facebook platform. With 659,924 monthly users and a portion of profits donated to wildlife charities it’s something that is appealing to all age groups across the globe.

The game is based around creating a zoo through buying land, staff, enclosures and of course the animals themselves. Players can choose to breed endangered animals and make improvements to their zoo to keep visitors coming back and increasing profits.

A little while ago I approached Scott Carney from Eyrewood Studios and asked if some disability equality features could be added to improve the ‘visitor’ experience. After some suggestions around the types of features and language, I was delighted to see that equality has become part of the game experience and players now have to build in disability features to progress in the game.

As a way of making equality mainstream, building equality into gaming is a fantastic way to engage with people. I have approached other companies on similar issues but they have so far declined to include disability equality features into their games.



So far, features include:

• Disabled facilities to increase guest satisfaction

(Text reads “Accessible restrooms, surface improvements, easy-to-read signs and wheelchair/scooter ramps yield more visitors and higher satisfaction.")


• Employee Training (which requires the disabled facilities upgrade)

(Text reads “Customer service and equality training improves interactions between employees and with visitors.)

Future plans include stroller and wheelchair rentals and a zoo train to improve getting around the zoo.

Scott said, “I'm really glad that you contacted me and brought this important aspect of building a public facility to my attention. It wouldn't have occurred to me on my own and I think it's a great addition to our simulation. Because of the limited scope of facebook applications, I wasn't able to incorporate all of your suggestions, but I was happy to add as many as I could. Feedback was very positive when the items showed up.”

Tags:business | access | facebook | casual games

It’s blogging against disablism day and my topic this year was going to be entitled life enhancing gadgets and techno wizardry. However, thinking about it - gadgets haven’t enhanced my life - they have GIVEN me life.

I might post a few entries today - and do pop onto facebook if you have a disability gadget question - I might know something that could help!!


I am a gadget nut - I read about new gadgets more than once a day and I’m counting down the days until an iPhone finds its way into my hand.

So what have amazing feats of technology done for me. Well, if you know me it;s pretty easy to spot that I have little strength in my limbs (think floppy rag doll). I have MD and it’s a progressive type of impairment - so each day I’m a bit worse than the last. Thankfully - technology has kept up with my needs.

Here’s some examples

Gaining an education

Taking exams in the 90’s. Laptops were like telephone directories in weight and cost an absolute fortune. However, I couldn’t take notes in class and my dictation skills were useless (and disturbed other people to be honest). It also meant they had to pay a nursery nurse (yes that;s what they called educational personal assistants) to take notes. So, education would have been a nightmare - had it not been that laptops were just about in existence and my local education authority sent a geek in glasses and a beard to deliver one to my school. So I became fluent in touch typing, got rid of the nurse and kept up with lessons alongside everyone else. I was starting to become gadget kid to the envy of everyone. Within a year, apple computers were installed at my school - about 15 of the old apple II series cubed, black and white, small screens. I spent many hours in the free to enter room drawing and typing - and my love for all things Apple introduced a range of inclusive software.


Going to Uni was different - the laptop was confiscated and I was told to go and raise funds if I wanted one. It wasn’t a case of wanting one, I NEEDED one. Disabled people had no legal right to one like they do now under civil law. A few calls to a local newspaper about this injustice got them to cough up - so I gained my first degree.

Mobile phones

Whilst at Uni - the invention of the mobile phone meant that I could trundle around in my elecy wheelchair - safe in the knowledge that my brick would just about have enough power to call for assistance should I get stuck or need general assistance. It was a life line and eventually I hooked it up to my wheelchair battery to ensure maximum power. Nowadays, micro life-line pendants, pagers, telecare and similar support millions of people to make life saving connections with carers, assistants and others.

Later, I was unable to use my arms and lift a phone to my ear - and low and behold they got lighter and easier to hold - so I dumped the Erikson brick for a small Nokia - and life continued.

Then I couldn’t hold anything up to my ear - so hands free and bluetooth became the way to go.

Now I can’t press buttons so well - so my iPhone will be fantastic because with just a tap I can get texting again. An when I can’t tap - well brain wave power is coming on line for controlling things - so thought controlled apps - here I come.

With the right technology I’m not disabled - I can keep in touch with people and even control my home environment and get around as much as anyone.

What I’d like to see bring us into the 21st century

1) Better electric wheelchair design - they have had 4 wheels and a clunky, bulky, inaccessible design for many years. Although we have seen a few more functions (raise, tilt in space, stair climbing and use of gyroscopes) the overall functionality has not really improved with the technology available.

If you could see what the NHS offered me you would think we were in the year 1908 - it was only an electronic step up from a basket.

Tags:disabled | independent living | gadgets

It’s blogging against disablism day and here is my round up of top gadgets and innovative products that, in my opinion, are not to be missed.

Just the other day I was Oooo-ing at an iPhone that a BSL interpreter had on one of my courses. Now there’s a phone that I can’t wait to get my hands on. But wait, I hear your cry. What about blind people - how are they going to manage in a world that is going touch screen? To which I replied, well actually... did you know that people with visual impairments CAN access a whole range of apple products with some interesting innovations and built in design

It’s true, technology can be life enhancing and access features for disabled people are at risk of being left out of the top ten things to include in new devices.

Being a total tech head I’m always on the lookout for the next gizmo and gadget that I can’t possibly live without - and many of them are offering life enhancing capabilities and good accessibility.

Innovation:

1) Lip-reading computers developed at the Unversity of East Anglia. Many disabled people lose their voices but retain lip movement so this would be perfect. Think of the business applications - especially when it can read several different languages. More about lip-reading computers

2) Phones. Other useful tech includes the ability to translate sign language to audio for mobile phones. If you have no vision then this concept case for the iPhone is interesting.

Moving on - you can now control your light switches from your iPhone! I have so many remotes for switching plugs and lights that to have one cool gadget as a universal control - now that’s progress.

So, my next one is home automation (environmental controls).

3) Home automation is now affordable outside of ‘special disabled equipment’ from the NHS. In my dream world, one command would open the curtains, bring the lights up from dim, set the radio going with soothing sounds whilst my coffee and breakfast was being made for me in the kitchen by yet more fab gadgetry. Oh wait, actually I suppose I do have this in the form of a PA... hmmm.

4) Brain waves for blogging and tweeting. Yes if you can’t move a muscle then use your noggin to keep up with your bloggin (I always knew I was a poet???) and use of Twitter (if you don’t mind wearing a mad cap full of electrodes - hey I’d try it).

5) Brain waves for controlling wheelchairs. Yes working prototypes are available. You programme your chair to move left or right according to thinking about a particular object. What happens when you’re weaving about the newsagents thinking Left Left Left and your distracted by a top shelf magazine I don’t know - perhaps you start spinning round or something!

6) Gadget web-sites - I’ve found many a useful invention on these sites.

http://www.coolest-gadgets.com

is my favourite one but there are lots on the web - go and see if you can find something that could change your life!

Tags:disabled | independent living | gadgets

I am a none-believer. When you phone up somewhere you want to go and ask ‘do you have wheelchair access’ a yes can mean anything from:

a) We have a huge flight of stairs.
b) We have 6 strong men to carry people.
c) You can get in through the door only.
d) Yes - but don’t expect to use the loo or changing rooms.
e) Yes - complete access to everything a none-disabled customer would expect.

For true equality (e) is the only option.

Yesterday I went out for lunch for my father-in law’s birthday at a local pub.

Yes meant ‘if you can negotiate an inch or so step immediately followed by a 90 degree turn in a space not much wider than the average adult wheelchair and don’t need the loo’. We took of my foot plate to make me as slim as possible and with husband nearly losing his toes we made it. I count this as quite good past experiences considered.

The best one was a search for an accessible cottage. It listed a lighthouse. I though perhaps the ground floor was a holiday cottage with access - but apparently not, it was a very tall lighthouse with hundreds of steps listed as wheelchair accessible.... beat that!

Tags:disabled | access | wheelchair

Pop along to Naidex web-site.

I am researching accessible layouts of exhibitions and thought I would see what the NEC has to offer where Naidex is held.

“As the UK’s largest event for homecare, disability and rehabilitation. Naidex is your best opportunity to touch, test and compare all the latest new products and services available.”


So, I clicked on ‘visiting’ and then onto frequently asked questions.

Would this site answer it? No. I found this:

“What are the disabled facilities?”

and the link went to a dead page.

Hmmm... is this a conspiracy to prevent disabled people from finding out about access.

I don’t think exhibition venues actually look at access within the great halls. A maze of stands, flyers sticking to your shoes that have found their way onto the floor and a phobics nightmare if you ‘don’t do the people thing’. Not to mention the buzz of thousands of voices and even scarier - lots of therapists milling around. Aghhh.

It’s a nightmare.... I don’t care how many accessible parking spaces and toilets they have. This does not an accessible venue make, dear Sir.

Tags:website | disabled | access | Naidex

I am not going shopping this Christmas - why?

Take a look at what happened last year.

--

T'was the night before Christmas... well not really, it was the Thursday before actually and the venue wasn't a cosy family scene around a log fire - it was myself and my PA in Tesco!

Christmas brings out the best in people. It is a time of good will to all men and extra special good will to disabled people.

The charity boxes are filling up nicely giving people a warm and cosy feeling inside....

[Note from Editor: Little do they know their contribution may have inadvertently helped another disabled person spend further years in an institution with little choice or control of what they do in life - but never mind.]

and people are falling over themselves trying to help me.

How lovely? Actually, no. Not lovely at all when you are the recipient of such goodwill. Now, I know people are just being nice, and God Bless them for that. However, it is enough to put any sane person off never going again.

Take this example from that dreadful day.

My PA was selecting vegetables and you would have thought I personally was adding to the variety of vege in that area [Ed. crip joke], when out of the blue an elderly gentlemen beamed at me and proceeded to squeeze my cheeks like you might do to a cute baby in a pram.

For goodness sake, I'm a thirty something woman not 3 months old. He told me how pretty I was, followed by a comment that I wasn't to think of him as a weird old man - he just thought I had a pretty face and felt I should know that. So, he wasn’t weird - just patronising. That’s ok then.

I smiled and wished him a Happy Christmas... but he lingered on. He carried on chatting whilst his wife did the shopping. I was turning a shade of red and struggling on how to politely get away. He had me cornered between the mangos and the bananas - resistance was futile. The store was crowded - there was no place to hide.

"Some of us have to wear a silly hat or shave to look beautiful - but you don't" he said.

"I should hope not", I laughed. "If I have to shave my face then I'm in trouble."

He laughed and gave one more patronising half wink and off he went.

Thank @*(£)@ for that!

No rest for the wicked

But it wasn't over yet, do gooders were all over the place asking could I reach things and if there was anything I wanted. My Yoghurt Lady (a member of staff who works in that isle. Together, we share a bit of yogurt delivery banter each week) spotted me at another end of the store and shouted 'I'll go and get the cherry yoghurts ready for you, how many do your want"? Back she came with my goods and popped them into my trolly. Everyone around now knows I have cherry yogurts each week. It could have been worse I suppose....

As my PA was packing things into the car, the guy in the next car offered to help put them in.... there was no end to this jolyness!

Think twice.

If you are on you own then all this help is probably just that - helpful. When you have a PA around and you have to keep declining help, explaining you have your own assistant and that this is part of their job and my independence - it becomes tiresome.

The week after New Year, people are going back to their every day lives and goodwill is a thing of the past. No one will offer me help, probably, until next December. And that's the real point of this entry.

We are disabled for life (well a lot of us) not just for Christmas - so spare a thought throughout the year rather than use up the annual dose of goodwill all in one go - thanks.

Tags:attitudes | wheelchair | woman

I was at one of the motorway brand hotels the other day, training, where a meal in their restaurant was included.

The tables were on an upper level via a platform lift.

The food was selected on the lower level with level access.

I was escorted by staff to the lift and they said they had already removed a seat for me just a few steps from the lift (which would probably have blocked in any other people using it).

So, they appeared to think that it was helpful to tell me exactly where in this empty restaurant I had to sit and with whom!

Then I realised, and so did the others on the table, that the food was chosen on the lower level.

I couldn’t be bothered to get back onto the lift and go down, so sent my PA to choose for me.

So.... although the staff member thought they were being really helpful, they had actually denied my right to choose where I sit and with whom (without the effort of moving and causing a bit of a fuss), and what I wanted to eat!

Correct method for me would have been:

1) Explain food is on the lower level - so would I like to choose first then select a seat from the upper level (or have a printed menu on the upper level so I could choose).

2) To ask where I wanted to sit and offer to remove that chair at the appropriate time or let my PA do it (or realise I had a PA and could sort myself out).

These are real life problems and solution you get to learn about on equality courses run by disabled people.

Tags:discrimination | wheelchair | business

One of the things I find quite disturbing is the number of disabled people who will openly and honestly say that they chose benefits as a lifestyle choice.

These individuals are quite accepting that even with their level of impairment, they could work - but choose not too.

I have seen four distinct groups emerging over the last year.

1) The “I can’t and never will be able to work” group.

Those that believe that they could never work because they adopt the sick role or believe ‘disabled people don’t get jobs because of discrimination so why bother’. They see work as out of the question and often refuse to engage with anything that might indicate otherwise.

2) The “I could but don’t see the need to” group.

Those who are comfortable with free housing, free support and free social activities paid for by the council. Many have had well paid jobs before they became disabled, are not contributing towards the cost of their support, have maximised their benefits and feel that their ‘income’ provides a desirable quality of life - so why change? Many have high academic qualifications and many sought after skills and experience.

3) The “I will try work if I have the right support” group.

Those that want to work, but find it difficult to get the right amount of support and a job that pays well enough to come of benefits. They accept the responsibility of citizens to seek employment - and see themselves as no different in that sense.

4) Those who truly can’t work at all because they have a very severe level of impairment.

Often individuals who have high disability related and housing costs that go far beyond what benefits will cover. Individuals for whom the benefit system is really supposed to help - and which doesn’t go far enough in it current format.

Equality - we must ensure responsible citizenship.

I have worked with many social workers and care managers who quite readily offer 2 or 3 days at a resource centre or Direct Payments to enjoy leisure activities, without exploring whether that person should be engaging with work (and may thus rule out the need for so much leisure support to make a person’s days ‘fulfilled’).

I am not saying that disabled people don’t deserve funds to enable them to access leisure - far from it.

However, as a disabled person, it grates to know that I might be slogging away for 5 days a week at work, whereas someone else with the same level of impairment can be having 5 great days worth of fun activities.

Where is the equality in that?

Tags:employment | independent living

As a dedicated family historian researching my ancestry, I purchase a popular magazine called 'Your Family Tree'.

In the last issue, they accidentally printed some of their articles in a pale font on a pale background and made it difficult for vision impaired people to read or 'those with poor eyesight' as they described.

Nice to see that not only have they apologized publicly but they have made an accessible downloadable version in a pdf for people who can access the Internet.

Congratulations to the Editor for apologizing and avoiding a potential DDA claim from it's readers. Perhaps others publications could take note... I''m off to have a read.

Read what the company said by clicking here.

I posted a comment on their website and added this note in reference to their SPAM detection:

(Apart from to publish this I had to answer a maths question which many disabled people would find difficult should they have a cognitive impairment)

Tags:disabled | discrimination | business | visually impaired | alternative formats