About this leaflet

This leaflet gives information about the needs of black and minority ethnic deaf and hard of hearing people. It looks at:

In 2001 RNID commissioned the London Ethnic Minority Deaf Association (LEMDA) to carry out research into the information needs of black and minority ethnic deaf and hard of hearing people. The research showed that organisations should be doing more if they want to make their information accessible to black and minority ethnic deaf and hard of hearing people.

This leaflet tells you how you can do this. We suggest you read it alongside our leaflet "Producing information for deaf and hard of hearing people" which gives useful general guidelines on how to make it easier for deaf and hard of hearing people to access your materials by taking into account their communication needs.

Making your information more accessible

You can start making your information more accessible to black and minority ethnic deaf and hard of hearing people almost immediately. Many of the things you need to do are easy to put in place and won't cost your organisation a lot.

Printed information

There are a number of ways that you can make printed information more accessible. You can start by using plain English (for tips see our leaflet "Producing information for deaf and hard of hearing people").

Translate your material into the main languages used by your client group. You may need to do some research first. Information aimed at a national audience may need to be translated into a slightly different range of languages than information aimed at local client groups. Try your local authority or local translation agencies for help with identifying the appropriate local languages.

Use pictures, including photos and illustrations, to convey your message and include plenty of images of black and minority ethnic deaf and hard of hearing people. If you use images of people make sure they convey emotion, for example use clear facial expressions. Try to use photos of 'real' people rather than models.

Video and DVD

Put your information on signed video tape with voiceovers and subtitles in a range of community languages. RNID's "Producing information for deaf and hard of hearing people" leaflet gives more information about producing information on video tape. As it becomes cheaper to produce DVDs over the next few years they are likely to prove a useful format for producing information because they can have accessible subtitles in a range of community languages.

Audio tape

Record your information onto audio tape for hard of hearing people. Family and friends of deaf and hard of hearing people will also find this a useful way to access information.

Translate your audio tapes into different languages. The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) can provide a list of transcribing agencies.

Update your website

Make sure your organisation's website is an up-to-date and comprehensive source of information. Many deaf and hard of hearing people find the internet a useful way to access information.

Reaching your audience

Make information available at a range of community based organisations and sites such as Citizens Advice Bureaux (CABx), GP surgeries, hospitals, social services, community centres for local black and minority ethnic people, disability resource centres and local libraries. Ask local groups already working with black and minority ethnic people for help and advice when distributing your information.

Exhibit at events for black and minority ethnic people. And publicise your services and information about your organisation in publications aimed at black and minority ethnic people such as "Eastern Eye" and "The Voice".

Making your information relevant

Keep up to date with issues concerning black and minority ethnic deaf people and make sure your information reflects those issues.

Black and minority ethnic deaf people in the UK

Nearly 9 million people in the UK are deaf or hard of hearing. That is one in seven of the population. Of these, 698,000 are severely or profoundly deaf. People who are severely or profoundly deaf often rely heavily on lipreading or use sign language or text communication.

There are no accurate figures available for the number of black and minority ethnic deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK. An estimated 3,663,000 people are from a minority ethnic group in the UK. If the pattern of deafness in the general population is repeated in the minority ethnic community, we could estimate that in the UK approximately 500,000 black and minority ethnic people are deaf or hard of hearing. But these figures should be treated with caution. They do not take into account the age profile of different black and minority ethnic communities or account for recent immigrants who may have come from regions with greater levels of poverty, poor healthcare and low levels of immunisation against diseases such as rubella.

Further information from RNID

Small orders of factsheets and leaflets published by RNID are free. You can get copies from RNID's Information Line. Please contact us if you would like copies in audio tape, braille or large print.

RNID Information Line

The RNID Information Line can provide information on many aspects of deafness and hearing loss.

RNID Information Line, 19-23 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SL
Telephone: 0808 808 0123
Textphone: 0808 808 9000
Fax: 020 7296 8199
Email: informationline@rnid.org.uk 
Website: RNID helplines

Useful organisations

British Deaf Association

The British Deaf Association can give you advice about producing videos for deaf people.

British Deaf Association, 1-3 Worship Street, London EC2A 2AB
Telephone: 0870 770 3300
Textphone: 0800 6522 965
Fax: 020 7588 3527
Videophone: 020 7496 9539
Email: helpline@bda.org.uk 
Website: British Deaf Association website (external link, opens new browser window).

Plain English Campaign

The Plain English Campaign can advise you on writing information in plain English.

Plain English Campaign, PO Box 3, New Mills, High Peak, SK22 4QP
Telephone: 01663 744409
Fax: 01663 747038
Email: info@plainenglish.co.uk 
Website: Plain English Campaign website (external link, opens new browser window)

The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)

RNIB can provide a list of transcribing agencies to help you put your information onto audio tape.

The Royal National Institute for the Blind, 224 Great Portland Street London W1N 6AA
Telephone: 08457 669999
Fax: 020 7388 2034
Email: helpline@rnib.org.uk 
Website: The Royal National Institute for the Blind website (external link, opens new browser window)

Acknowledgements

The statistics and information on this page come from the following sources:

Crown Copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the Queen's Printer for Scotland.