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The Pitfalls of Accessibility Certifications in India: What Really Counts
31 Jul
Posted in Advocacy & Policy No comments

The Pitfalls of Accessibility Certifications in India: What Really Counts

As awareness around accessibility grows, so does the demand for certifications that validate a building’s inclusiveness. But not all that glitters is gold. A complaint was recently filed with the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) against an international accessibility certification agency operating in India. The complaint, submitted by a group of empanelled accessibilityRead more about The Pitfalls of Accessibility Certifications in India: What Really Counts[…]

Universal design recommendations for the post-Covid workplace environment
13 Aug
Posted in Universal Design No comments

Universal design recommendations for the post-Covid workplace environment

— Social /Physical distancing is the new normal. Organizations are taking some short and long term measures – infrastructural , technological and policy based – to ensure safety and well being of their employees and customers. There have been reports of instances of some arbitrary changes at workplaces and other public places which are sometimesRead more about Universal design recommendations for the post-Covid workplace environment[…]

Making Virtual Meeting /Conference Accessible
11 May
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Making Virtual Meeting /Conference Accessible

As we are all now having virtual meetings/conferences, it is imperative that it is accessible and inclusive to all including people with disabilities. If these are not accessible, one will end of excluding 15 % population comprising of people with disabilities who could be students, potential candidates, employees, customers, clients for various services or evenRead more about Making Virtual Meeting /Conference Accessible[…]

Difference between accessibility, accommodation and universal design
23 Mar
Posted in Accessibility No comments

Difference between accessibility, accommodation and universal design

Many people use the words accessibility, reasonable accommodation and universal design interchangeably. These are different terms and  have specific meaning and application. I will try and explain this in a layman’s language in this blog. Accessibility Accessibility enables people with disabilities to reach and utilise a product or a service or information.  For example, constructionRead more about Difference between accessibility, accommodation and universal design[…]

The importance of an accessibility consultant when preparing a construction plan for your project
28 Feb
Posted in Accessibility No comments

The importance of an accessibility consultant when preparing a construction plan for your project

This post is written by Ruchira Sarin. Accessibility / Universal Design Specialist has been recognised as a professional in the construction business/ project development team in the National Building Code of 2016. I got trained as an Architect 17 years back. As a young graduate from a premier architectural school, I felt I would conquerRead more about The importance of an accessibility consultant when preparing a construction plan for your project[…]

What are the right terminologies for referring to people with disabilities?
23 Jan
Posted in Uncategorized No comments

What are the right terminologies for referring to people with disabilities?

There are so any terminologies for referring people with disabilities. Many disability professionals in the meetings/seminars/workplaces may have been rebuked by a colleague/participant for using the term ‘disability’. They would have got a lecture why the term disability should not be used and instead terms like specially abled, differently abled and specially enabled etc. shouldRead more about What are the right terminologies for referring to people with disabilities?[…]

Making emergency preparedness inclusive for people with disabilities
27 Dec
Posted in Accessibility No comments

Making emergency preparedness inclusive for people with disabilities

In our experience working with many organisations, people with disabilities are asked not to participate in mock emergency drills or they are asked to evacuate the building using the lift before the start of the mock drill. There are many other reasons why people with disabilities get kept out during the drills – inaccessible warningRead more about Making emergency preparedness inclusive for people with disabilities[…]

An assessment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act 2016
03 Dec
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An assessment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act 2016

It’s been 2 years since The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act was passed by both houses of the Parliament on 16th December 2016. Disability Rights India Foundation (DRIF) in collaboration with National Center for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) and National Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (NCRPD), withRead more about An assessment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act 2016[…]

What you need to know about Multiple Sclerosis
13 Nov
Posted in Awareness No comments

What you need to know about Multiple Sclerosis

Interview with Renuka Malaker, National Secretary (Hon), Multiple Sclerosis Society of India, by DEOC What is Multiple Sclerosis? Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, unpredictable disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. It is thought to be an immune-mediated disorder, in which theRead more about What you need to know about Multiple Sclerosis[…]