Inclusive language and creating accessible content

Inclusive language and accessible content

An update and simple guide to help you create inclusive and accessible content

Inclusive language and writing about Ethnicity

The government has published advice on what terms we should use when we write about ethnicity. Instead of using the 'BAME' (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic), they have recommended using the term 'ethnic minorities’. For many people, this guidance will be well overdue because the term BAME is not easily understood, and it is a very broad capture of people, cultures, and communities across countries and continents.

Following this move, NIHR EDI Programme Board has decided to end the use of the acronyms BAME and BME in its communications (external and internal communications). We recommend that NIHR uses the term ‘ethnic minorities’, but we acknowledge that there are some limitations of this term and expect that our approach will continue to evolve through consultation with the NIHR community. NIHR recognises the need to understand the terminology, however, greater emphasis will be placed on the tangible actions required to make a step change to becoming a more inclusive funder of research.

We acknowledge that, in the short term, the acronym may still appear in some official documents we are currently required to use, and that there are complex conversations still to be had about how this will affect the way we talk about our work and the appropriate replacement for the term ‘BAME’. We hope to address some of these later on this year, during our consultation process, to develop an equality, diversity, and inclusion strategy.

In publicly stating our intention to make this change, we are signalling our firm commitment to building a more inclusive NIHR. We want to make sure our content reflects changes in language usage and acceptability.

If you have any comments or suggestions please feel free to contact us at edi@nihr.ac.uk and we will review your comments to shape what we do in the future - this is a shared vision that will work best when we all work together in this mission.

Creating accessible content - what you need to know

You have probably heard the term ‘accessibility’ mentioned in relation to creating content for websites, either for the NIHR website, or for a Google site. But what does it mean, and what do you need to know in relation to creating content that is accessible?

Accessibility legislation came into force in 2018 for public sector websites. It aims to ensure that online public services are accessible to all users. In the UK, 1 in 5 people have a disability. If our content is not made accessible, we are excluding up to a fifth of our audience from accessing it.

Whilst much of the focus has been on external users, accessibility is important for everyone, including our own colleagues. Accessible content is easier to read and easier to understand so it helps everyone.

Here are some things you should be aware of:

Headings
It’s important to break your content up with subheadings. By giving your content a structure, you’re making it easier for people to read it. Headings are an important element for people using screen readers.They provide structure and allow people to navigate through a page via the headings to help identify content that is of interest.
Tables
Tables are often used in word documents for formatting and layout, but they are difficult to navigate for people using screen readers or keyboard controls. Therefore, tables should only be used where absolutely necessary, and mostly for data. Consider using alternative formatting instead, such as:
- a bulleted list
- content under subheadings
- splitting long data tables into several shorter tables for clarity
Links
Adding links to other online content is common practice online, but it’s important that those links are descriptive. When a screen reader reads out the link without the context, the user needs to know what content they will get by following it.
For example, “if you want to know more about meaningful link text click here” isn’t a descriptive link. It’s not clear what ‘click here’ will lead you too without the context. Instead, how about “read more about meaningful link text”.
Footnotes
Footnotes are hard for people using assistive technology to use. A footnote forces the user to jump to the bottom of the page and it’s then difficult for them to get back to where they were.
If you are including a footnote so the user can check the source of a statement or find out more details about it, include a descriptive link instead. This will allow people to click through and go straight to the source without the flow of the text being interrupted.
Graphs/diagrams/infographics/flowcharts/maps
These are great for people who can navigate a website using a mouse, and for those people who can view a page. But for people who have a visual impairment and are using a screen reader, they miss any content within them. So, it’s really important to include a written narrative of any content that’s contained within a visual element.
Top tip when writing a narrative is to think about how you would describe the visual content to someone who can’t see it. That’s the level of detail you need to include. Where possible, make any visual elements as clean and concise as possible.
Video
Adding video clips to written content is a great way to bring something to life. But to make it accessible, you need to provide a full written transcript. This needs to include the narrative and a description of any silent parts where someone isn’t speaking. Videos also need to have captions added. To ensure captions are accurate, automatic captioning needs to be manually checked.
Clear and concise language
Writing in plain English ensures content is as accessible as possible. Avoid unnecessarily complex language where possible. Try and limit the use of acronyms (a real challenge in NIHR!) but where you do have to use them, spell them out fully the first time.
As part of our work on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion we want to ensure content is accessible to all. Whilst we know some content is aimed at an academic audience, making language clear and concise is good for everyone. Try using the Hemmingway app to check your content. This online tool helps identify the reading age of your content and ways you can simplify it. Aiming for a readability of grade 9 will help to ensure your content is accessible to a wide range of people.

Where can I find out more?

There’s lots of information available about making content accessible and inclusive, some published by NIHR. Below are some sources you might find interesting and informative.

If you’re creating content for the NIHR website, please speak to your communications team who can give you more advice and guidance.

Accessibility modules on NIHR Learn - these modules give more information on creating accessible content. You’ll need to log in to NIHR Learn using your NIHR email address.

Gov.uk publishes lots of guidance and information about understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies, including why it’s important and how the regulations are being enforced

The Government Digital Service (GDS) publishes some useful and informative blogs about accessibility

Is there a checklist I can use?

Yes, have a look at our two page summary google document Checklist for creating website content which includes tips and brief explanations to help you make your content accessible.