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Toolkit on accessibility

Tools to apply universal design across premises and programs and promote access for all

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Section E: Accessibility Assessments

Insight on how to conduct accessibility assessments regardless of the specific circumstances

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A repository of useful tools, documents and examples for accessibility activities, such as terms of reference or samples of assessment reports

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Acknowledgements

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accessibility	“Accessibility is a precondition for persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully and equally in society. Without access to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and communication, including information and communications technologies and systems, and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, persons with disabilities would not have equal opportunities for participation in their respective societies.” (Source: General Comment N°2 of the CRPD)
accessibility of buildings	The provision of buildings or parts of buildings for people, regardless of disability, age or gender, to be able to approach, enter, use and exit from and evacuate a building independently, in an equitable and dignified manner and to the greatest extent possible21
alternative formats	Formats of documents and other information that include options that can be read via touch, sound or sight, e.g., the format can be read easily by screen-reading software, such as EPUB, DAISY, HTML or Braille readable format, or has been designed with pictures or icons and simple, large letters/type or font
Braille	A system of raised dots that people who are blind can use to read with their fingers
built environment	Defined by the ISO as “external and internal environments and any element, component or fitting that is commissioned, designed, constructed and managed for use by people”;22 examples include schools, playgrounds, toilets, health centres and UNICEF premises
CART	Communication Access Realtime Translation; the instantaneous translation of spoken language into text that can be displayed in various forms and on a screen or monitor
clear headroom	Space above walkways to prevent hazards, particularly for tall people, persons with low vision or who are blind (from, e.g., cupboards, signposts, the bottom of stairways or tree branches)
cm	Centimetre (1 cm = 0.393 inches)
colour blindness	The inability to determine some colours; for example, green or red colours may appear to be grey
CRPD	Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
DAISY	Digital Accessible Information System; a global standard for digital books with audio supporting people who are blind or have other disabilities, such as dyslexia
EPUB	Electronic publishing; the current standard is 3.223
flush	Completely level or even with another surface (not raised)
going	The horizontal part of a stair or step; also the horizontal distance between the start and end of a ramp
grab-bars/railings	Bars/railings that are placed beside bus seats, toilet seats, showers or bedsides to provide support, e.g., for transfer from a wheelchair to a toilet or for passengers to safely stand on a bus
GrAF	UNICEF’s internal Greening and Accessibility Fund
hearing loop (audio induction loop)	A sound system (built-in or portable) that produces an electromagnetic signal in an area of a building that can be received directly by hearing aids
HTML	HyperText Markup Language
ISO	International Organization for Standardization; a worldwide federation of national standards bodies that prepares widely used standards through its technical committees
JAWS	Job Access With Speech; a computer screen-reader program for Microsoft Windows that allows blind and visually impaired users to read the screen either with a text-to-speech output or by a refreshable Braille display
kerb ramp	A lowered kerb that provides a ramp for easier access to roads at sidewalk crossings; also called a ‘dropped kerb’, ‘sidewalk cut-out’ or ’curb ramp’
km	Kilometre (1 km = 0.62 miles)
landing space	Space at the top and bottom of stairs and ramps, or in between and in front of lifts that helps people to safely rest or manoeuvre; there can be intermediate landings if a ramp or a flight of stairs is very long
leaf	The main part of a door or window, which may swing outwards or inwards, or slide sideways
LRV	Light Reflectance Value; a measure of colour contrast, which makes it easier for people with vision impairment to differentiate hazards and objects (on a scale of 0–100: 0 = black, 100 = white)
lux	The unit of measuring light (= to 1 lumen per square metre)
m	Metre (1 m = 1.09 yards = 3.28 feet)
manoeuvring space	Space needed to make a U-turn or to change position or direction of movement, especially for persons using wheelchairs or walking frames, or when a person is being carried on a stretcher during an emergency
mm, mm2	Millimetre, square millimetre
OPD	Organization of Persons with Disabilities; sometimes referred to as Disabled People’s Organization (DPO)
persons with disabilities	Includes those persons with long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments that in interaction with attitudinal and environmental barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others
PIDB	Programme Information Database; a UNICEF database with codes to report financial expenditures on activities
ramp	Sloped pathway/surface that allows easy level change for people using bikes, strollers, wheelchairs and other objects with wheels
RECU	The reach, enter, circulate, use concept
rise/riser	The vertical part between each stair/step
SDGs	Sustainable Development Goals
SRV	Slip Resistance Value; a form of measuring slip resistance
tactile	A raised or bumpy surface that can be felt through touch
threshold	A low step (less than 2.5 cm) that can be found at the bottom of a doorway
ToR	Terms of reference
tread	The horizontal part of a step, excluding the step nose
TWSI	Tactile Walking Surface Indicators; tactile guiding pavements (tiles, strips) often required before hazards like roads or stairs that provide bumpy patterns on the ground or surface, which assist people who are blind or have vision impairment to feel (using a cane or feet) a clear pathway to walk or to alert them to hazards
universal design	The designing of products, environments, programmes and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design
upstand	A vertical support piece alongside a path/ramp for safety and guidance
WASH	Water, sanitation and hygiene

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Toolkit on accessibility

Section E: Accessibility Assessments

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