JMU Access Partnership
News Archive
MLA 2005 Survey
The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) has published the findings of their 2005 Disability Survey. It is the only cultural sector public body to have completed two surveys of this kind over four years. The 2005 survey results reveal evidence of change such as enhanced awareness of the Disability Discrimination Act and service improvement, including the development of access provision for disabled people in museums, libraries and archives.
Replies were received by 116 respondents from museums, libraries and archives. The report illustrates a number of key findings such as:
- 89% of respondents believe disability access is about more than wheelchair access
- 83% provide general disability awareness training for staff. There has been an increase in the proportion of respondents carrying out formal disability access audits since 2001. However, almost 1/3 of archive services and a smaller proportion of libraries and museums have not yet undertaken an audit.
- Less than half of respondents (43%) had an access plan for disabled people.
- A growing number of respondents include provision for disability access in revenue and capital budgets.
The results of the survey can be found at the MLA website 08/12/06
Disappointing school design
The design quality of secondary schools built over the last five years is not good enough to secure the government's ambition to transform young people's education, according to a new report published by CABE. Assessing 52 out of 124 completed schools, the audit found that 19 per cent were good or excellent and 31 per cent were partially good, but that half were poorly built and badly designed.
While there are signs that design quality is improving, the report says that too many of the mistakes of the past look like being repeated in the first wave of schools being built under the Building Schools for the Future programme.
CABE's chief executive, Richard Simmons said:
"School needs to change from a place where children are forced to come to be taught to one where a community of individuals can share learning experience and activities. It’s clear from our audit that there are simply not enough schools being built or designed at the moment that are exemplary, inspiring, innovative or flexibly designed. It’s imperative that the government allows time for design and doesn’t compromise quality for speed." Order the report
14/07/06