Remote working can boost accessibility but can make work harder for disabled journalists, says Natasha Hirst, who is deaf and has ADHD
D
isabled journalists are skilled at creating strategies for mitigating barriers in their working and home lives. These range from navigating inaccessible transport systems and workplaces to building communications and
productivity resources and educating colleagues on working inclusively, all of which drain energy and head space that people would prefer to plough into work. These barriers reduce opportunities and place disabled journalists at a disadvantage. The first Covid-19 lockdown forced a huge surge in working from home and a need to find new ways of using technology to communicate and work. For some disabled journalists, such as myself, widespread remote working coupled with assistive technology has provided a more accessible environment and opened up opportunities to engage with meetings and training courses, and attend talks and networking events. It’s been a game-changer for me, but my experience isn’t necessarily echoed by others. “People think that online meetings are an equaliser,
but they’re not,” says Eleanor Lisney, a freelance content creator and writer. “On the face of it, it looks easier – I don’t have to travel or plan complex journeys. People recognise that I can’t attend an event if public transport is inaccessible but it’s hard to explain the impact of chronic fatigue to non-disabled people who just don’t understand.” Lisney has personal assistants who work regular hours and assist with tasks such as making notes and transcribing meetings: “I can’t just change their hours because someone wants me at an early meeting, but I want to be seen as a professional, so I end up in back-to-back meetings that exhaust me.” As 2021 nears, many journalists are still working from home and people are expected to be available for online meetings throughout the day. ‘Zoom fatigue’ is a familiar phenomenon but this is compounded for those with sensory impairments or who are neurodivergent. Accessibility features of common online meeting platforms often fall short and may not be compatible with screen- reading software, missing opportunities to improve the user experience for all. Ann Galpin chairs the NUJ disabled members’ council and co-chairs the TUC disabled workers’ committee. She shares her experience of inclusive online working: “Supportive facilitation is vital. In virtual meetings, ensure that people connecting by phone are asked if they wish to comment first, then any visually
impaired members. Greater use of speech to text reporting makes meetings accessible to deaf/deafened, autistic and neurodiverse people, and people with learning difficulties. The facility to follow a transcription has been transformative
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