Article

Templated Crisis Communication for People With Disabilities, Access and Functional Needs

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Abstract

Despite the Americans with Disabilities Act being more than 30 years old, many government institutions fail to fully support their constituents, and provide understandable and actionable crisis communications before, during, and after emergencies and disasters. When residents do not effectively receive, understand, and act on crisis communications in a timely manner, life safety issues can occur. People may choose not to evacuate when necessary or lack the information for properly sheltering-in-place. These and other bad decisions can be deadly. Crisis communications, as a subset of risk communications, should be aligned with all the disaster phase cycles—the before, during, and after stages of disasters and crises—so that impacted residents obtain complete information they can use. U.S. government websites, including posted crisis communications public releases, must be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) under Title II and they should use templated crisis communications available in other languages, English-only audio recordings, and videos of American Sign Language.

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... There is a growing body of literature on how information providers succeeded in producing accessible information during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall the literature show that crisis information and communication during the pandemic often failed to reach people with impairments (Annaswamy, Verduzco-Gutierrez and Frieden 2020;Prasad 2022). When healthcare providers turned to eHealth solutions to mitigate the risk of virus transmission many providers did not take into account accessibility needs of people with low vision, deaf people or people with cognitive impairments (Annaswamy, Verduzco-Gutierrez and Frieden 2020). ...
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Background Trust of information shapes adherence to recommended practices and speed of public compliance during public health crises. This is particularly important for groups with higher rates of high-risk health conditions, including those aged 65 and over and people with disabilities. Objective We examined trust in information sources and associated adherence to COVID-19 public health recommendations among people with disabilities living in metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore counties. Methods We recruited participants using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and screened for disability status (n = 408). We compared sociodemographic groups with t-tests, Pearson’s correlations, and Chi-square, as appropriate. We used linear regression to examine factors associated with trust in information and compliance with CDC recommended COVID-19 practices. Results Nonmetro respondents had the lowest trust ratings among all demographic groups, and reported significantly less trust in most information sources. Respondents aged 65 and over reported the highest compliance with CDC recommended practices, while those from nonmetro areas reported the lowest. A regression model for adherence to CDC recommended practices was significant (F = 11.87, P ≤ .001), and explained 33% of the variance. Specifically, increased adherence was associated with being over 65, female, and higher general trust scores. Decreased practices were associated with being nonwhite, nonmetro, higher trust scores in President Trump, and having a communication disability. Conclusions Trust in information sources is associated with action. It is important to provide clear, consistent, and non-polarizing messages during public health emergencies to promote widespread community action.
Article
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how the Republic of Ireland’s National Emergency Coordinating Group performed with respect to ensuring access to emergency information for deaf sign language (SL) users over the course of two emergency situations in 2017 and 2018 as a result of storms. The storms book-ended parliamentary and public debate around the recognition of the indigenous SL of Ireland, Irish Sign Language (ISL). The author explores if/how increased political awareness led to better access in 2018, and how access provision maps to best practice guidelines set out by the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI) and the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD). Design/methodology/approach This paper provides empirical insights about the asymmetrical effort that is required of a minority linguistic community, in this instance, community of deaf ISL users and their allies, to secure provision of access to emergency information that is provided as a matter of course to the wider community of hearing English language speakers. The author draws on parliamentary records, social media and print media to document the political, societal and deaf community discourse around ISL recognition and the emergencies. Findings The author finds that significant effort was required of deaf people and their allies to secure access to national emergency briefings in 2017, with significant improvement evidenced in 2018 for Storm Emma and the Beast from the East, in the aftermath of the adoption of the ISL Act (December 2017). The author drew on the theory of effortful engaging, which posits that unless we have greater awareness of and pro forma consideration of SLs and deaf people, the burden of work required to ensure appropriate access and participation falls on deaf people. Research limitations/implications There is scope for completing a 360° analysis of stakeholders engaged in the process. Further work should also include interviews with deaf community members and emergency response coordinators. Practical implications This paper identifies implications for emergency coordinating groups: provision of appropriate interpreting must be a pro forma element in the planning for delivery of any emergency information. Broadcasters must be required to ensure that interpreters are visible on screen at all times during live briefings: what is unseen is “unheard” for SL users. Work remains to ensure that deaf people have access to preparatory information in their language, and that they have ease of access to two-way emergency services. Emergency coordinating teams need to integrate the UNCRPD-mapped WASLI-WFD recommendations into their emergency strategy. Social implications Communities depend on information for their survival in times of crisis. Communication requires comprehension and interaction. For SL users, information in an indigenous SL is a lifeline in a time of crisis. This requires emergency response teams to understand that “language” is multi-modal and embed strategies for engaging with deaf communities in all aspects of their processes, with guidance from deaf community leaders and advocates. There is also a need to consider deafblind people and deaf people who have disabilities, who are more vulnerable in crisis situations. Originality/value This is the first analysis of state provision of access to information for the Irish deaf community in an emergency setting. It is one of very few empirical analyses of how deaf communities fare in emergency contexts and the first to evaluate a state’s practice vis-à-vis UNCRPD-led guidelines on best practice issued by the WASLI/WFD. The socio-political context described represents a unique period where the Irish deaf community and ISL were central to political and media discourse because of the ISL Act and the death of two deaf brothers in tragic circumstances in Autumn 2017.
Article
Deemed as technocratic and exclusionary, disaster management has failed in its promise of knowing, let alone controlling, catastrophic events. Consequently, disaster managers are searching outside of science for sense‐making analytics. This paper analyses the emergent narratives articulated by disaster managers in Chile to cope with the uncertain nature of their object of intervention. It explores how knowledge of disasters is modified and enriched by disaster managers in what is termed here as ‘lateral knowledge’: the epistemic adjustment by which practitioners revalidate their expert status by expanding key assumptions about disaster risk reduction. The study, which draws on in‐depth interviews with disaster managers in Chile, suggests that lateral knowledge is established both through the increasing validation of community knowledge and the recognition of politics as a critical mediator in the practice of disaster management. The paper concludes by making the larger point that public understanding of science scholars should pay more attention to the adapting capacities of expertise.
Article
An analysis of user interactions, proceedings papers, and Association for Business Communication–sponsored journals reveals an absence of attention to accessibility and disability. While researchers may have demonstrated a passing awareness of the 1990 American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its implications, so far those implications have not taken center stage. Researchers in fields related to business and professional communication have been publishing work informed by Disability Studies for some time. Thus, a scholarly agenda for accessibility and disability in business and professional communication is long overdue, with a need for studies that address both theory and practice.
Article
As they plan for climate-change-related disasters, many communities talk about the importance of “inclusivity,” but unfortunately, few measure up. In disaster planning, inclusivity means making sure that all members of society will have access to what they need – including children, older adults, individuals with disabilities, people experiencing poverty, and groups subject to discrimination. But the evidence suggests that members of these groups are disproportionately affected by disasters. This disproportionate impact is due not to medical conditions themselves, but to stigma, low expectations, and a lack of inclusive planning. During disasters, individuals with disabilities may need such accommodations as wheelchair-accessible vehicles and shelters, medication, or communication by sign language. Essential components of effective whole-community planning include adoption of universal design standards and involving people with disabilities throughout the planning process. A lack of inclusive disaster planning will have a devastating impact on community resilience overall, just when it is needed most.
Book
This book reflects a wide array of practical experiences in working with Disaster-affected communities in 13 countries across the globe. Through 13 case studies it explores various ways in which community engagement strategies have been used in Disaster Recovery.
Article
Background: Diagnosis of 'specific' language impairment traditionally required nonverbal IQ to be within normal limits, often resulting in restricted access to clinical services for children with lower NVIQ. Changes to DSM-5 criteria for language disorder removed this NVIQ requirement. This study sought to delineate the impact of varying NVIQ criteria on prevalence, clinical presentation and functional impact of language disorder in the first UK population study of language impairment at school entry. Methods: A population-based survey design with sample weighting procedures was used to estimate population prevalence. We surveyed state-maintained reception classrooms (n = 161 or 61% of eligible schools) in Surrey, England. From a total population of 12,398 children (ages 4-5 years), 7,267 (59%) were screened. A stratified subsample (n = 529) received comprehensive assessment of language, NVIQ, social, emotional and behavioural problems, and academic attainment. Results: The total population prevalence estimate of language disorder was 9.92% (95% CI 7.38, 13.20). The prevalence of language disorder of unknown origin was estimated to be 7.58% (95% CI 5.33, 10.66), while the prevalence of language impairment associated with intellectual disability and/or existing medical diagnosis was 2.34% (95% CI 1.40, 3.91). Children with language disorder displayed elevated symptoms of social, emotional and behavioural problems relative to peers, F(1, 466) = 7.88, p = .05, and 88% did not make expected academic progress. There were no differences between those with average and low-average NVIQ scores in severity of language deficit, social, emotional and behavioural problems, or educational attainment. In contrast, children with language impairments associated with known medical diagnosis and/or intellectual disability displayed more severe deficits on multiple measures. Conclusions: At school entry, approximately two children in every class of 30 pupils will experience language disorder severe enough to hinder academic progress. Access to specialist clinical services should not depend on NVIQ.
Article
Health planners and policy makers often overlook the needs of people with disability (PWDs) in less developed countries such as Nepal. The aftermath of conflict and earthquake has further escalated the need of people with disability in Nepal. While the country is preparing for the implementation of a national health sector strategy for the next five years and when the health system is being restructured, we believe that this is the right time to address needs of people with disability by strengthening the health system and operationalizing community based rehabilitation. Furthermore, there is a need of a standard database and monitoring system to regularly assess social inclusion of people with disability.
Article
The go-to guide for learning what to say and how to say it. In this climate of near constant streams of media messages, organizations need to know how to effectively communicate risks to their audiences and what to say when a crisis strikes. Risk and Crisis Communications: Methods and Messages is designed to help organizations understand the essential components of communicating about risks during a crisis, and it carves out a role for safety health and environmental (SH&E) professionals in the process. Covering common theoretical concepts and explaining the positions of noted experts in the field such as Peter Sandman and Vincent Covello, the book provides a fundamental understanding of the process behind crafting effective messages for a variety of different situations and explains the consequences of saying the wrong thing to an emotional audience. Incorporating numerous case studies-including the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and the 2010 H1N1 pandemic-it shows how messages can change the way an audience perceives an event and how they react to it, clearly demonstrating how ineffective messages can create untold difficulties for an organization's public image. Savvy SH&E professionals know that their role in helping to craft risk and crisis messages as well as assisting in the execution of risk communication plans provides a critical path to becoming more valuable members of their organizations. Risk and Crisis Communications: Methods and Messages provides invaluable assistance in helping SH&E professionals add value to their organization.
Article
Recent investigations and litigation have prompted a shift in the way the field of emergency management plans for people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. The purpose of this article is to aid readers in understanding some of the legal and practical requirements that may apply to jurisdictions' emergency preparedness programs to ensure the ability of plans, planning efforts, programs, and services to meet the needs of people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. The cases of Communities Actively Living Independent and Free (CALIF) v. City of Los Angeles and Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled v. Bloomberg will be used as case studies. Note that this is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.
Article
The dominant crisis communication literature has 3 limitations: its managerial bias, functionalistic orientation, and the erasure of marginalized voices by focusing on restituting the status quo. Due to these limitations, studies that aim to understand crisis experiences, interpretive processes, and communicative responses of the politically less powerful and resource-poor are scarce in the crisis communication literature. Drawing upon the subaltern studies literature, this article suggests an alternative approach (i.e., the subaltern studies framework) to aid crisis communication researchers to (a) expand the scope of the literature to nonmanagerial contexts, (b) speak to the discursive nature of crisis communication, and (c) attend to the issues of structure and agency in the interpretations of and responses to crises. A case study of grassroots activism in New Orleans is presented to illustrate how the application of the subaltern studies framework can provide a theoretical entry point for conceptualizing crisis communication from below and for facilitating academic self-reflexivity in crisis communication scholarship.
Article
Scenarios are discussed in terms of their various uses in emergency planning and management. Their function in teaching programs is assessed with respect to various sorts of curricula for training emergency personnel. The format of scenarios is discussed and the potential for using the methodology creatively is explored. It is concluded that scenario methods are useful in developing such skills as time management, cognitive mapping, mediation, team management, and decision making under stress. A brief example of an emergency training scenario is presented and evaluated in terms of its teaching potential. Finally, scenarios are assessed in relation to other forms of modelling and simulation, such as table-top games and field exercises, which are commonly used for training emergency managers.
Article
How can and should risk managers collect public preferences, integrate public input into the management process, and assign the appropriate roles to technical experts, stakeholders, and members of the public? Which concerns are legitimate for being used in decisions that may determine the life or death of many people? There are no simple answers to these questions. This paper discusses the potential and requirements for an analytic−deliberative decision making process in the field of risk management. It articulates the requirements for integrating analytic reasoning with deliberation and interpretation. As a result of these requirements a model of participation is developed that attempts to meet two major objectives:  first, to enhance the competence in the decision making process and, second, to assign a fair share of the responsibility of managing risks to those who are or will be affected by the potential consequences. The model, named cooperative discourse, consists of three major steps:  elicitation of values and criteria (stakeholder groups); provision of performance profiles for each policy option (experts); and evaluation and design of policies by randomly selected citizens. The paper provides some empirical evidence about the application of this method from experiences in three different countries. The case studies show that analytical thinking and deliberative exchange of arguments cannot be separated but should be’integrated in the decision making process. At the same time, the sequential involvement of stakeholders, experts, and the general public proved to be a productive way of ensuring competence, fairness, and efficiency.
Geodisability knowledge production and international norms: A Sri Lankan case study
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Campbell, F. K. (2011). Geodisability knowledge production and international norms: A Sri Lankan case study. Third World Quarterly, 32(8), 1455-1474. https://doi.org/10.1080/0143659 7.2011.604518
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Kaminska, O., & Foulsham, T. (2013, March). Understanding sources of social desirability bias in different modes: Evidence from eye-tracking. Institute for Social & Economic Research. http://hdl.handle.net/10419/91698
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Livingston, K. (2021). Downloadable template: Crisis management and communications planning for local government. The American City & County. https://www.proquest.com/ trade-journals/downloadable-template-crisis-management/ docview/2521973717/se-2?accountid=8289
Plain language in government writing: A stepby-step guide
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Understanding risk communication theory: A guide for emergency managers and communicators. National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism
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Sheppard, B., & Janoske, M. (2012, May). Understanding risk communication theory: A guide for emergency managers and communicators. National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism. https:// web.archive.org/web/20140824094240/https://www. start.umd.edu/sites/default/files/files/publications/ UnderstandingRiskCommunicationTheory.pdf
Effective municipal emergency planning for people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs
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Spill, K. H. (2012). Effective municipal emergency planning for people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. Naval Postgraduate School. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ ADA567392.pdf
Collaborating 4 inclusion. University of Sydney
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