Gateways to the Professions

5. Preparing the ground

5.2 The Disability Equality Duty

The Disability Equality Duty (DED) is a requirement placed on public authorities to ensure equality for disabled people. Organisations that deliver post-16 education are classed as public authorities and must involve disabled people and act proactively to eliminate disability discrimination. The DED requires all public authorities to do what they can to:

  • promote equality of opportunity
  • eliminate unlawful disability discrimination
  • eliminate disability related harassment
  • promote positive attitudes towards disabled people
  • encourage participation by disabled people in public life
  • take account of people’s disabilities even if this means treating them more favourably than others.