Closing the Preparedness Divide: A Case for Inclusive Climate-Disaster Communication for People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the United States

Climate-related disasters and extreme weather are becoming more common and severe. People with disabilities experience increased negative consequences from these disasters, largely due to social barriers, such as marginalization and exclusion. Over 1 billion people worldwide are disabled. Our case study focused on climate-related disaster preparedness communications disseminated by United States federal and state government emergency management agencies. Specifically we examined if their communications had two features (plain language and actionable images) that would make them more accessible for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). While the United States has some laws requiring accessible communication, these statutes have not resulted in everyone’s needs being met. There are over 8 million people with IDD in the United States, using a diverse range of languages and communication approaches. We found that the majority of climate-related disaster preparedness communications did not have plain language and actionable images. We also found only a few designed specifically for people with IDD or their caregivers. Our results demonstrate that existing communications may be insufficient to meet the diverse communication needs and approaches of all residents. Emergency management agencies should collaborate with people with IDDs directly and throughout the design process to make communications more accessible for more people. By engaging in this case study, readers will have a greater understanding of people with IDD in the United States, intersectional climate vulnerability, the social model of disability, and the critical need for accessible, multimodal communication in the face of the ongoing climate crisis.