Communication accessibility in Andalusia has taken a firm step with the approval of Decree 119/2023, a key regulation that establishes the framework to guarantee the right of all people to communicate on equal terms. This decree, published in BOJA nº 104/2023 and corrected in BOJA nº 141/2023, specifically regulates the Spanish Sign Language (LSE) and the Means of Support for Oral Communication (MACO), as fundamental elements for the inclusion of deaf, hearing-impaired or people with difficulties in speech.
What is Decree 119/2023 and why is it important?
Decree 119/2023 of the Junta de Andalucía develops the Law 11/2011 and harmonizes its application with the Law 27/2007 at the state level, which recognizes LSE as the language of deaf people and establishes the linguistic and communicative rights of this group.
Its central objective is to guarantee that public services and private entities that provide services of general interest offer accessible communication mechanisms for those who cannot express themselves or understand themselves with standard oral language.
Differences between LSE and MACO: two complementary forms of communication
Spanish Sign Language (SSL)
LSE is a complete language with its own grammar, used by many deaf people as their main language. The decree recognizes its use in contexts such as:
- Public attention services.
- Health and education.
- Administrative procedures.
Means of Support for Oral Communication (MACO)
MACOs include systems, technical aids and technologies that facilitate the understanding and production of oral language. Examples:
- Real-time subtitling.
- Sound amplification devices.
- Automated transcription applications.
The decree requires that both routes be available according to the user’s preferences.
Where and how is Decree 119/2023 applied?
The application is mandatory in public and private services of general interest. Some notable areas:
Transportation
Interurban or urban transport companies must:
- Provide accessible visual and auditory information systems.
- Offer service channels at LSE or through video interpretation.
Health
Health centers must ensure the presence of LSE interpreters or MACO media when the user requires it.
Education and administration
Schools and public institutions must:
- Provide adapted resources.
- Guarantee fluid interaction in administrative procedures.
Services such as video interpretation and guide-interpretation
The decree expressly includes the possibility of accessing:
- Video interpretation: Remote interpretation service at LSE via video.
- Guide-interpretation: For deafblind people, combining accompaniment and visual/tactile translation.
These resources can be requested on demand and must be available quickly and at no additional cost to the user.
Web and digital accessibility: a necessary extension
Although the decree does not explicitly mention web accessibility, its principles apply directly to digital environments. This implies that:
- Institutional web pages must be navigable, understandable and usable by people with communicative diversity.
- They must include videos with LSE interpretation, subtitles, and compatible screen readers.
- It is recommended to follow the international guidelines WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) to ensure an inclusive digital experience.
Therefore, any digital portal of an administration or service affected by the decree must also comply with web accessibility standards, as an integral part of the right to communication. These are included in the European Accessibility Act.
Access the official text of the decree
You can consult the full text of Decree 119/2023 and its error correction here:
- BOJA nº 104/2023 – Decree 119/2023
- BOJA nº 141/2023 – Error correction
Conclusion
Decree 119/2023 represents real and necessary progress towards a more inclusive Andalusia, where people with hearing disabilities or deafblindness do not depend on chance to communicate. The incorporation of the LSE and the MACO as mandatory resources transforms accessibility into a guaranteed and enforceable right, also in the digital sphere.
The key, now, is in its practical implementation and constant monitoring.
