Rätt på riktigt is a project funded by the Inheritance Fund and run by the nonprofit organization Malmö mot diskriminering (MmD). The social innovation behind Rätt på riktigt lies primarily in the fact that all relevant information about support to improve accessibility in schools for students with disabilities is gathered on a single website. This helps empower students and their guardians and ensures they receive the support they are entitled to. Through this digital platform—developed in broad collaboration with various stakeholders—the project works toward a school for everyone.
Another part of the project involves raising public awareness about accessibility issues, taking legal action to seek redress for people who have been discriminated against, and educating human rights lawyers about accessibility.
What is social innovation?
The social innovation behind "Rätt på riktigt" is a new digital platform where students and guardians can find information about their rights to accommodations and support in school, which has the potential to empower both students and guardians. The social innovation also lies in a new and broad collaboration among approximately 25 partners who have worked together to develop the website over the course of three years.
The platform was created because information about accessibility issues—what they are, where to turn for help, the chain of responsibility, and the roles of government agencies—had been scattered across various sources. The website features a section for parents and guardians as well as a section for students. It is not intended to replace in-person meetings but is designed to empower parents, guardians, and students. It provides answers to questions such as: What can I do? What can others help me do?
The website covers topics such as what constitutes a disability, the rights students have, the types of accommodations that can be provided, and how to access support. The platform also includes legal cases, frequently asked questions, and stories from former students.
Several initiatives have been carried out within the legal component of the project. Among other things, advisory materials—including templates and supporting documents—were created for lawyers working on accessibility issues. Another example of legal support is the two-day collaboration with the Discrimination Ombudsman (DO), which included joint workshops attended by anti-discrimination agencies and lawyers from other advocacy organizations.
The platform also helps young people and students who have been discriminated against to seek redress through so-called “redress actions” carried out as part of the project. Through these actions, the project demands an apology or compensation for the students from the school authorities. It also works to raise awareness, in collaboration with advocacy groups and parent networks, on how the target group can receive support and assistance. For example, through opinion pieces, and MmD has also given a presentation on accessibility in the Swedish Parliament.
The website is also designed to assist those who lack resources. Among other things, it highlights different language groups and intersectional perspectives. For example, videos feature Swedish, sign language, and voice-overs in English, Daari, Somali, and Arabic.
What is the societal challenge?
For many years, MmD has received reports of accessibility issues in schools. They find that many parents and students feel constantly powerless and do not know how to advocate for accessibility or obtain the accommodations and support they need in school. They also believe this is a growing issue nationwide.
What does the vision for social change look like?
The vision of Rätt på riktigt is to create a school where all students, regardless of disability, receive the accommodations and support to which they are entitled. By offering an easily accessible digital platform, the organization aims to raise awareness and empower students and guardians, as well as play a role in ensuring that the school works for everyone.
Which stakeholders and resources have been mobilised?
The project involves collaboration among more than 25 organizations, including Attention, the Swedish Dyslexia Association, FUB, Malmö City’s Disability Support Administration, the Swedish Student Council, the International Women’s Association, Rosengård Folkets Hus, NUFT, and other anti-discrimination agencies in Sweden. These partners were selected for their experience and commitment to supporting students with disabilities. This broad collaboration is cross-sectoral, with representatives from the public sector, civil society, and the private sector.
A representative from MmD believes that this collaboration has been crucial—the very foundation—for creating a platform that meets the target group’s actual needs. What makes the collaboration process innovative is the sustained collaboration over a three-year period. A great deal of focus has been placed on—and time has been set aside for—fostering genuine participation. This includes receiving, refining, and utilizing partners’ feedback across the various phases of the project. For example, during the needs assessment, the review meetings to validate the prototypes, the accessibility review of the texts, the accessibility review of the website, and the language review in various languages regarding the translations and videos.
According to representatives of MmD, this inclusive collaboration is largely about building relationships, being responsive, and fostering trust. At the same time, it also presents a challenge given the complexity that arises when collaborating with many different stakeholders and people.
The target audience has also been involved in the development of the platform. Among other things, they have been interviewed, and a focus group has provided feedback on the prototypes that have been developed.
The promotion of the website has involved several key stakeholders, with MmD providing training on the website so that others can both use it and help spread the word.
What does the development and testing process look like?
After assessing the experiences and needs of students and guardians, and collaborating with numerous interest groups—around 25 organizations—and officials, the website was gradually developed. The survey was conducted during the first year, and three prototypes were developed during the second year. Prior to each prototype, focus group meetings were held, and students with disabilities and officials have continuously provided feedback on the prototypes. The site was also reviewed for accessibility by Begripsam.
How have these innovative solutions been implemented and disseminated?
Rätt på riktigt is on its way to becoming established as a long-term solution that can improve accessibility in schools. Awareness of the website is continuously spreading through key stakeholders to more locations and target groups. Local stakeholders and other anti-discrimination agencies, among others, are helping to spread the word. Another method involves webinars for stakeholders such as anti-discrimination agencies, local advocacy groups, and national advocacy groups (e.g., the Dyslexia Association and the Agency for Accessible Media). The representative from MmD states that visitor numbers are steadily increasing, and the website has also gained international reach.
One challenge, however, is reaching places that are difficult to access, such as socioeconomically disadvantaged areas with their own language challenges.
The website is operated and updated by MmD, where new court cases will be added—otherwise, it consists largely of legal text that is rarely updated.
What value has been created?
Rätt på riktigt offers an easily accessible digital platform with the potential to empower students and guardians by improving accessibility in schools and ensuring that students with disabilities receive the accommodations and support to which they are entitled.
MmD reports that it is receiving more cases related to accessibility issues due to the website. Guardians have also reported that the website is helpful to them. Their representatives note that more people feel they have a place to turn to for additional information, but that they will monitor results and impacts more closely in future evaluations. An evaluation is planned after three and six years in collaboration with partner organizations.