Media producers have recognized that they must make efforts to better represent persons with disabilities. For instance, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation provides a guide for producers to use in portraying persons with disabilities on-screen. It consists of three questions:

• Does the portrayal patronise the disabled person?
  
  
• Does the portrayal victimise the disabled person?
  
  
• Does the portrayal demonise the disabled person?

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters has added material on portrayal of disabilities to its Equitable Portrayal Code. As a result of its report the CAB has pledged to “address issues identified in the research relating to the portrayal of persons with disabilities in television programming.”

Media and Disability has these suggestions:

• Consider disabled characters in scenarios that might be commonplace for a non-disabled person.
  
  
• Consider disabled characters as rounded individuals, with good and bad qualities. Showing a disabled person as being mean, or nasty might be a challenge, but how many non-disabled people are “nice” all the time?

There is evidence that portrayals of persons with disabilities is improving. For instance, the character of Doctor Gregory House on House, M.D. could have been created with Media and Disability’s second suggestion in mind (though he – like most characters with disabilities, even other non-stereotyped ones such as Stevie on Malcolm in the Middle – is portrayed by a non-disabled actor).

To address the lack of participation of persons with disabilities in the media industry, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters report made this recommendation: “Broadcasters will develop scholarships, bursaries and/or internships, where appropriate, as means to focus students with disabilities on potential careers in broadcasting. Broadcasters will also offer, where appropriate, training for new employees with disabilities in the industry and/or develop other means for industry orientation such as mentoring and job shadowing.” One organization in Canada that is working towards increasing the presence of persons with disabilities is Lights, Camera, Access! Its founder, Leesa Levinson, describes herself as “an ambassador for talent with disabilities” (Levinson herself has multiple sclerosis).