ACQ Vol 11 no 2 2009

Future challenges and opportunities

It extends the right to communicate not only to people with sensory impairments, but also to people with other disabilities (e.g., people who have limited or no speech, people with cognitive/linguistic or intellectual or acquired disabilities) (UN, 2006, p. 14). In summary, it is a universal and international right for everyone to have access to written information in a way in which that person needs it. The concept of communication accessibility ensures more people with limited literacy are included. The Communication Resource Centre – Scope How do poor literacy skills impact on access to information, being socially included and being able to participate meaningfully through the life span? How do government, non government and businesses become more aware of the need to provide information for people with poor literacy skills? The Communication Resource Centre – Scope is working with government, non-government and corporate organisations to become more aware of the literacy needs of their environments. The Communication Resource Centre endeavours to work with these groups to challenge them to write clearly, using everyday language, in simple sentences, and to not use complex and/or corporate language. The aim is not to teach people reading; it is to provide opportunities for people with limited literacy to be included in the information exchange currently available to other people. As a consequence of this strategy, there have been a number of additional benefits: • organisations are looking at their public domain information with new, critical eyes; • information is being revised to contain less jargon, be clearer and logical; • organisations are gaining the benefit of more people accessing their services; • organisations are reviewing the access to information on their websites and • individuals who are supported to read the Easy English information have: – increased knowledge in an area not previously known about, – increased confidence to “have a go”, – increased self-esteem, – more time spent reading, and – more social participation. Recent work conducted in partnership with the Victorian Electoral Commission demonstrates how large organisations and services can successfully address the needs of people in communities with limited literacy skills. A number of publications and posters have been developed to support the Victorian Electoral Commission to improve their written information for the Victorian community. The publications have had an overwhelming and positive response from many different people in the community. There have been four major publications completed. These are: • Voting in Victoria: State Government Elections (2006) • Local Council Elections: Attendance Voting (2008) • Local Council Elections: Postal Voting (2008) • Running Your Own Election (2008) . In addition, the Victorian Electoral Commission recorded an Auslan DVD about the local council elections. It is based on the content of the Easy English local council books. Information is also available in large print or Braille.

The Communication Resource Centre – Scope is committed to raising the awareness of the need for people with limited functional literacy skills to have accessible written information. Awareness of this will, in time, increase the understanding, need and resources for accessible information to be developed as a common occurrence. The Communication Resource Centre is keen to hear of any organisations that are also developing accessible written information, or from anyone who may be interested in developing the strategy further within their own organisations or partner organisations.

References “Accessibility”. Retrieved 24 March, 2009, from http://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2006, reissue). Adult literacy and life skills survey, summary results (Report No. 4228.0). Retrieved from http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/B22A471C221C7BADCA2573CA 00207F10/$File/42280_2006%20(reissue).pdf Scope. (2009). Scope Vic: About Us . Retrieved from http://www.scopevic.org.au/about.html United Nations. (2006). Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and its optional protocol. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/ convoptprot-e.pdf Resources http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/ convoptprot-e.pdf http://www.vec.vic.gov.au/files/EasyEnglishFPTP.pdf http://www.vec.vic.gov.au/files/EasyEnglishGuide.pdf http://www.vec.vic.gov.au/files/ GuideAttendancevotingeasyEnglish.pdf

http://www.vec.vic.gov.au/files/ GuidePostalvotingeasyEnglish.pdf

Correspondence to: Cathy Basterfield Consultant Speech Pathologist

Co-ordinator Accessible Information Service Communication Resource Centre – Scope phone: 03 9843 2012 email: cbasterfield.crc@scopevic.org.au

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ACQ Volume 11, Number 2 2009

www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au