Section Two

MAKING ILRCs LITERACY ACCESSIBLE

The Independent Living Resource Centres provide a service to citizens with disabilities within the community. In order to serve the community the Centres must clearly communicate information. Therefore consumers will all have equal access to the information. The Centres should provide a comfortable non-intimidating environment.

A good way to do this is to conduct a literacy assessment of the Independent Living Resource Centre. When the assessment is complete follow up with changes. The Centre should have a policy to only produce materials in Clear Language.

WHAT IS CLEAR LANGUAGE?

Clear Language may also be called: plain writing, plain English, clear writing or readability. Using Clear Language will make written work easier to understand.

Using Clear Language makes materials more comfortable to read for all readers. People who have difficulty with written materials will be able to read Clear Language documents easier than documents written in fancy language. People who are good readers will not be questioning what the writer really means to say.

The material that is written in Clear Language is not dull or childish. It does not insult the reader. Rather, Clear Language is direct and focuses on relevant information.