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Easy Read and plain language: why the way we write matters

By Scott Chapman, founder · 22 October 2026 · 4 min read

A letter about your support, a form from a clinic, a sign at the pool, the rules for a new club. Every day, people are asked to read things and act on them. When the words are hard to follow, a person can lose the chance to decide for themselves. The way we write is not a small detail. It decides who gets to take part.

Accessible information is a right

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities treats information as part of equal participation.

Article 9, on accessibility, covers access to information and communications on an equal basis with others. It asks governments to provide signage in buildings open to the public "in Braille and in easy to read and understand forms".
Article 21 covers freedom of expression and access to information. It includes providing information meant for the general public in accessible formats, in a timely way and without extra cost.
Article 2 defines communication broadly. Plain language is named in it, alongside Braille, large print and other formats.

In Australia, the 2024 refresh of Australia's Disability Strategy 2021–2031 reported that the disability community said it needs more accessible information and communication. In response, governments committed to developing a new plan for increasing accessible information and communication. The Strategy itself is published in Easy Read, Auslan and other languages.

Plain language and Easy Read are not the same

Plain language is clear writing for everyone. It uses everyday words, short sentences and a direct voice. The Australian Government Style Manual says plain language helps all users and is essential for some. It suggests aiming for a reading level of about year 7.

That matters because literacy varies a great deal. The Style Manual, drawing on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, reports that about 44 per cent of Australian adults read at the two lowest literacy levels.

Easy Read goes further. Queensland's Office of the Health Ombudsman describes it as short, simple sentences combined with images to explain complex information. The NSW Government's Easy Read hub notes that it also uses a larger text size, and that it helps people with intellectual disability, people with low literacy and people whose first language is not English.

Neither is "dumbing down". Plain language and Easy Read are about respect: giving a person what they need to understand and decide for themselves.

Tips for families and support workers

Ask how a person likes information. Some people want pictures, some want it read aloud, some want time on their own with it.
Go through it together, then step back. Explain what you need to, and let the person make the decision.
One thing at a time. Break a long letter into the parts that matter: what it is about, what needs to happen and by when.
Check, without testing. Ask "What would you like to do?" rather than "Do you understand?"
Ask for Easy Read. If a letter or form is hard to follow, ask the organisation whether it has an Easy Read version.

Tips for organisations

The Style Manual's advice is a good place to start:

Use everyday words. "Help" instead of "assist", "start" instead of "commence".
Say who does what. "We will call you" is clearer than "You will be contacted".
Spell out acronyms the first time, and avoid jargon and idioms.
Avoid double negatives.
Test your content. Do not assume everyone can read and understand what you write. Check with the people you are writing for.

People with disability are the experts on what works for them, so involve them early and value their time.

If you produce information that matters to people with intellectual disability, consider a proper Easy Read version made with people who use it, not just a shorter one.

Writing for everyone

Clear words help everyone, not only people with disability. Most of us would rather read something short and clear.

At Able Wellness we try to write the same way. Recipes in the Cook door have picture steps and safe-tool pictograms, and the Go door has "what to expect" stories with pictures and plain words, so a person can look ahead at their own pace and choose for themselves.