Standard English is a barrier for people with intellectual disability
A major barrier to community participation for people with intellectual disability is community reliance on written documents. Accordingly, when considering how best to disseminate information it is important to translate complex documents into easy English. This will facilitate effective community participation opportunities for some people with intellectual disability. This practice is in line with a rights-based approach to participation which acknowledges that people with intellectual disability are a valued part of the wider community. People with intellectual disability are not child-like: the information available to people with intellectual disability should not be childish. There is no reason why information as diverse as human rights articles, current affairs or emergency procedures should not be made entirely accessible.

Easy English is a reasonable adjustment
People with intellectual disability require certain adjustments to participate in the community on an equal basis. Translating information from standard English into easy English is an example of a reasonable adjustment. Without this adjustment being made or, at least offered, people with intellectual disability may be excluded from many important areas of life – from employment requirements, tenancy issues, safety procedures, Centrelink obligations and legal decisions to news, current affairs and academic debate.

Translating into easy English is not just an ethical requirement. Australia has laws that prevent people with disability being treated less favourably because of their disability. An example of one of these laws is the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (the Act).

Under the Act, disability discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably because of their disability. Indirect discrimination occurs when a person is confronted with a barrier or obstacle that they are unable to navigate because of their disability. For example, stair only access to a building. Further, the courts have found that not making reasonable adjustments, such as providing sufficient interpreter support to a Deaf person, will amount to unlawful indirect discrimination.

When information is not provided in accessible formats for people with intellectual disability it is arguable that this constitutes indirect discrimination. For example, if the selection criteria for an employment opportunity are only written in standard English a person with intellectual disability may be unable to have the opportunity to understand the requirements of the job. People with intellectual disability should be able to request and be provided with that information in easy English.

To reduce the risk of complaints and legal cases under the Act, it makes good business sense for people and organisations to make these sorts of reasonable adjustments for people with disability. Making adjustments up front or responding to requests for adjustments in a timely way means you are less likely to face a legal complaint under the Act.

People with intellectual disability have the same need for information as the wider community. It is the right of people with intellectual disability to have access to a range of information in appropriate format.

If you are interested in finding out more about easy English translation contact the Council for Intellectual Disability in your state.

Right Now can be requested in easy English and other accessible formats.