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Thread: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
Number of posts in this thread: 13 (In chronological order)
From: Jim Homme
Date: Fri, Oct 28 2016 1:45PM
Subject: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
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Hi,
I can't seem to get the Readability Statistics dialog in Word 2016 to come up, even though I have that option checked in options, Check Grammar With Spelling checked, and US English set as the default language. Does anyone know how I can further trouble-shoot this?
Thanks.
Jim
=========Jim Homme,
Accessibility Consultant,
Bender HighTest Accessibility Team
Bender Consulting Services, Inc.,
412-787-8567,
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-technology-solutions
E+R=O
From: JP Jamous
Date: Sat, Oct 29 2016 5:12AM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
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What version of Word are you using?
I bought office personal edition 365 2016 and ran into lots of issues with it at first with Outlook mostly. It was so bad I had to format my C: drive, because the registry was corrupt.
It works fine now, but if I search a folder using all fields, it throws a message at me stating that there isn't enough resources to perform this task, when that is not true. My machine is massive as far as resources.
From: Whitney Quesenbery
Date: Sat, Oct 29 2016 5:33PM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
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I'd say "Don't rely on readability statistics" but I know that's not what
you asked.
There is a LOT of evidence that real plain language does improve access for
people with a variety of reading disabilities.
And there is a LOT of evidence that grade levels are not an adequate way to
assess plain language.
Whitney
On Sat, Oct 29, 2016 at 7:12 AM JP Jamous < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> What version of Word are you using?
>
> I bought office personal edition 365 2016 and ran into lots of issues with
> it at first with Outlook mostly. It was so bad I had to format my C: drive,
> because the registry was corrupt.
>
> It works fine now, but if I search a folder using all fields, it throws a
> message at me stating that there isn't enough resources to perform this
> task, when that is not true. My machine is massive as far as resources.
>
>
From: Preast, Vanessa
Date: Sun, Oct 30 2016 6:55AM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
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Would you be willing to share the citations for the articles or other evidence that real plain language improves access? This information could be helpful when trying to train academics how to write more clearly without dumbing down the materials.
Best,
Vanessa
From: Whitney Quesenbery
Date: Mon, Oct 31 2016 7:56AM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
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Start with:
Design to read brought together researchers in a number of specialisms to
look at overlaps in recommendations. There are some good links there and a
bibliography <http://designtoread.com/Bibliography>;
http://designtoread.com/
http://centerforplainlanguage.org
http://www.plainlanguage.gov/
The work of Kathryn Summers is particularly good. Here's one article.
Reading and Navigational Strategies of Web Users with LowerLiteracy Skills
<http://redish.net/images/stories/PDF/summers_asist2005.pdf>;
Short article:
http://civicdesign.org/writing-election-information-that-everyone-can-read/
Ginny Redis <http://redish.net/books>;h on readability formulas, including:
Redish, J. C., 2000, Readability formulas have even more limitations than
Klare discusses, ACM Journal of Computer Documentation, 24 (3), August,
132-137.
Redish, J. C. and Selzer, J., 1985, The Place of Readability Formulas in
Technical Communication, Technical Communication, 32 (4), November, 46-52.
Joe Kimble <http://www.cooley.edu/faculty/kimble.html>; is a legal scholar
(who also rewrote things like Federal jury instructions). His book Writing
for Dollars, Writing to Please
<https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1611631912> is (despite the clickbait
title) a really good collection of the empirical evidence.
On Sun, Oct 30, 2016 at 8:55 AM Preast, Vanessa < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
wrote:
Would you be willing to share the citations for the articles or other
evidence that real plain language improves access? This information could
be helpful when trying to train academics how to write more clearly without
dumbing down the materials.
Best,
Vanessa
From: Tyllick,Cliff S (HHSC/DADS)
Date: Mon, Oct 31 2016 9:05AM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
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Whitney, thanks for that list of references! I hadn't known about Ginny Redish's earlier articles. I'll have to read them soon!
Vanessa, I'll add a more recent article to the list. This is not scholarly, but pragmatic. It addresses especially well these points:
- Making information readable does not mean "dumbing it down."
- The reader's measured reading ability doesn't matter. For all readers, what does matter is the ability possible with the cognitive resources available, which depends on the situation as well as the reader.
- Following a specific set of techniques can help ensure that your message is accessible to the broadest set of audiences possible.
The article is Angela Colter's "The Audience You Didn't Know You Had." The original is in Contents Magazine:
http://contentsmagazine.com/articles/the-audience-you-didnt-know-you-had/index.html
And a copy, including the comments, is posted as a PDF here:
http://www.springfield.k12.or.us/cms/lib03/OR01000651/Centricity/Domain/19/Staff%20Resources/Website/Considering_Your_Content.pdf
Angela also cites 20 references. I'm not sure how much overlap there is with the group Whitney has provided or pointed to.
I have used Angela's article as the basis of a 60-minute class teaching engineers, other scientists, and regulatory officials how to write clearly. Reading this highly enjoyable article takes about 15 minutes. As I told my students, it's great to bookmark for something that is easy, refreshing, and educational--a way to accomplish something and re-energize yourself when work has numbed your mind.
Give it a try and see if you find it as helpful as my students and I did.
Cheers!
Cliff
Cliff Tyllick
EIR Accessibility Coordinator
Texas Health & Human Services Commission
512-438-2494
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
From: whitneyq
Date: Mon, Oct 31 2016 11:58AM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
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Ive always liked Angela's articlevand have done similar presentations at CSUN and AccessU among others. My slides are on Slideshare (dl the accrssible PPT there)
She studied at UBalt with Dr. Summers.
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
-------- Original message --------From: "Tyllick,Cliff S (HHSC/DADS)" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > Date: 10/31/16 11:05 AM (GMT-05:00) To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
Whitney, thanks for that list of references! I hadn't known about Ginny Redish's earlier articles. I'll have to read them soon!
Vanessa, I'll add a more recent article to the list. This is not scholarly, but pragmatic. It addresses especially well these points:
- Making information readable does not mean "dumbing it down."
- The reader's measured reading ability doesn't matter. For all readers, what does matter is the ability possible with the cognitive resources available, which depends on the situation as well as the reader.
- Following a specific set of techniques can help ensure that your message is accessible to the broadest set of audiences possible.
The article is Angela Colter's "The Audience You Didn't Know You Had." The original is in Contents Magazine:
http://contentsmagazine.com/articles/the-audience-you-didnt-know-you-had/index.html
And a copy, including the comments, is posted as a PDF here:
http://www.springfield.k12.or.us/cms/lib03/OR01000651/Centricity/Domain/19/Staff%20Resources/Website/Considering_Your_Content.pdf
Angela also cites 20 references. I'm not sure how much overlap there is with the group Whitney has provided or pointed to.
I have used Angela's article as the basis of a 60-minute class teaching engineers, other scientists, and regulatory officials how to write clearly. Reading this highly enjoyable article takes about 15 minutes. As I told my students, it's great to bookmark for something that is easy, refreshing, and educational--a way to accomplish something and re-energize yourself when work has numbed your mind.
Give it a try and see if you find it as helpful as my students and I did.
Cheers!
Cliff
Cliff Tyllick
EIR Accessibility Coordinator
Texas Health & Human Services Commission
512-438-2494
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
From: Jim Homme
Date: Mon, Oct 31 2016 11:59AM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
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Hi,
Word 2016.
Thanks.
Jim
=========Jim Homme,
Accessibility Consultant,
Bender HighTest Accessibility Team
Bender Consulting Services, Inc.,
412-787-8567,
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-technology-solutions
E+R=O
From: Jim Homme
Date: Mon, Oct 31 2016 12:01PM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
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Hi,
Grade level helps force the writer to think about using such things as active voice, which automatically helps create plain language. What other resources would you recommend helpful when editing documents?
Thanks.
Jim
=========Jim Homme,
Accessibility Consultant,
Bender HighTest Accessibility Team
Bender Consulting Services, Inc.,
412-787-8567,
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-technology-solutions
E+R=O
From: Preast, Vanessa
Date: Mon, Oct 31 2016 8:08PM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
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Thanks so much everyone. I appreciate the resources.
Best,
Vanessa
From: Tyllick,Cliff S (HHSC/DADS)
Date: Tue, Nov 01 2016 1:17PM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
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Hi, Jim!
I think we've already covered what you're asking for, but here's a quick overview of why it's unwise to rely strongly on readability scores, especially when it comes to evaluating accessibility.
Grade-level calculations consider only two factors:
- Words per sentence
- Syllables per word
The calculations don't recognize techniques that improve readability without adding more periods (full stops). For example, it's easier to find one item in a bulleted list like this one:
- grapes,
- apples,
- cherries,
- mangoes, or
- pineapples.
Than it is to find the same item in a list that is not broken out into bulleted items: grapes, apples, cherries, mangoes, and pineapples.
But both formats get the same readability score.
The calculations also don't factor in the adverse impact of having too many short sentences in a row. If you present a concept in two or more short sentences, the reader has to figure out how those statements work together. Putting the same information in one longer sentence might save them that effort.
Here's a really dumb example. If we present our list of fruits in a series of short sentences, the Flesch-Kincaid reading level is grade 0.2:
Choose a fruit. You may choose grapes. You may choose apples. You may choose cherries. You may choose mangoes. You may choose pineapples.
But the reading level is grade 20.2 if we get rid of the unnecessary words and rewrite it as a bulleted list:
Choose a fruit:
- grapes,
- apples,
- cherries,
- mangoes, or
- pineapples.
Which version is easier to use? Which is more accessible to all readers?
Finally, the calculations don't tell us when any sentence is too long, no matter the reading level. Consider these:
- "Go no more than sixty-five miles an hour." (Grade level 2.2)
- "Speed limit 65" (That is not a sentence, so you can't do the calculation. In fact, our list of fruits would be better without the "or" and the end punctuation, but then we technically don't have a sentence, so the computer won't do the calculation.)
Which is the better way to get that information to people driving down the highway?
So what is the best approach? First, I strongly encourage you to have your writers read "The Audience You Didn't Know You Had" <http://contentsmagazine.com/articles/the-audience-you-didnt-know-you-had/index.html>;. The basic principles that Angela Colter presents will help anyone improve their writing. If your writers have less than an hour available to learn more, it's a fantastic resource.
Second, in her book "Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content that Works," Ginny Redish uses clear examples to teach the fundamentals. For example, consider this advice about the best number of sentences in a paragraph on a Web page:
- Three sentences is good.
- Two is better.
- One is best.
- Unless a sentence fragment will do the job
If your authors have time to read more than a short article, I suggest that they get a copy of Ginny's book. They should skim it, read one or two chapters, and then keep it available as a quick reference whenever they have to polish up a piece of writing.
As with so many aspects of accessibility, assessing success requires more than a measurement. Indeed, when it comes to assessing readability, too often the measurement can lead us astray.
Cheers!
Cliff
Cliff Tyllick
EIR Accessibility Coordinator
Texas Health & Human Services Commission
512-438-2494
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
From: Jim Homme
Date: Wed, Nov 02 2016 6:49AM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
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Hi Cliff,
Thank you for this advice. I'll take it to heart. I'm a person with a programming background, who used to be barely able to put two sentences together that didn't contain jargon. Now I'm asked to write more than how-to guides, and looking for ways to make sure that I keep people with other disabilities in mind.
Jim
=========Jim Homme,
Accessibility Consultant,
Bender HighTest Accessibility Team
Bender Consulting Services, Inc.,
412-787-8567,
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-technology-solutions
E+R=O
From: Mallory
Date: Wed, Nov 02 2016 3:18PM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
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Ashley Bischoff did a talk on it at CSUN last year as well.
http://www.csun.edu/cod/conference/2016/sessions/index.php/public/presentations/view/285
Someone I know who saw it said it was amazing. She's got slides
http://www.handcoding.com/presentations/plaina11y/#cover
_mallory
On Mon, Oct 31, 2016, at 06:58 PM, whitneyq wrote:
>
> Ive always liked Angela's articlevand have done similar presentations at
> CSUN and AccessU among others. My slides are on Slideshare (dl the
> accrssible PPT there)
> She studied at UBalt with Dr. Summers.
>
> Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
> -------- Original message --------From: "Tyllick,Cliff S (HHSC/DADS)"
> < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > Date: 10/31/16 11:05 AM (GMT-05:00)
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > Subject: Re:
> [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
> Whitney, thanks for that list of references! I hadn't known about Ginny
> Redish's earlier articles. I'll have to read them soon!
>
> Vanessa, I'll add a more recent article to the list. This is not
> scholarly, but pragmatic. It addresses especially well these points:
> - Making information readable does not mean "dumbing it down."
> - The reader's measured reading ability doesn't matter. For all readers,
> what does matter is the ability possible with the cognitive resources
> available, which depends on the situation as well as the reader.
> - Following a specific set of techniques can help ensure that your
> message is accessible to the broadest set of audiences possible.
>
> The article is Angela Colter's "The Audience You Didn't Know You Had."
> The original is in Contents Magazine:
> http://contentsmagazine.com/articles/the-audience-you-didnt-know-you-had/index.html
>
> And a copy, including the comments, is posted as a PDF here:
> http://www.springfield.k12.or.us/cms/lib03/OR01000651/Centricity/Domain/19/Staff%20Resources/Website/Considering_Your_Content.pdf
>
> Angela also cites 20 references. I'm not sure how much overlap there is
> with the group Whitney has provided or pointed to.
>
> I have used Angela's article as the basis of a 60-minute class teaching
> engineers, other scientists, and regulatory officials how to write
> clearly. Reading this highly enjoyable article takes about 15 minutes. As
> I told my students, it's great to bookmark for something that is easy,
> refreshing, and educational--a way to accomplish something and
> re-energize yourself when work has numbed your mind.
>
> Give it a try and see if you find it as helpful as my students and I did.
>
> Cheers!
>
> Cliff
>
> Cliff Tyllick
> EIR Accessibility Coordinator
> Texas Health & Human Services Commission
> 512-438-2494
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>
>
>
>