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Thread: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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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
No previous message | Next message →

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
← Previous message | Next message →

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.

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Jim Homme
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 2:46 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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: Whitney Quesenbery
Date: Sat, Oct 29 2016 5:33PM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
← Previous message | Next message →

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.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On
> Behalf Of Jim Homme
> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 2:46 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
>
> 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 <(412)%20787-8567>,
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>
> http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-technology-solutions
> E+R=O
> <http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-technology-solutionsE+R=O>;
>
> > > at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >
> > > > >
--
*Whitney Quesenbery*
(lists) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
(work) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =

From: Preast, Vanessa
Date: Sun, Oct 30 2016 6:55AM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
← Previous message | Next message →

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

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Whitney Quesenbery
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2016 6:34 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On
> Behalf Of Jim Homme
> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 2:46 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
>
> 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 <(412)%20787-8567>,
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>
> http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techno
> logy-solutions
> E+R=O
> <http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techn
> ology-solutionsE+R=O>
>
> > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >
> > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >
--
*Whitney Quesenbery*
(lists) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
(work) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =

From: Whitney Quesenbery
Date: Mon, Oct 31 2016 7:56AM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
← Previous message | Next message →

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

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf
Of Whitney Quesenbery
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2016 6:34 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On
> Behalf Of Jim Homme
> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 2:46 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
>
> 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 <(412)%20787-8567> <(412)%20787-8567>,
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>
> http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techno
> logy-solutions
> E+R=O
> <http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techn
> ology-solutionsE+R=O>
>
> > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >
> > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >
--
*Whitney Quesenbery*
(lists) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
(work) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
--
*Whitney Quesenbery*
(lists) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
(work) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =

From: Tyllick,Cliff S (HHSC/DADS)
Date: Mon, Oct 31 2016 9:05AM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
← Previous message | Next message →

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 =



-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Whitney Quesenbery
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2016 8:56 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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 Redish <http://redish.net/books>; 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

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf
Of Whitney Quesenbery
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2016 6:34 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On
> Behalf Of Jim Homme
> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 2:46 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
>
> 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 <(412)%20787-8567> <(412)%20787-8567>,
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>
> http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techno
> logy-solutions
> E+R=O
> <http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techn
> ology-solutionsE+R=O>
>
--
*Whitney Quesenbery*
(lists) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
(work) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
*Please note* My email address has changed. Please be sure to update your contact information with my new email address.

From: whitneyq
Date: Mon, Oct 31 2016 11:58AM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
← Previous message | Next message →

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 =



-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Whitney Quesenbery
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2016 8:56 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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 Redish <http://redish.net/books>; 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

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf
Of Whitney Quesenbery
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2016 6:34 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On
> Behalf Of Jim Homme
> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 2:46 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
>
> 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 <(412)%20787-8567> <(412)%20787-8567>,
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>
> http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techno
> logy-solutions
> E+R=O
> <http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techn
> ology-solutionsE+R=O>
>
--
*Whitney Quesenbery*
(lists) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
(work) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
*Please note* My email address has changed. Please be sure to update your contact information with my new email address.

From: Jim Homme
Date: Mon, Oct 31 2016 11:59AM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
← Previous message | Next message →

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

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of JP Jamous
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2016 7:12 AM
To: 'WebAIM Discussion List' < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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.

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Jim Homme
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 2:46 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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: Jim Homme
Date: Mon, Oct 31 2016 12:01PM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
← Previous message | Next message →

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

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Whitney Quesenbery
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2016 7:34 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On
> Behalf Of Jim Homme
> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 2:46 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
>
> 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 <(412)%20787-8567>,
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>
> http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techno
> logy-solutions
> E+R=O
> <http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techn
> ology-solutionsE+R=O>
>
> > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >
> > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >
--
*Whitney Quesenbery*
(lists) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
(work) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =

From: Preast, Vanessa
Date: Mon, Oct 31 2016 8:08PM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
← Previous message | Next message →

Thanks so much everyone. I appreciate the resources.

Best,
Vanessa

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of whitneyq
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2016 12:58 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities


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 =



-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Whitney Quesenbery
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2016 8:56 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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 Redish <http://redish.net/books>; 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

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Whitney Quesenbery
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2016 6:34 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On
> Behalf Of Jim Homme
> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 2:46 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
>
> 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 <(412)%20787-8567> <(412)%20787-8567>,
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>
> http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techno
> logy-solutions
> E+R=O
> <http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techn
> ology-solutionsE+R=O>
>
--
*Whitney Quesenbery*
(lists) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
(work) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
*Please note* My email address has changed. Please be sure to update your contact information with my new email address.

From: Tyllick,Cliff S (HHSC/DADS)
Date: Tue, Nov 01 2016 1:17PM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
← Previous message | Next message →

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 =




-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Jim Homme
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2016 1:02 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Whitney Quesenbery
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2016 7:34 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On
> Behalf Of Jim Homme
> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 2:46 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
>
> 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 <(412)%20787-8567>,
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>
> http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techno
> logy-solutions
> E+R=O
> <http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techn
> ology-solutionsE+R=O>
>
> > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >
> > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >
--
*Whitney Quesenbery*
(lists) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
(work) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
*Please note* My email address has changed. Please be sure to update your contact information with my new email address.

From: Jim Homme
Date: Wed, Nov 02 2016 6:49AM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
← Previous message | Next message →

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

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Tyllick,Cliff S (HHSC/DADS)
Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2016 3:18 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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 =




-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Jim Homme
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2016 1:02 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Whitney Quesenbery
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2016 7:34 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities

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.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On
> Behalf Of Jim Homme
> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 2:46 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
>
> 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 <(412)%20787-8567>,
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>
> http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techno
> logy-solutions
> E+R=O
> <http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techn
> ology-solutionsE+R=O>
>
> > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >
> > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >
--
*Whitney Quesenbery*
(lists) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
(work) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =

From: Mallory
Date: Wed, Nov 02 2016 3:18PM
Subject: Re: Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
← Previous message | No next message

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 =
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On
> Behalf Of Whitney Quesenbery
> Sent: Monday, October 31, 2016 8:56 AM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List
> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
>
> 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 Redish <http://redish.net/books>; 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
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On
> Behalf
> Of Whitney Quesenbery
> Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2016 6:34 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
>
> 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.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On
> > Behalf Of Jim Homme
> > Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 2:46 PM
> > To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> > Subject: [WebAIM] Help With Plain Language And Learning Disabilities
> >
> > 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 <(412)%20787-8567> <(412)%20787-8567>,
> > = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> >
> > http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techno
> > logy-solutions
> > E+R=O
> > <http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-techn
> > ology-solutionsE+R=O>
> >
> --
> *Whitney Quesenbery*
> (lists) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> (work) = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> *Please note* My email address has changed. Please be sure to update your
> contact information with my new email address.
> > > > > > > >