Deborah Chinn's paper, "Talking to producers of Easy Read health information for people with intellectual disability: Production practices, textual features, and imagined audiences," (2019) was recognised with an Australasian Study of Intellectual Disability award at the 2020 AGM. The paper discusses the development of accessible information from the creators point of view by looking at
· what influences the priorities of those creating Easy Read health information;
· how the
creators saw the Easy Read health information being used in real-world settings;
· the role
Easy Read Health Information plays in providing people with Intellectual Disability with accurate medical information;
· how
people with Intellectual Disability see Easy Read health information.
Being from the UK, the paper is specifically discussing Easy Read only. You can read more about on the similarities and differences
with Easy English here. Chinn specifically
investigates Easy Read in the context of health information and the study also
looks at how the medical staff and others used the Easy Read materials.
Chinn also considers how health staff may influence the outcomes for the end user by their engagement with this health information. For example, health staff may not want to provide the end user with options they do not consider to be in the patient’s best interest. The paper raises the need to remedy biases concerning public institutions by enabling the independent participation of those with low English literacy within these institutions This highlights the need to ensure Easy Read health information supports the independent participation and decision making of people with Intellectual Disability.
Chinn recognises need for collaboration between the creators and the end-users. People with Intellectual Disability have diverse ranges of capabilities and needs and they cannot be treated as a homogenous audience. However, the detached 'on demand' nature of commissioned Easy Read content magnifies the risk of presumption relating to the end-user.
Creators share the concern that a
lack of collaboration can push the creator to produce for imagined audiences
rather than the real-world end user. This limits the ability of the accessible
communication to reach those whose needs do not conform.
Do you see the same issues with Easy English?
Are we providing only positive options?
What
competing needs have you found to be involved in Easy English?
Do
you think there is a difference when creators work with different people who
are the intended readers?
We
would love to know your thoughts.
Cass
Bibliography
Chinn, D. 2019. "Talking to producers of Easy Read health information for people with intellectual disability: Production practices, textual features, and imagined audiences." Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability 44 (4): 410-420.
