Plain Language

By Jerry Smith, Liz Weintraub, Becca Monteleone

Knowledge translation means sharing information so people can use it. It turns ideas and research into action. Knowledge translation helps us make better decisions. It makes our communities and services stronger. Let’s talk about plain language’s role in knowledge translation.

Knowledge translation only works if we share information in ways people can understand. Research can be hard to understand. Researchers use long sentences and hard words.

This matters for many people, including people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (IDD). They could miss important information about healthcare, services, rights, or daily life. People can’t use information they don’t understand.

Plain language can help. It makes information clear and easy to understand. That helps more people take part in decisions about their lives.

We think making information clear and accessible is a right.

What is Plain Language?

There is no one definition for plain language. For us, plain language means people understand it the first time they read or hear it. Plain language:

• Uses everyday words and short sentences.
• Explains important words.
• Organizes information in ways that make sense.

What is Knowledge Translation?

Experts share their ideas in research reports and academic journals.

Writing in these places can be hard to find and read. People may never learn about good ideas in research because they do not understand it.

Knowledge translation explains ideas so people can use them in their lives. It shares results from research so organizations and people can make better choices.

People who do knowledge translation need to listen to organizations to make sure the research is making a difference.

The goal of knowledge translation is to share research to make people’s lives better.

The Right to Information

People with disabilities have the right to information that affects their lives. This could be about healthcare, money, laws and rules, or programs.

In the United States, there is no “right” to plain language in the Constitution. But clear information is a part of accessibility, fairness, and good government. When information uses confusing words and acronyms, people get left out.

There are some laws about clear information. The U.S. Plain Writing Act of 2010 says federal agencies have to share messages in ways the public can understand.

People and organizations sharing information need to be responsible for making it clear. Research and rules are not helpful if people cannot understand them.

Plain language is about fairness. People have the right to understand the laws, rules, and services that affect their lives. Everyone should be able to understand and take part. Using simple words, pictures, examples, and stories makes this possible.

Access to information is a right. It is not a convenience or an option. Clear information helps make sure all people can learn, decide, and participate.

Plain Language for Knowledge Translation

People cannot use information they cannot understand. That makes plain language important for knowledge translation. It helps people understand the information faster. They can focus on the message instead of the hard words or long sentences.

Knowledge translation is not just about learning something new. It is about doing something differently. Plain language helps people understand:

• What the research means.
• Why the research matters.
• What to do next.

Plain language means the message reaches more people who can use it. That includes:

• Community members
• Direct support professionals
• People with disabilities
• Families
• Policymakers

When these groups understand information, they can use it. People are more likely to use a program or policy that they understand clearly. Plain language leads to better results.

How Organizations Can Use Plain Language for Knowledge Translation

People with IDD are part of the public. If your message is meant for the public, it must be shared in a way that people with IDD can understand.

Organizations can share their messages in many ways. Giving the public many choices means people can pick the way that works best for them. Some ways to share information include:

• Written message
• Plain-language written message
• Plain-language summary
• Audio message
• Video message
• Pictures and infographics

No one way of writing or speaking will work for everyone. More options mean more access.

Just changing how you share your message doesn’t mean it will be more clear. Organizations need to think about what their message says and how they share it.

Organizations should be responsible for creating plain-language materials. They should not assume that self-advocates and disability groups will do it later. That means organizations need a plan for making plain language. They should think about time, training, and cost.

Making Plain Language with People with IDD

People with IDD need to be involved when making plain language.

The research says this does not happen as much as it should. Organizations say it takes too much time and money. When people with IDD are involved, it is usually as a “quality checker.” That means they read what someone else wrote in plain language. People with IDD are not usually the people who write plain language.

This is not enough. Including people with IDD makes plain language better. The Arc of the United States and AAIDD say you should have a diverse group of people making plain language. It should include:

• People with IDD
• Family members
• Experts on the topic you are writing about

Organizations need to make time to include people with IDD when making plain language. This issue of Impact has examples of groups who do this well and a guide on how to work with editors and reviewers with IDD.

Current Problems in the Field

More people are paying attention to plain language. More self-advocates ask for plain language. More organizations make plain-language messages. More funders say researchers have to share their results in clear ways. These are good things.

But there is still a long way to go in research, policy, and practice.

Research

We need more research about plain language. We do not have a clear definition or way to measure if plain language is working. Some things we can learn through more research:

• If and how people use plain language to make decisions.
• The best way to share plain language.
• How people use plain language in their lives.
• The parts of plain-language writing that help people the most.
• The topics people with IDD care about having in plain language.
• If summaries or full translations work best.
• How plain language changes the meaning of the message.

We could share research about plain language better if there was a conference or journal about plain language.

One big topic to research is how we use artificial intelligence (AI) in plain language. Many people use AI to shorten or summarize writing. We need research that studies if AI can make good plain language. We also need to think about whether it is safe or fair to use AI in plain language. Researchers think there are good and bad things about AI. It could help people with IDD have more information. But it could also lead to problems. Whose fault is it if AI makes a mistake or shares the wrong information? How do people with IDD know to trust what the AI says? We need research to answer these questions.

Policy

We need strong laws and policies in the United States that say people have the right to clear information.

We can create rules that give us definitions for important words like plain language and accessible communication.

Research says the laws we have do not do as much as they should. For example, the Plain Writing Act has not changed how policymakers write laws. How can we create better rules that people and groups will follow?

Practice

In 2016, researchers Rebecca Sutherland and Tom Isherwood wrote an article about clear writing for people with IDD (bit.ly/4rn0ikw). They wrote, “easy-read is only effective if it is distributed and used.”

Writing plain language that no one reads is not helpful. Groups need to make plans to make and share plain language. That means they must decide plain language is important.

Organizations must:

• Do trainings and make resources for staff, researchers, and policymakers.
• Make teams to create and share plain language. These teams must include people with IDD.
• Commit time, energy, and money to making and sharing plain language.

Building a Network

We need a network to share how to make plain language well. Centers and institutes can be models. They can show how to include people with IDD as creators. They can create partnerships with self-advocates. They can use and share best practices. They can measure what works and what doesn’t.

If we share what we learn, everyone can do plain language better.

Recommendations

Plain language helps everyone understand important information. To use it well, we need to:

Make it standard: Make plain language a regular part of your work. Make policies and offer trainings so your organization uses it.

Think about universal design: Plain language can help everyone. It is not just an accommodation for some.

Avoid one-size-fits-all: Everyone has different needs. Create and change your message for the people you want to reach.

Plan and budget: Have time and resources for people with IDD to create, review, and evaluate plain language. Include people with IDD at every step.

Test and change: Make sure your plain language is working. Listen to feedback from people with IDD and make changes.

Make it useful: What you are sharing is as important as how you share it. Make sure your content is understandable and useful.

Make it easy to find. Share content in places people already use. Make it easy to find, easy to navigate, and easy to use.

Have options: Create different versions of your message. This can include plain language, audio, video, and technical versions.

Use plain language everywhere: From consent forms to policies, make plain language your standard.

Ideas into Action

Knowledge translation doesn’t work if people do not understand it. Plain language is not an extra step or a nice extra. It’s how we turn ideas into action.

Plain language means people can use research to do things better. It is not an option.

Organizations need to commit to plain language. That means making policies and plans to use it. It means taking time and money to include people with IDD. It means making a network to share what works and what doesn’t.

Knowledge changes lives. We need to make sure everyone understands it.