Innovative Practices 2014 on Accessibility
European standards for easy-to-read information
Name of Innovative Practice: | European standards for making information easy to read and understand |
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Organisation: | Inclusion Europe aisbl |
Country of origin | Belgium |
Beneficiaries targeted | Persons with learning difficulties |
Approach/ model/ solution: | guidelines, ‘easy-to-read’ logo |
PROBLEMS TARGETED
The lack of accessible information results in people with intellectual disabilities being victims of discrimination and social exclusion. In addition, the variety of approaches to accessible information makes it difficult to enforce systematically the right of people with intellectual disabilities to information.
PROJECT The European standards for making information easy to read and understand help to unify the diverse approaches to producing accessible information for persons with intellectual disabilities. They have also helped to spread the ’easy-to-read’ concept to countries where this practice had not been previously established. The guidelines together with the European ‘easy-to-read’ logo help set common standards and quality criteria for ‘easy-to-read’. CURRENT SITUATION & OUTLOOK The European standards for making information easy to read and understand are now available in 16 languages. The European Commission, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, the Council of Europe, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and other international and national stakeholders have published accessible information according to the standards. Inclusion Europe and its members continue to promote the standards as a way of improving the access of persons with intellectual disabilities to information and lifelong learning.