Premium
Ensuring meaningful access to easy‐to‐read information: A case study
Author(s) -
Callus AnneMarie,
Cauchi Dorianne
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
british journal of learning disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1468-3156
pISSN - 1354-4187
DOI - 10.1111/bld.12306
Subject(s) - intellectual disability , thematic analysis , session (web analytics) , context (archaeology) , focus group , computer science , focus (optics) , service (business) , world wide web , psychology , public relations , internet privacy , sociology , qualitative research , social science , political science , paleontology , physics , economy , psychiatry , anthropology , optics , economics , biology
Accessible SummaryThis article is about easy‐to‐read information and how to make sure that it is really accessible for people with intellectual disability. We carried out research in a day centre and spoke to service users and staff about how they use easy‐to‐read information. We found that there are a lot of factors which influence the lives of service users with intellectual disability and the use of easy‐to‐read documents.Abstract Background This article presents research on the use of easy‐to‐read documents to ensure meaningful access to information for persons with intellectual disability. The research questions focus on the factors that influence the use of easy‐to‐read documents and what needs to be considered to ensure that these documents are used meaningfully. Materials and Methods A case study was carried out in a day centre for persons with intellectual disability in Malta, using a focus group, an interview and an observation session as research tools. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, in conjunction with the social model of disability and an adapted version of Bronfenbrenner's ecosystem model. Results The research found that the effectiveness of easy‐to‐read documents is contingent on a multiplicity of factors which interact with one another. Conclusion Easy‐to‐read forms can become more meaningful if these factors are attended to within the wider context.