Language and definitions

These guidelines aim to use language that is simple and clear. Throughout these guidelines, the following terminology is used:

Access

Access is when people have permission, choice, and the ability to enter, get to, interact with, or use a thing, place, or person.

Accessibility

Accessibility is whether a product, service, process, or design can be used and/or understood by everyone who interacts with it.

Accommodation

Accommodation is a change that removes the barrier to participation for a person. The person may have the same expectations and do the same activity, but how they participate is different.

Advocates

Advocates are people who act on behalf of someone with a specific issue. They may give information, write submissions, offer advice, and more. They may work for disability advocacy organisations.

Alternative text

Alternative text (or alt text) is a short description of an image’s meaning or content. This information is not usually visible on the page, but accessible to users as an HTML attribute or when they are using an accessibility tool. Alt text is not usually a literal description of the image; however, complex images like charts or diagrams may have longer descriptions.

Audio description

Audio description (AD) is the auditory narration of visual media, such as art, theatre, film, and television. It describes important visual elements, such as the settings, backgrounds, props between pauses, or lines of dialogue.

Auslan

Auslan (Australian Sign Language) is the language of the Australian d/Deaf community. Auslan is a visual-spatial language. It uses hand gestures, facial expressions, and body language to convey meaning. It has its own vocabulary and grammar.

Braille

Braille is a tactile (touchable) way of reading text, consisting of a series of raised dots embossed onto special paper. Someone reading braille will pass their finger over the dots to feel what is written. It is an alternative written form of a standard language – it is not a separate language.

Cascading style sheets

Cascading style sheets (CSS) is a simple mechanism for adding style (such as fonts, colours, and spacing) to web documents.

Closed captions

Closed captions (CC) are a text description of sound, including background noises, speaker differentiation, and other relevant information. Closed captions can be turned on and off by the viewer.

Co-design

Co-design (or collaborative design) is a practice where designers involve users in their research and create solutions, processes or products that meet their users’ specific needs and challenges.

Consent

Consent (described as informed or active) is when a person gives permission or agrees to something. Their decision is clear and explicit, and it is given voluntarily. It is important that clear information is provided in multiple formats and that participants are reminded that they can say no.

Deliberative democracy

Deliberative democracy is a political process where decisions are made through fair, robust debates with citizens. Instead of counting or compiling perspectives, citizens hear from one another and choose what they believe serves the public the best.

Easy Read

Easy Read (or Easy English) is an accessible and alternative form of communication. It uses short, simple, and clear sentences with images to support each point. The layout contains lots of white space and uses a large text size.

Facilitated activity

A facilitated activity is an activity when a project team member is present to provide support. This support may include being the presenter, guiding the conversation, explaining things, asking questions, or writing notes.

Facilitator

A facilitator is a person or several people that lead or support the activity. They may do things such as be the presenter, guide the conversation, explain things, ask questions, and write notes.

Inclusion

Inclusion is when everyone in a group is involved and respected. Diversity is celebrated and things can be changed to suit the needs and preferences of the individual.

Large print

Large print (or large font) is a font size and style that requires no special skills or equipment to access it. It uses sans-serif fonts (for example Arial and Helvetica) that are 18pt or larger. Other characteristics are generous spaces between margins and bullet points, and minimal underlining, italics, and hyphens. Bold is only used for headings.

Organisations

Organisations are any group of people that are part of a business, government department or the non-profit sector.

Plain language

Plain language (or plain English) is communication where the wording, structure, and design are clear enough that the intended reader can easily find what they need, understand what they find, and use the information.

Readability

Readability is how easy a piece of text is to read and understand. Readability can be improved by using clear language and structure in your text. Readability is usually judged by a reading level, which is the level of education someone needs to be able to understand the text.

Signpost

Signpost is a type of communication model during which, when you write or speak, you show or tell the audience where you are, what your key points are and outline what’s coming next. This makes it easier for people reading or listening to you to follow along.