Augmented Language: A Brief Introduction 

KATIE ALLEN: Welcome to accessibility tutorial on augmented 
language. My name is Katie Allen, and I'm a program associate 
from the Vera Institute of Justice. This video is about 
communicating accessibly with survivors with disabilities using 
simple, easy-to-read, and augmented language. I will talk about 
how we can use multiple methods of engagement to 
communicate most effectively and accessibly with survivors with 
disabilities. 

All survivors deserve access to information. Survivors with a 
variety of cognitive disabilities may not be able to access your 
services, materials, and trainings without accessible language. In 
this video, we'll define what we mean by simple, easy-to-read 
language and augmented language and discuss why it matters for 
survivors with disabilities, share some examples of simple and 
augmented language, we'll demonstrate how to use augmented 
language and specifically images to communicate. 

First, what is simple, easy-to-read language? Simple, easy-to-
read language is language that we simplify to be more clear 
welcoming and understandable for survivors, particularly for 
survivors with certain cognitive and intellectual disabilities. 
Simple, easy-to-read language involves using concrete nouns and 
verbs, fewer adjectives and adverbs, using short, direct 


sentences with one idea per sentence and fewer words in each 
sentence. 

For example, the sentence "call our hotline" rather than the 
sentence: "call our 24-hour confidential crisis hotline any day of 
the week". Easy-to-read language involves using simpler, more 
common words like help, instead of assistance. We don't want to 
assume that survivors have previous knowledge on a topic. So we 
want to give examples and explain ideas and define unfamiliar 
words. 

We want to avoid using if-then or conditional statements with 
multiple ideas. Instead break down sentences to one idea. An 
example of a conditional statement is: "if you go to the hospital, 
an advocate can support you during a sexual assault exam". 
Instead, we might say, "we can be there to support you at the 
hospital". 

What is augmented language, and why does it matter for 
accessibility? Augmented language is simple, easy-to-read 
language that also includes using images to complement the 
words. When we offer multiple ways to engage with our 
materials, all survivors benefit. Some survivors engage better 
with written words, and others prefer listening to spoken 
information. Some survivors engage best with videos and images 
and others with charts, numbers, and graphs. 


Augmented language involves enhancing written or spoken 
communication with pictures, symbols, maps, and other visuals, 
audio and tactile information, including accessible multimedia. 
Using images to communicate information in our intake outreach, 
education, and training materials can be very engaging and 
accessible for all survivors, especially for survivors with certain 
disabilities. 

Simple language and augmented language is not the same as 
plain language. Plain language is for everyone. Plain language is 
about eliminating jargon and complexity from technical language 
and broadening our outreach to wider universal audiences of 
survivors. This includes survivors with a variety of disabilities. 

Simple language is more simplified and geared towards survivors 
with intellectual disabilities that impact mental processing, 
learning, memory, comprehension, language, and reasoning. 
Augmented language involves enhancing written or spoken 
communication with pictures, symbols, and other multimedia. 

What does simple and augmented language look like for 
materials? How can we make brochures, fact sheets, 
presentations, and intake materials more accessible for survivors 
with intellectual disabilities? 

We share a lot of written materials with survivors. Many of our 
materials require that survivors read a lot of words and numbers 


things like tip sheets, brochures, articles and blogs, PowerPoint, 
slides, and toolkits. But we all learn differently, and it's easier for 
most of us to learn new information from multiple sources and 
media. We can enhance our intake, outreach, educational, and 
training materials with images, illustrations, simple language, and 
other multimedia to improve communication for survivors with 
and without disabilities. 

When we create written materials in simple and augmented 
language, it's best to share instructional information in a step-by-
step method with images that illustrate the steps. We want to use 
one line or bullet point per idea, and some research recommends 
using sentences with fewer than 15 words. Simple and 
augmented language is best with larger print text, 16 to 22 point 
font, that is sans serif and easy to read. 

We still want to use adult vocabulary if we're speaking to adults. 
It helps to replace complex words with simpler words, but we 
don't need to use euphemisms. For example, instead of the word 
perpetrator, we might say abuser or people who try to hurt you 
but you don't need to say bad guys. Writing in simple language 
includes using numerals like 3 instead of spelling out the number 
three. I'll show you some examples in the next few slides. 

Here's an example of how to make plain language simple 
language or easy to read. In our brochures and other outreach 
materials, we might share information about how survivors react 


after an assault and what we can do to help. The plain language 
statement says: "it can be overwhelming to go back to work after 
an assault. You might feel distracted or emotionally worn out. We 
can help you figure out how to pay the bills". 

The simple, easy-to-read statement is broken down into a 
bulleted list with one idea per line. It says: "if you are hurt or 
abused, it can be hard to go to work. You might feel sad or tired, 
but we can help you". The main idea here is that survivors can 
reach out for help if they have experienced abuse. 

On this slide, I'm sharing an example of how to use augmented 
language on your website with images to help enhance the 
meaning. It says: "do you need to talk? You can talk to a crisis 
counselor on the phone. A crisis counselor is a person who will 
listen to you. 

A crisis counselor will help you get support. Please call 555-5555. 
You can call any time of day or night". And then there's an image 
of two women speaking on the phone. The sentences are short 
with one idea, and we define the term crisis counselor. 

Here on this slide, I'm sharing an image of the power and control 
wheel for women with developmental disabilities and/or mental 
health issues created by Project Peer in Washington DC. This 
version of the power and control wheel shows images as a form 
of augmented language for survivors with disabilities. The images 


help complement the text and the power and control wheel. 
Images should complement the text in your materials. There 
should be a clear connection between the text-based information 
and the images we choose. 

It's important to also choose images that are accurate and 
representative. We want to avoid using images that are 
stigmatizing or images that reinforce stereotypes. It's also 
important to consider color contrast, alternative text, and 
captions. You can watch a video about alternative text to learn 
more about how to make images accessible. 

So how can we be sure that our language is accessible and easy 
to read? Invite people with cognitive and intellectual disabilities to 
the table from the beginning and importantly, compensate people 
with disabilities for their work when possible. Not all mental 
disabilities are the same, and not all people are the same, so 
don't just invite one person for feedback. Consider hiring a 
workgroup or a consultant group to work on augmenting the 
language in your materials. 

To recap: it's helpful to offer multiple ways and formats for 
survivors to access your materials and information. We all learn 
in different ways. Simple or easy-to-read language is language 
that we simplify to be more clear, welcoming, and understandable 
for survivors, particularly for survivors with a variety of cognitive 
and intellectual disabilities. Simple language is concrete, direct 


language. It uses short sentences with simple words, mostly 
nouns and verbs. 

Augmented language is simple language that we enhance with 
images to complement written or spoken words. Simple and 
augmented language includes offering examples and definitions of 
unfamiliar terms. And finally, invite people with intellectual 
disabilities to develop materials and augmented language. 

This video on simple and augmented language is part of a 
Disability and Deaf Resource Center series of how-to videos to 
help your agency increase accessibility of your services, outreach, 
and programs to reach survivors with disabilities. This how-to 
video series includes videos about how to improve accessibility of 
outreach, educational, training, and intake materials. We also 
have videos about general accessibility guidelines to help ground 
this work. 

The Vera Institute of Justice Center on Victimization and Safety 
created this video series with a grant from the Office of Violence 
Against Women at the Department of Justice. The Center on 
Victimization and Safety at the Vera Institute of Justice works to 
ensure that victims services effectively identify, reach, and meet 
the needs of marginalized crime survivors. We work with 
survivors to build and strengthen the capacity of communities, 
organizations, and providers to respond effectively to and prevent 


sexual violence, domestic violence, and other forms of abuse 
against people with disabilities and D/deaf people. 

Ending abuse of people with disabilities is a team effort, so please 
contact us for support. The End Abuse email address is 
cvs@vera.org the End Abuse phone number is 212-376-3096 and 
the End Abuse toll-free phone number is 855-274-8222. Thank 
you for watching. You can find out more on our website at 
www.endabusepwd.org.