CAN/ASC-3.1
Plain language
Note: This draft is under development and subject to change; it should not
be used for reference purposes.
About Accessibility Standards
Canada
Accessibility Standards Canada, under whose auspices this draft standard
has been produced, is a Government of Canada departmental corporation
mandated through the Accessible Canada Act. Accessibility Standards
Canada’s Standards contribute to the purpose of the Accessible Canada
Act, which is to benefit all persons, especially persons with disabilities,
through the realization of a Canada without barriers through the
identification, removal, and prevention of accessibility barriers.
Disability, as defined by the Accessible Canada Act, means any
impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning,
communication or sensory impairment — or a functional limitation —
whether permanent, temporary, or episodic in nature, or evident or not,
that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal
participation in society.
All of Accessibility Standards Canada’s standards development work,
including the work of our technical committees, is carried out in recognition
of, and in accordance with, the following principles in the Accessible
Canada Act:
• all persons must be treated with dignity regardless of their disabilities;
• all persons must have the same opportunity to make for themselves
the lives that they are able and wish to have regardless of their
disabilities;
• all persons must have barrier-free access to full and equal
participation in society, regardless of their disabilities;
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• all persons must have meaningful options and be free to make their
own choices, with support if they desire, regardless of their
disabilities;
• laws, policies, programs, services, and structures must take into
account the disabilities of persons, the different ways that persons
interact with their environments and the multiple and intersecting
forms of marginalization and discrimination faced by persons;
• persons with disabilities must be involved in the development and
design of laws, policies, programs, services, and structures; and
• the development and revision of accessibility standards and the
making of regulations must be done with the objective of achieving
the highest level of accessibility for persons with disabilities.
These principles align with the principles of the United Nations’ Convention
on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ratified by the Government of
Canada in 2010 to recognize the importance of promoting, protecting, and
upholding the human rights of persons with disabilities to participate fully in
their communities.
Accessibility Standards Canada seeks to create standards that are aligned
with its vision. This includes commitments to break down barriers to
accessibility and abide by the principle of “nothing without us” in our
standards development process, where everyone, including persons with
disabilities, can expect a Canada without barriers.
Standards developed by Accessibility Standards Canada are designed to
achieve the highest levels of accessibility. This means that Accessibility
Standards Canada standards create equity-based technical requirements
while taking into consideration national and international best practices, as
opposed to focusing on minimum technical requirements.
Accessibility Standards Canada applies an intersectional framework to
capture the experiences of people with disabilities who also identify as
LGBTQ2+, Indigenous Peoples, women, and visible minorities. Its
standards development process requires that technical committees apply a
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cross-disability perspective to ensure that no new barriers to accessibility
are unintentionally created. In addition, standards developed by
Accessibility Standards Canada align with 14 of the 17 United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals, which were adopted by Canada in 2015
to promote partnership, peace and prosperity for all people and the planet
by 2030.
Accessibility Standards Canada is engaged in the production of voluntary
accessibility standards, which are developed by technical committees using
a consensus-based approach. Each technical committee is composed of a
balanced group of experts who develop the technical content of a standard.
At least 30% of these technical experts are people with disabilities and
lived experience and 30% are from equity seeking groups including
LGBTQ2+, indigenous peoples, women and visible minorities. These
technical experts also include consumers and other users, government and
authorities, labour and unions, other standards development organizations,
businesses and industry, academic and research bodies, and
non-governmental organizations.
All Accessibility Standards Canada standards also incorporate related
findings from research reports conducted through Accessibility Standards
Canada’s Advancing Accessibility Grants and Contributions program. This
program involves persons with disabilities, experts, and organizations to
advance accessibility standards research and supports research projects
that help with the identification, removal, and prevention of new barriers to
accessibility.
Accessibility Standards Canada standards are subject to review and
revision to ensure that they reflect current trends and best practices.
Accessibility Standards Canada will initiate the review of this standard
within four years of the dates of publication. Suggestions for improvement,
which are always welcome, should be brought to the notice of the
respective technical committee. Changes to standards are issued either as
separate amendments or in new editions of standards.
As a Standards Council of Canada accredited standards development
organization, all Accessibility Standards Canada standards are developed
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through an accredited standards development process. These voluntary
standards apply to federally regulated entities and can be recommended to
the Minister responsible for the Accessible Canada Act (i.e., the Minister of
Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion).
In addition to its focus on developing accessibility standards, Accessibility
Standards Canada has been a leader amongst Canadian federal
organizations for promoting and adopting accessibility internal to
government. Accessibility Standards Canada is the first organization in the
federal government to have a Board of Directors majority-led by persons
with disabilities. Accessibility Standards Canada has a state-of-the-art
accessible office space for its employees, Board of Directors, and
Technical Committee Members. The carefully designed accessible
workspace aligns with the organization’s belief in the importance of
universal accessibility.
To obtain additional information on Accessibility Standards Canada, its
standards or publications, please contact us:
Web site: https://accessible.canada.ca/
E-mail: Info.Accessibility.Standards-
Normes.Accessibilite.I[email protected]
Mail: Accessibility Standards Canada
320, St-Joseph Boulevard
Suite 246
Gatineau, QC K1A 0H3
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Preface
This is the first edition of CAN/ASC-3.1, Plain Language Standard.
This Plain Language Standard is a mandatory (normative) Standard. It
uses conventional regulatory language. Standards Council of Canada, as
governed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
guidelines, requires that standards use regulatory language so that this
Standard may be classified as a National Standard of Canada.
The Plain Language Technical Committee acknowledges this regulatory
language does not follow some plain language principles in this Standard.
The Technical Committee is working towards a time when all standards are
presented in plain language to achieve accessibility, clarity, usability, and
overall effectiveness.
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Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................10
0.1 What is plain language? ...............................................................10
0.2 Benefits of plain language ............................................................10
0.3 Values support accessibility..........................................................11
0.4 Principles guiding this standard ....................................................11
Scope .................................................................................................12
1.1 Who will use this standard? ..........................................................12
1.1.1 Adoption is voluntary ..............................................................12
1.1.2 Applies for the benefit of all people .........................................12
1.2 Plain language is variable .............................................................12
1.3 Applies to all natural languages ....................................................13
1.4 Terms have consequences...........................................................13
1.5 Use of headings to describe contents ...........................................13
1.6 Standard does not apply to all forms of communication ................13
Reference publications .......................................................................14
Definitions, symbols and abbreviations ...............................................14
Part 1: Identify audiences and their requirements ...............................15
4.1 Know the audience for a communication ......................................15
4.1.1 Create plain language for the intended audience ....................15
4.1.2 Meet information needs ..........................................................15
4.1.3 Identify audiences ..................................................................16
4.1.4 Engage with the intended audience ........................................18
4.1.5 Consult the audience ..............................................................18
Part 2: Make information relevant, easy to find, and organized ...........19
5.1 Design the material for ease of use ..............................................19
5.1.1 The organization shall make the information findable .............19
5.1.2 Assess material for consistency and adequacy .......................20
5.1.3 Make information accessible ..................................................20
5.1.4 Use colour to help organize ....................................................21
5.2 Plan content for audience and purpose ........................................22
5.2.1 Make the purpose clear ..........................................................22
5.2.2 Focus the content on essentials .............................................22
5.2.3 Identify the organization and how it communicates .................23
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Part 3: Make the information understandable .....................................24
6.1 Use clear language ......................................................................24
6.1.1 Make information clear and understandable ...........................24
6.1.2 Consider all aspects of communication ...................................24
6.1.3 Use personal language to talk to the audience directly ...........25
6.1.4 Be sensitive to audience preferences for self-identity .............25
6.2 Choose appropriate wording.........................................................26
6.2.1 Use common and familiar words.............................................26
Annex A - Accessible forms ......................................................................27
Annex B - Using numbers .........................................................................29
Annex C - Resources ...............................................................................32
C.1 Web accessibility checklist, guidelines, and monitors .............32
C.2 Accessible design and production ..........................................32
C.3 Universal design and inclusive language ................................33
C.4 Accessible images and other non-text content ........................33
C.5 Legislation ..............................................................................34
C.6 Libraries for works in alternative formats ................................34
C.7 Relevant blog posts ................................................................34
C.8 Screen readers .......................................................................35
Annex D - Legal notice for standards ...................................................36
(normative) ...............................................................................................36
Bibliography .............................................................................................40
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Introduction
0.1 What is plain language?
This standard on plain language uses the International Plain Language
Federation definition:
“A communication is in plain language if its wording, structure, and design
are so clear that the intended audience can:
• easily find what they need
• understand what they find, and
• use that information.”
0.2 Benefits of plain language
Plain language has many benefits for organizations and the diverse
audiences who need and want to use their information. People in Canada
and around the world access information for many reasons, including to:
• Follow instructions or fill out forms.
• Access important information and services.
• Buy products and services.
Millions of people with a broad range of disabilities face unnecessary
barriers to accessing information. This standard puts audiences first by
working toward removing barriers and preventing new ones.
Applying this standard has practical benefits and adds value.
Using plain language helps organizations to:
• communicate effectively and efficiently with their entire, diverse
audiences, which include more than 22% of people in Canada who
identify as having a disability;
• recognize the diversity of audiences across Canada and around the
world, and promote inclusion;
• improve customer and client satisfaction;
• become a trusted source of useful and accurate information;
• lower the risk of accidents, injuries, complaints, and damages;
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• save time and money organizations may otherwise spend to answer
questions, repeat instructions, make follow-up calls, or issue new
messages.
These and other benefits are documented in the References section.
0.3 Values support accessibility
The Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) technical committee on plain
language honours the obligations and applies the principles and values in
these documents:
• the Accessible Canada Act;
• the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
• the Canadian Human Rights Commission;
• the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action;
• the ISO 24495-1 Standard for Plain Language;
• the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (CRPD).
0.4 Principles guiding this standard
This standard incorporates principles of plain language, accessibility,
inclusion, and diversity. It provides guiding principles here and guidance
throughout.
People in Canada have the same fundamental right to accurate information
that is easy to find, understand, and use.
Only the intended audience can say whether a communication is in plain
language for them.
This standard aims to achieve the highest level of accessibility for people
with disabilities, while recognizing plain language will also help language
learners, people with lower literacy, Deaf people, and other audiences in
Canada.
This standard counters ableism in communication. Countering ableism
requires a deliberate effort to identify and eliminate barriers at both
individual and organizational levels.
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This standard adopts an intersectional approach to identify and address
barriers to information access which are mutually reinforcing and shall be
addressed to prevent one form of inequality from reinforcing another.
This standard promotes person-centred communication, putting information
needs and dignity at the forefront, speaking of the person first and not the
disability.
Organizations should learn from, with, and about the audiences who need
information and not make any assumptions.
Plain language is an ongoing process that involves developing and revising
communications based on audience needs and feedback.
Scope
1.1 Who will use this standard?
This standard was developed for all levels and bodies of the federal
government of Canada and federally regulated industries. This standard
refers to them collectively as “organizations” and talks to them directly.
1.1.1 Adoption is voluntary
This standard applies to organizations in addition to their other obligations
or duties. Organizations using this standard should discover other relevant
provincial and federal legislation, regulations, and standards that address
accessibility issues related to different forms of communication.
1.1.2 Applies for the benefit of all people
The audiences for the communications under this standard include all
people in Canada and others outside Canada who communicate with or
receive communications from the organizations or federal government
offices.
1.2 Plain language is variable
This standard recognizes that plain language is different from one audience
to another and varies according to the form or platform of communication or
language.
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1.3 Applies to all natural languages
This standard applies to all natural languages and specifically refers to, but
is not limited to, these languages:
• English;
• French;
• Sign languages: American Sign Language, Langue des signes
québécoise, Indigenous sign languages.
1.4 Terms have consequences
In this standard, shall expresses a requirement that the user must satisfy.
Should expresses a recommendation or advice that is not a requirement.
May expresses a choice within the limits of this standard.
Can expresses permission, possibility, capability, or statement of fact.
Notes in text do not include requirements or alternative; a note separates
explanations, definitions, or other information from the main text.
Notes to tables and figures that are part of the table or figure may be
written as requirements.
Annexes shall be identified as normative, meaning required, or informative,
so not required in use.
1.5 Use of headings to describe contents
In this standard, headings are meant to describe the content and aid in
understanding the content.
1.6 Standard does not apply to all forms of communication
This standard does not apply to all possible forms or platforms of
communication, or to informal conversations, works of art, or constructed
languages, including mathematical languages or computer code. The
organization shall track constantly evolving technologies that require
adapting to meet the goal of this standard.
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Reference publications
The following documents are referred to in the text in a way that some or all
of their content are requirements of this standard. For dated references,
only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of
the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
Government of Canada
Writing Tips Plus
Language Portal
https://www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca/en/writing-tips-plus/index-eng
Standards Council of Canada (SCC)
Requirements and Guidance — Approval of National Standards of Canada
Designation (October 2015)
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
ISO Guide 71: Guide for addressing accessibility in Standards, Reference
ISO/IEC Guide 71:2014, Guide for addressing accessibility in standards
ISO 24495-1, Standard for Plain Language
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C3)
WCAG 2.0 and 2.1 (2018)
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
For more publications, including standards and other resources that might
be complementary or of interest, see Annex C or Bibliography.
Definitions, symbols and abbreviations
For this standard, the following definitions apply:
Accessible — complying with WCAG 2.1 level AA requirements.
Alternate formats — different ways of presenting information, so everyone
has equal access to the information.
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Assistive technology or assistive device — a piece of equipment,
product, system, hardware, software, or service used to improve access to
information.
Primary audience — people who are readers, users, or visitors.
Secondary audience — other people affected by the information or
interested in it.
Communication — any information intended to be shared.
Annex - informative — providing additional information to help the
understanding or use of a standard.
Annex - normative — stating requirements for claiming compliance with a
standard.
Note: Consult the ISO and IEC terminology databases for standardization
at these addresses: ISO Online browsing platform, IEC Electropedia.
Part 1: Identify audiences and their requirements
4.1 Know the audience for a communication
4.1.1 Create plain language for the intended audience
The organization shall create communication that is clear, timely, accurate,
and accessible in plain language for anyone who might need it.
4.1.2 Meet information needs
The organization shall:
a) meet the information needs of the audience;
b) consult with members of the audience to identify their barriers to
finding, understanding, and using communications, and
c) identify the primary audience of the communication.
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Notes:
1) The organization might achieve this by consulting existing studies,
research data, or new data to identify the intended audience’s
comfort and skills with types and levels of literacy relevant to the
communication.
2) People in your audience have different communication skills and you
might need to adjust the choice of words in your content or the format
of your communication to meet their needs.
4.1.3 Identify audiences
a) The organization shall identify the audiences:
i. a primary audience: the main people who need to find,
understand, and use the communication;
ii. one or more secondary audiences, affected or concerned, such
as intermediaries who deliver the message to the primary
audience or other people who might be affected by the
communication.
b) The organization shall determine whether more than one format of
communication is required to deliver the message to intended
audiences.
Notes:
1) Communications usually have a primary audience and one or more
secondary audiences made up of people with different needs,
knowledge levels, and abilities, as well as members of different
social, economic, geographic, or ethnic groups. The organization’s
communication should meet the information needs of the different
people it is trying to reach. Secondary audiences might be
intermediaries involved in sending the communication to the primary
audience.
2) Primary and secondary audiences might have conflicting interests.
Where this conflict cannot be reconciled, consider creating separate
communications.
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4.1.3.1 Update audience information
The organization shall regularly update the information to learn about
audiences, their requirements, and evolving technologies to revise
communications.
Note: Regularly reassess the understanding of the audiences as they might
change. Consider who else might benefit from the information.
4.1.3.2 Maintain an audience focus
The organization shall create a communication for the primary audience,
but consider how a secondary audience might
a) interact with the communication, or
b) have different concerns that require a separate communication, and
c) need to request individualization.
4.1.3.3 Discover the audience diversity
The organization shall identify the geographic, demographic,
psychographic, and behavioural features of the intended audience using
reliable sources and consultations.
4.1.3.4 Use plain language in all languages
The organization shall deliver any information needed by the intended
audience in plain language and, if needed, shall:
a) deliver information in languages other than the official and priority
languages of Canada;
b) make communication available in other languages, and
c) identify in a communication the languages that are available.
Notes:
1) Indicate where the communication is indexed or available.
2) Canada’s Official Languages Act, s. 23 of the Charter of Rights and
Freedoms, and other policies or guidance specific to the organization
might govern the languages in which the communications are offered.
3) Provide information in the languages the intended audience best
understands.
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4) Learn which languages the intended audience best understands by
consulting representative members of the intended audience and
using reliable sources, like Statistics Canada census data.
4.1.4 Engage with the intended audience
Notes: Communicating in plain language involves considering the variety of
ways people might engage with the material, format, and design of the
communication or how people are not able to engage with it because of
barriers.
Researching, consulting with, and engaging with intended audiences are
aids in the process of evaluating content and communications in the
development stage, before publication, and after publication.
4.1.4.1 Learn about the intended audience
The organization should consult representative members of the intended
audience to
a) identify their abilities, their preferences, their literacy levels, and their
level of comfort and skills with written, spoken, and signed languages,
or numeracy;
b) learn the following features of the audience:
i. how much background information they need included in the
communication, and
ii. if different content or material is needed for audience members
with different levels of knowledge.
4.1.5 Consult the audience
a) The organization should consult representative members of the
intended audience to learn:
i. the situation and physical or digital environment in which the
audience will receive the communication, and
ii. the likely way the audience will feel or respond when they use
the information.
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Note: The context in which the members of the audience interact with a
communication influences their stress levels and attention, which affects
how well they receive and process information.
b) The organization should consult representative members of the
intended audience while developing a communication to
i. confirm they can find, understand, and use the communication,
and
ii. determine the structure, wording, and design.
Note: The representatives of the audience might engage in participation in
planning and creating the communication or through surveys,
questionnaires, or focus groups.
c) If it is not possible or feasible to consult representative members of
the intended audience, or if the information is confidential, the
organization shall use methods and information from consultations on
other communications.
Part 2: Make information relevant, easy to find, and
organized
5.1 Design the material for ease of use
5.1.1 The organization shall make the information findable
The organization shall use document design principles to make the
information easy to find, considering priority, similarities and differences.
Note: Refer to the following:
• ISO 24495-1 standard;
• W3C's WCAG2ICT documentation;
• W3C's COGA documentation and other sources for document design
ideas.
5.1.1.1 Make information findable
The organization shall format and distribute the material so the audience is
able to easily find and use the information.
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Note: Consider line length in text, font size, and open space around text as
they affect legibility.
5.1.1.2 Maintain logical sequence
The organization shall:
a) group content elements into logical, topical parts, and
b) consider the logical order and sequencing that the audience
perceives for the topics.
Note: The audience often perceives the relationship of elements differently
than is perceived by the organization. People have different perspectives
on logical order.
5.1.1.3 Make information easy to follow
The organization shall structure the material to be easy to follow:
a) using descriptive headings;
b) making the structure obvious by using an outline, menu, or table of
contents, and
c) providing an index for material of over 10,000 words.
5.1.2 Assess material for consistency and adequacy
The organization shall ensure that:
a) the message is consistent across all delivery formats;
b) the length of the material is adequate and appropriate for the
complexity of the information;
c) all essential information is included in the communication, and
d) complex information is accurately expressed, well structured, and
organized for the intended audience.
Note: It is best to have longer material that is explained to and easily
understood by the audience than to have too little information.
5.1.3 Make information accessible
In accordance with this standard, the organization shall prioritize
information in a way that:
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a) summarizes key information at the beginning and at the end of the
material;
b) puts the main message near the beginning (clarifies the purpose of
the communication);
c) places cautions or warnings early in the material;
d) makes the structural plan clear and prominent to the audience by
using an outline, menu, or table of contents;
e) includes an index for content over 100 pages;
f) repetition help emphasize important information to remember:
i. use repetition when the audience will only read, listen to, or
view parts of the content;
ii. repeat instructions;
iii. repeat key points in longer content;
g) places conditions and exceptions at the end of a sentence or
paragraph.
5.1.4 Use colour to help organize
The organization should use colour in visual communications to make
organization, structure, and priority visible. It should otherwise use contrast
and colour to compare, identify, and differentiate.
The organization should avoid using colours as the sole way to
communicate emphasis.
5.1.4.1 Consider both colour and contrast
a) Opt for a plain, clear background to gain the most effect from using
colour.
b) All information should be legible without the need for colour.
c) Reinforce colour meaning with a shape, image, or text.
d) Make sure that colours are
i. not the only way of differentiating important information, and
ii. easily distinguishable from each other.
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5.2 Plan content for audience and purpose
5.2.1 Make the p urpose clear
The organization shall clarify the purpose of the communication and tell the
audience:
a) the information that the audience wants or needs;
b) why the content is necessary for the task or activity;
c) how the organization intends the information to be used;
d) what the organization expects or needs the audience to do with the
information, and
e) what the goal of the organization is for the communication.
Notes:
1) Content is created for many purposes. It can be to inform, instruct,
persuade, reassure, or issue a call to action. Identifying the audience
of the content helps identify the purpose for the content. Using plain
language increases the likelihood the intended audience is able to
find, understand, and use the communication.
2) Examples of clear purposes include persuading someone to change
behaviour, explaining a process, instructing someone to apply for a
benefit, making people aware of something, helping someone make
an informed decision, or collecting information.
5.2.2 Focus the content on essentials
a) The organization shall focus the communication on necessary and
essential information with enough context to complete the task or
activity.
b) The organization shall use content that is appropriate:
i. for the audience to understand the purpose of the material, and
ii. to address the beliefs and concerns identified by the audience,
the details the audience needs to understand to satisfy the
organization’s goals, within the time and effort the audience has
available.
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c) The organization shall structure material according to the needs,
abilities, limitations, and requirements of the intended audience, to
best serve the:
i. needs and perspectives of the audience,
ii. expression of the information the organization wants to share,
and
iii. formats in which the information will be shared: printed
document, online document, video, audio file, prepared speech,
and others.
5.2.3 Identify the organization and how it communicates
The organization shall give identifying and explanatory information:
a) who creates, owns, and publishes the material;
b) on which dates the material was created, published, revised, or
updated;
c) where and how the audience will find the information in different
formats or languages, and
d) the purpose or goal of providing the information.
5.2.3.1 Tell the audience how to contact the organization
The organization shall tell the audience, in the communication:
a) how to access more information;
b) how to contact the organization;
c) how to get alternate formats, platform, or languages;
d) how to give feedback, and
e) how to inform the organization when the audience cannot access the
material because of some barrier.
5.2.3.2 Give supplementary information
The organization shall inform the audience how to get more information:
a) on accessible ways to contact the organization.
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Note: These could include telephone, telecommunications for deaf people
(TTY/AST), video relay service (VRS), text, email, social media, and postal
mail.
b) Identify where the audience goes to get supplementary plain
language information about the subject, including other documents,
videos, web sites, or movies.
c) Give the exact title of any supplementary information.
Part 3: Make the information understandable
6.1 Use clear language
6.1.1 Make information clear and understandable
The organization shall develop communications with clear and
understandable language, including using language for the nature of the
material and the intended audience.
Note: See the Resources of the Language Portal of Canada for modern
writing guidelines and its accessibility glossary. Other resources are
provided in Annex C.
6.1.2 Consider all aspects of communication
The organization shall use a style and tone in language appropriate to the
audience, the purpose, the genre, the context, and the medium of
communication, and
a) Use familiar language unless a topic is unfamiliar and requires
knowing technical terms, then those must be defined.
b) Prefer positive language, instead of negative.
c) Avoid the negatives, like not and don’t, except to give warnings or
communicate danger or to correct information or inaccuracies.
d) Use respectful language always. and
e) Use a conversational tone if it is appropriate and if it will increase
clarity.
Notes:
1) For example, a positive tone could be: "We are used to working more
autonomously." A negative tone could be: "We are not used to such
constant supervision."
2) Tell the audience what it is able to do rather than what it is not able to
do.
3) Serious or urgent subjects should be discussed with a proper tone
and style, such as brevity for urgent action or compassion in trauma.
6.1.3 Use personal language to talk to the audience directly
The organization shall use pronouns to direct the message to the audience,
and:
a) Use first-person pronouns (“we, us, our”) to refer to the organization.
b) Use second-person pronouns (“you, your”) for the audience.
c) Use first-person singular (“I”) when using the audience’s voice.
Note: For example “By signing this document, I understand and agree to
the terms of the application” and “When do I have to return the
application?”
d) Use gender-neutral, or gender-free, pronouns, nouns, and phrases
that are culturally appropriate.
Note: Examples of language:
1) parent or people with children, not mother or father,
2) they, them, theirs as a singular, 3rd person pronoun,
3) the plural form of noun and pronoun, and
4) when possible, avoid the pronoun and restructure the sentence.
6.1.4 Be sensitive to audience preferences for self-identity
The organization shall consult audience members so that, when referring to
race, ethnic group, or a disability, it uses the term the audience prefers.
Note: Advocacy groups and people with lived experience often publish a
style guide showing preferences. Resources are in Annex C and the
Bibliography.
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6.2 Choose appropriate wording
6.2.1 Use common and familiar words
The organization shall choose wording (words, phrases, sentences, or sign
language gestures) that are appropriate to the audience, purpose, and
genre of the communication:
a) Use words that are culturally appropriate and respectful.
b) Use the same word consistently to mean the same thing throughout
the material.
c) Use the simplest form of a word familiar to the audience to express
meaning, unless another, more specific word is also known to the
audience.
Notes:
1) Use simple conjunctions like “and”, “or”, and “but” instead of "in
addition" or “however”.
2) When a name is long, consider using an acronym, or abbreviation,
referenced after the first use, or simpler words, like “the union”
instead of “CUPE”, “the association” instead of “CMA”, “the
Commission” instead of “CRTC” can also be used.
Page 26
Annex A - Accessible forms
(informative)
In accordance with this standard, the organization will consider the
following guidelines.
A.1 Developing forms
Follow all plain language practices when creating forms.
A.2 Structure of forms
• Use a title and an introduction to explain to the audience the purpose of
the form and why it needs to be completed.
• Include a table of contents, a list of essential abbreviations or a lexicon.
• Group the content or questions by themes.
• Give each group a unique title.
• Follow a structure the audience is most accustomed to.
• Identify the sections of the form the audience does not need to
complete.
• Make mandatory sections of the form obvious for the audience.
• Include an explanatory guide, if needed, such as in an appendix or
incorporate a hyperlink that opens in a new window.
A.3 Questions and answers
• Use the same structure for all questions and answers but closed-ended
questions are preferred.
• Label each form field in a clear manner, for example "Name as it
appears on your birth certificate" instead of "Name".
• Number each question.
• Allow for a "don't know" or "other" response.
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• Leave enough space for text answers and enough space between each
item or question.
A.4 Help the audience complete the form
• Plan alternative formats according to the needs of the audiences: audio,
video, etc.
• Make sure forms are compatible with all browsers.
• Alert the audience to any items needed at hand before completing the
form. A good example is: "Gather your documents before completing
this form."
• Give the audience the choice to complete the form either on paper or
electronically.
• Place instructions where the audience needs them, instead of at the top
or bottom of the page.
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Annex B - Using numbers
(informative)
B.1 Expressing numbers
Numbers should be given context in text, expressed consistently and in
parallel form within a sentence or paragraph. Do not switch between or
compare numerals and percentages.
Express numbers in a consistent format throughout the material:
a) Express numbers as digits (2, 3, 4) rather than words (two, three,
four).
i. Use digits for numbers 2 through 999.
Note: Exceptionally, use words if the number is the first word in
a sentence.
ii. Use hyphens inside the digits of a telephone number instead of
periods or spaces.
Notes:
1) For example “There were 359 vaccine appointments and only
one cancellation.”
2) This requirement does not apply to figures of speech. For
example, one-time payment, a two-piece suit, a three-ring
circus, a four-leaf clover, a five-star hotel, the seven seas, a
figure eight, on cloud nine, a top-ten list, etc.
Choose a font that lets the audience differentiate between the digits when
the document has many numerals.
Note: Prefer fonts which will align the numbers so that they are easily
differentiated from others.
Use words when they are easier to understand than figures, for example:
a) Use words to express numbers one, thousand, million, billion, and
trillion.
Page 29
b) In non-technical material, express simple fractions like "one-half",
"one-quarter", "two-thirds", and "three-quarters".
Note: There is an exception for imperial units of measure (e.g., ½ cup).
1) For each metric unit of measurement, provide the equivalent
imperial units in brackets according to the audience (pounds –
kilograms).
2) Express dates using standard word format: March 22, 1963
(English)/22 mars 1963 (French)” to avoid confusion.
3) Number formats are interpreted differently depending on the
language and culture.
For examples, see 4.4.6.5 in the following document:
https://www.w3.org/TR/coga-usable/#examples-16.
Express dates using the standard number format or words in printed
documents: yyyy-mm-dd or March 22, 1963 (English)/dd-mm-yyyy or
22 mars 1963 (French).
Express a number in word form when it appears at the beginning of the
sentence.
Note: A good example is “Twenty-nine children received their vaccine.”
Use simple prose captions or explanatory phrases with numbers to improve
clarity.
Note: Here is an example: Only a few people are affected by this, or 1 in
1,000 people.
Decide whether numerals or words are clearer following these practices:
a) Only use complicated fractions in number format or spelled out in
technical material.
b) Only use decimals when it is essential, as in medicine dosage, or
when the number is too large to round up or down, such as a budget
number of $1.7 billion.
c) Only use Roman numerals when:
Page 30
i. They are part of the proper name of a person, place, or things,
such as Charles IV or Bluenose II.
ii. They are used in existing publications, such as books or laws.
d) Situate an event in time using simple benchmarks known to the
audience. For example. "A long time ago…" instead of "In 1835…",
"After the Second World War…" instead of "In 1952…”.
B.2 Use the simplest math to explain the idea
a) Use frequency rather than percentages (9 out of 10 instead of 90%).
b) Use numbers that are more easily comparable. For example, "1 out of
10" or "1 out of 100".
c) Use visual images, such as tables, graphs, pictures and pictograms to
enhance understanding of numbers.
i. People understand familiar, visual, or spatial metaphors, like
saying a food serving is the size of a deck of cards.
ii. Use a visual of things that people use for the task or activity: a
clock, calendar, thermometer, or phone.
d) Make numbers represent people. Avoid, if possible, abstraction or
decimals. For example, “The average family has 1.4 children.” should be
avoided. Use 1 in 4 people instead of 25% of the population.
Page 31
Annex C - Resources
(informative)
C.1 Web accessibility checklist, guidelines, and monitors
● WCAG. Accessibility by Design, wcag2.com/accessible-plain-language/
● The Must-Have WCAG Checklist, LevelAccess.com, 2023:
s42509.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/08-Aug-MRKT_WP-
WCAG-Checklist-2.2_QA-APPROVED.pdf
● Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Comprehensive
guidelines for accessibility of digital documents: w3.org/TR/WCAG20/
● Web Accessibility Monitor: chromewebstore.google.com/
● Microsoft Inclusivity Monitor: inclusive.microsoft.design/
C.2 Accessible design and production
● Check PDF accessibility and create accessible PDFs (Acrobat Pro DC):
helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/create-verify-pdf-accessibility.html
● Colour Oracle, colour-blindness simulator: colouroracle.org/
● DAISYpedia, “Making publications accessible for all”:
daisy.org/daisypedia/making-publications-accessible-all
● Dos and don’ts on designing for accessibility: Six posters designed by
the UK’s Home Office Digital and Karwai Pun illustrate how to approach
accessibility from a design perspective:
accessibility.blog.gov.uk/2016/09/02/dos-and-donts-on-designing-for-
accessibility/ and hodigital.blog.gov.uk/category/accessibility/
● Government Design Principles, UK Government:
gov.uk/guidance/government-design-principles
● How screen readers read typographic symbols:
http://www.deque.com/blog/dont-screen-readers-read-whats-screen-
part-1-punctuation-typographic-symbols/
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● Nemeth MathSpeak system for accessible math: http://www.gh-
mathspeak.com/examples/grammar-rules/
● Nielsen Norman Group. (n.d.) NN/g World Leaders in Research-Based
User Experience: nngroup.com
● PDF Association, “PDF/UA: The ISO Standard for universal
accessibility”: https://www.pdfa.org/resource/pdfua-in-a-nutshell/
● Recite Me. (2015) Choosing an accessible font.
reciteme.com/uploads/articles/accessible_fonts_guide.pdf
C.3 Universal design and inclusive language
● Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD), AccessAbility
handbook: rgd.ca/resources/accessibility.php
● BC Open Textbook Accessibility Toolkit:
opentextbc.ca/accessibilitytoolkit/
● Conscious Style Guide: consciousstyleguide.com/
● Government of Canada, Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources:
noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca/en/writing-tips-plus/inclusive-writing-
guidelines-resources.html
● “Inclusive: A Microsoft design toolkit”: https://www.microsoft.com/en-
us/design/inclusiveus/design/inclusive
C.4 Accessible images and other non-text content
● Adding alt text to images on X: https://help.twitter.com/en/using-
x/picture-descriptions
● Canadian National Institute for the Blind. (2018). Clear Print Accessibility
Guidelines. cnib.ca/sites/default/files/2018-
07/CNIB%20Clear%20Print%20Guide.pdf
● Portland Community College, “Complex image accessibility”:
https://www.pcc.edu/resources/instructional-support/access/complex-
images.html
● WebAIM, “Alternative text”: webaim.org/techniques/alttext/
Page 33
C.5 Legislation
● Accessibility for Manitobans Act: accessibilitymb.ca/
● Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA):
ontario.ca/laws/statute/05a11
● “Canada’s accession to Marrakesh Treaty brings treaty into force”:
wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2016/article_0007.html
● “Creating new national accessibility legislation: What we learned”:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-
development/programs/accessible-canada/reports/consultations-what-
we-learned.html
● Nova Scotia’s Accessibility Act: novascotia.ca/coms/accessibility/
● U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights
Section, “Effective communication”: ada.gov/effective-comm.htm
C.6 Libraries for works in alternative formats
● Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA), through CNIB:
celalibrary.ca/
● National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS): nnels.ca/
C.7 Relevant blog posts
● Christine Albert, “Promoting accessibility in editorial businesses,”
BoldFace: The official blog of Editors Toronto, March 8, 2017:
http://editorstorontoblog.com/2017/03/08/promoting-accessibility-in-
editorial-businesses/
● Iva Cheung, “Four levels to accessible communications,” September 17,
2016: http://www.ivacheung.com/2016/09/four-levels-to-accessible-
communications/
● Iva Cheung, “Grey matters: Why NGOs should start thinking like self-
publishers,” November 4, 2015:
http://www.ivacheung.com/2014/11/grey-matters-why-ngos-should-
start-thinking-like-self-publishers
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C.8 Screen readers
● Activating TalkBack:
support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/6007100?hl=en
● Activating VoiceOver on Apple mobile: https://support.apple.com/en-
us/HT204390
● JAWS screen reader for PC:
freedomscientific.com/Products/Blindness/JAWS
● NVDA screen reader for PC: nvaccess.org/
● Read Out Loud and other accessibility features in Adobe Acrobat
(Reader): helpx.adobe.com/reader/using/accessibility-features.html
● Using VoiceOver on a Mac: apple.com/voiceover/info/guide/_1124.html
Page 35
Annex D - Legal notice for standards
(normative)
ASC LEGAL NOTICE – PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT STANDARD
Note: This draft is under development and subject to change; it should not
be used for reference purposes.
Please read this Legal Notice before using the draft standard
document.
Legal Notice for Standards
The Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization
(operating as “Accessibility Standards Canada”) standards are
developed through a consensus-based standards development process
approved by the Standards Council of Canada. This process brings together
volunteers representing varied viewpoints and interests to achieve consensus
and develop standards.
Although Accessibility Standards Canada administers the process and
establishes rules to promote fairness in achieving consensus, it does not
independently test, evaluate or verify the content of the standards. During this
process, Accessibility Standards Canada makes the draft standard available
for comment, review, and approval.
Disclaimer and exclusion of liability
This is a draft document for the purpose of comment, review and approval
only. This document is provided without any representations, warranties, or
conditions of any kind, expressed or implied, including, without limitation,
implied warranties or conditions concerning this document’s fitness for a
particular purpose or use, its merchantability, or its non-infringement of any
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does not warrant the accuracy, completeness or currency of any of the
information published in this document. Accessibility Standards Canada
makes no representations or warranties regarding this document’s
compliance with any applicable statute, rule, or regulation.
Page 36
IN NO EVENT SHALL ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS CANADA, ITS
CONTRACTORS, AGENTS, EMPLOYEES, DIRECTORS, OR OFFICERS,
OR HIS MAJESTY THE KING IN RIGHT OF CANADA, HIS EMPLOYEES,
CONTRACTORS, AGENTS, DIRECTORS, OR OFFICERS BE LIABLE
FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, INJURY,
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In publishing and making this document available, Accessibility Standards
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undertake, to enforce conformance with the contents of the standards or
other documents published by Accessibility Standards Canada.
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As between Accessibility Standards Canada and users of this document
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Page 39
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