Should we mention race in alt text?
Alt text is a substitute for images. It should describe the most relevant info in the image. But when is skin tone, race, and ethnicity “relevant”? Alternative text (alt text) …
Tag: inclusion & access
PODCAST: A Quick Dip into plain language
In a brief 15 minutes, Sarah Black and I dip into plain language and its role in supporting accessible communication across cultures, in a new podcast A Quick Dip.
The 4 powers of clear writing in international development
UN writing isn’t very clear. But clear writing can promote human rights, level power imbalances, and boost transparency and accountability. UN writing doesn’t have a great reputation for clarity. While …
Use Word templates for plain language and accessibility
Want to get more people in your organization to use plain language and inclusive language and follow accessibility practices? Word templates may be your friend. I used to think Word …
RESOURCES: Digital accessibility
There are a ton of great online resources on accessibility. Here are some that I’ve found useful. I’m an accessibility ally—someone who is not an expert on accessibility but who …
Non-designers can design for better readability: 3 simple principles
Making your text more readable will help you reach more people. And there are simple principles that even non-designers can use. Readability isn’t about making things look pretty. It’s about …
How to write clear English for your diverse audiences
We’re advised to tailor our writing to our audiences. But what if our intended audience is very diverse? What can we do to write as clearly as possible?
PODCAST: How to write effectively & inclusively, on Tandem Nomads
Yikes, I was interviewed on the Tandem Nomads podcast! We talked about how to write effective and inclusive content.
Plain language is a civil right
Access to information is essential for us to participate in society and lead healthy lives. Plain language helps us access that information, understand it, and use it to exercise our …
What’s wrong with “native speaker”? Plus ESL, ELL, EFL…alphabet soup!
In reality, a “native English speaker” means people who are from a Western English-speaking country. The term is used to exclude anyone who doesn’t fit into that group, no matter …