There is no inclusion without accessibility. We want texts, services and events that are easy to read and to understand.

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) recognises, in Article 9 on accessibility, the need to promote equal access to information and communication technologies as a fundamental right for to persons with disabilities. Accessibility applies to all the areas of life, such as transport, banking services, education, employment and healthcare. This is fundamental for a full inclusion of persons with intellectual disabilities in society.

Inclusion Europe also advocates for accessible elections. To ensure voting rights and the participation of all citizens it is important to provide information material on elections in easy-to read, and to allow a supporter to accompany the person into the voting booth.

By our estimation, there are 20 million people with intellectual disabilities in Europe. Many of them have trouble understanding difficult texts or complex systems. Easy-to-read texts and easy to understand services are a necessity to make sure everyone can understand and ensure accessibility for all.

20 million people who are excluded from many aspects of society because of inaccessible information, technologies, and systems.

Imagine you’re reading a text, and you can’t understand it.Imagine you want to buy tickets at a machine, but you can’t figure out how. Imagine you’re at an event, but you can’t follow it. Imagine you want to vote, but you don’t know how. Imagine you’re getting health insurance, but you can’t find your way on the website.

Generally speaking, many of the things we need to use daily are inaccessible for people with intellectual disabilities. Many people with intellectual disabilities have trouble understanding new technologies or finding their way in complex systems.

Because of this, people with intellectual disabilities might be excluded from society. This leads to segregation.

Accessible information in any shape or form is key for people with intellectual disabilities to take part in society. It is a necessity to avoid discrimination and social exclusion.

Easy-to-read information to improve accessibility

Accessible information is the first step to an inclusive society. By making information accessible, people with intellectual disabilities can take part equally in society.

Inclusion Europe has been a pioneer for the promotion of accessible information, by developing guidelines on how to provide easy-to-read information.

Easy-to-read is important because it makes texts more accessible for people with intellectual disabilities. The easy-to-read logo is given to publications that respect these rules. One of the rules is that texts need to be proofread by a person with an intellectual disability.

In addition to accessible information, there are ways to make events more accessible for people with intellectual disabilities. For example, by having enough breaks so everyone can rest, and for speakers to speak slowly.

Inclusion Europe has produced the following recommendations for organisers and speakers:

What is Inclusion Europe working on?

Inclusion Europe and its members produce a lot of texts and resources in easy-to-read.

Inclusion Europe produces easy-to-read magazine called Europe for us! The magazine is available in 7 languages.

We also have this easy-to-read explanation of some difficult words in English, French, German, Spanish.

In order to promote equal opportunities and inclusion for persons living with intellectual disabilities, Inclusion Europe aims to improve cognitive accessibility, which means making sure people can understand information.