Easy Read has been around for decades. But ask ten people what makes good Easy Read, and you'll get ten different answers.
Short sentences. Pictures on the left. Big text. Simple words. We've all heard the rules. But where do they come from? Who decided? And do they actually help people with learning disabilities - or are they just things we've always done?
We wanted to find out. So we asked.
The Newton Project
Over the past year, our Director Pete Le Grys travelled the country visiting self-advocacy groups. Not for quick consultations or tick-box exercises, but for proper conversations. What works? What doesn't? What do you actually want from Easy Read?
More than 100 people with learning disabilities took part, across more than 20 organisations. They looked at examples, compared options, and told us what they thought. Some of it confirmed what we expected. Some of it surprised us. Some of it challenged assumptions the Easy Read world has held for years.
Too good to keep to ourselves
First, we used this research to guide and improve EasyMaker, our document creation tool. But when we looked at all the contributions, something became clear - these ideas could be really useful for everyone making Easy Read. Designers, practitioners, businesses, commissioners.
That's when we decided to gather all these ideas into a new Easy Read Standard.
What is it?
It's a clear, evidence-based guide to making Easy Read. It covers four areas: words, pictures, design, and involving people with learning disabilities. Each recommendation is grounded in what real people told us, backed up by our thirty years of experience.
It's practical. It's specific. And it's free to use.
Why does it matter?
Easy Read has never had a proper standard. There are guidelines, of course - some better than others. But nothing that pulls it all together, nothing with a solid evidence base behind it.
That means commissioners don't know what to ask for. Creators don't know what to aim for. And people with learning disabilities get inconsistent quality - sometimes brilliant, sometimes baffling.
The Easy Read Standard gives everyone a shared starting point. It won't solve everything overnight. But it's a foundation to build from.
A living document
This is version 1.0. We'll keep updating it as we learn more. The Newton Project continues - we're visiting more groups, having more conversations, gathering more evidence. The Standard will grow and evolve as our understanding deepens.
We're also sharing the research openly. If you want to know why we recommend pictures on the left, or why we suggest sentences under 25 words, the evidence is there. No black boxes, no "trust us" - just real findings from real people.
Thank you
To everyone who took part in the Newton Project - thank you. Your ideas are now helping people make better Easy Read everywhere. That matters more than we can say.
Read the Standard
Visit the Easy Read Standard website to read the full document, download it, or explore the Easy Read summary.
Visit easyreadstandard.org
And if you'd like to talk about what it means for your organisation - whether you're a commissioner, a creator, or someone who uses Easy Read - get in touch. We'd love to hear from you.
