Supporting The ISO 24495-1 Plain Language Standard

Plain Language and Accessibility How to Use Plain Language to Improve Accessibility and Inclusion

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April 9- May 14

5 weekly live sessions, plus online resources

PayPal (click the P after course title) 349.00 CAD for access.

Accessibility isn’t just a box to check off. It’s a more inclusive a way of approaching communication. This course highlights how accessibility practices can help reduce and remove the barriers that people face when they try to find, understand, and use communications in various formats. It provides a variety of ways that you can use plain language principles to improve accessibility and overcome those barriers. This course is aligned with the Accessibility Standards Canada standard for plain language (CAN-ASC-3.1:2025 -- Plain Language), published in 2025, and the ISO Plain language Part 1: governing principles and guidelines (ISO 24495-1:2023 - Plain language -- Part 1) published in 2023.

Goals: After completing this course, you will be able to:

•        assess communications for accessibility and inclusion using plain language principles

•         identify barriers to finding, understanding, and using information and address them

•         create more accessible communications in multiple formats

•         evaluate accessibility by collaborating with the communications’ intended audience

Outline 

The course includes 5 modules. Each module begins with a video introducing the topic, followed by readings and an assignment. A weekly live discussion session will provide a forum for asking questions and discussing how to apply information and approach the assignments.

Module 1: Barriers to accessibility and how they relate to plain language

Module 2: Addressing barriers experienced by your intended audience

Module 3: Using structure and design to address barriers

Module 4: Using wording and express to address barriers

Module 5: Final assignment

Facilitators

Catherine Buckie, Plain Language Consultant, iwritewell.ca. 

Catherine is an independent plain language consultant in Halifax (Kjipuktuk), Nova Scotia (Mi’kma’ki). She has worked with almost every department within the Government of Nova Scotia as well as with regulatory agencies, academics, and nonprofits.

For the past five years, Catherine has focussed on how plain language and accessibility work together to create communications for all members of society. As a member of the Technical Committee for Plain Language with Accessibility Standards Canada, Catherine helped craft Canada’s first plain language standard. She is also a member of the Information and Communication Standard Development Committee at the Accessibility Directorate of Nova Scotia. Catherine believes strongly that the needs of the audience should determine how public and private entities communicate.

Catherine spends much of her time volunteering as a Canadian Ski Patroller, Patient Family Advisor with Nova Scotia Health, and with the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

 

Michelle Waitzman (she/her) (michellewaitzman.com) is a plain language specialist based in Toronto, Canada. 

Michelle offers plain language consulting, training, writing, and editing services to nonprofits, government and regulatory agencies, businesses and specialty publishers. She is dedicated to helping organizations improve the quality, impact, and effectiveness of their content and communications.

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• Instructor: Catherine Buckie

• Instructor: Michelle Waitzman

Live: How to make your communications easier
With Academy instructors Kate Harrison Whiteside and Nicole Watkins Campbell. April  14, 21, 28, May 5. or Sept 15, 22, 29, Oct 6.

​Register: $450.00 CAD Pay via PayPal at 

plainlanguageacademy.moodlecloud.com

Interested in future dates? Email us at

getintouch@plainlanguageacademy.com.

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New Course
How to Use Plain Language to Improve Accessibility and Inclusion
Dates: April 7 - May 12
5 weekly live sessions, plus online resources
Register: $349.00 CAD PayPal on 
Accessibility isn’t just a box to check off. It’s a more inclusive a way of approaching communication. This course highlights how accessibility practices can help reduce and remove the barriers that people face when they try to find, understand, and use communications in various formats. It provides a variety of ways that you can use plain language principles to improve accessibility and overcome those barriers. This course is aligned with the Accessibility Standards Canada standard.
Facilitators: Catherine Buckie, Plain Language Consultant, iwritewell.ca. 
Michelle Waitzman (she/her) (michellewaitzman.com) is a plain language specialist based in Toronto, Canada. 

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Live in French:Writing clearly to be understood on first reading.

The Plain Language Academy is pleased to announce an online training course in French.
In this training, you will learn what literacy is and how to address and reinforce it with plain language. This training is divided into 4 parts:

• Today’s information environment

• What is literacy?

• What is plain language?

• The 6 steps to writing in plain language with practical exercises

The training is spread over 2 days:​

   Dates: April 14 and 15, 2026       Time: 9 a.m.–noon       Fee: $450.00 CAD

For information or to register: https://bit.ly/4btdoIs

• Rédiger clairement: pour des contenus compris dès la première lecture

  Autrement dit is collaborating with Plain Language Academies
  to present this practical plain language training in French.