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it's about integrating with
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Adaptability
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Accessibility
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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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Oct 8, 15, 12, 29, Nov 5
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:
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assess communications for accessibility and inclusion using plain language principles
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identify barriers to finding, understanding, and using information and address them
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create more accessible communications in multiple formats
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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.
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
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Instructor: Michelle Waitzman
Live: How to make your communications easier
The recent Plain Language International Standard gave us all a common definition and development guidelines. It put the focus on our audiences and how to plan, develop, design and test to ensure we really connect with them. It is one of the most important developments in our profession and we want to share it with you.
With Academy instructors Kate Harrison Whiteside and Nicole Watkins Campbell.
Tuesdays Sept 29, Oct 6,13,20 9-noon Pacific time
​Register: $450.00 CAD Pay via PayPal at
plainlanguageacademy.moodlecloud.com
Instructors: Kate Harrison Whiteside
Interested in future dates? Email us at
getintouch@plainlanguageacademy.com.​​
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:
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Today’s information environment
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What is literacy?
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What is plain language?
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The 6 steps to writing in plain language with practical exercises
The training is spread over 2 days:​
Dates:
Next training course open to the public
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.
Dates: September 23 and 24, 2026
Time: 9 a.m.–noon
For information or to register: https://bit.ly/4dVZuQf
"Taking the course has really helped me to shift my thinking. You realize that you can still sound competent and credible without using big complex words ..."
Leah Dormaar, Executive Director,
Southern Alberta Individualized Planning Association
Enhance communication results with
plain language skills designed for you
Our award-winning team specializes in helping communicators develop information that isreader-relevant, quickly navigated, easily understood and effective to use.
Our courses follow this model. They are client-oriented, efficient to navigate, easy to understand and effective when turned into actions.
The interactive experience will help you enhance existing skills, gain new ones and improve client-centred communication. We look at audiences, writing, editing, design, feedback, delivery and strategy.
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Want more efficiency? Need to be better connect with clients? Have a communication problem to solve? Plain language can be the answer. We are here to help you move forward.
Join the Academies and
expand your skills
Just three steps away
1. Select your learning option
Self-directed online, webinars, live
English, French, Spanish
Choose the Academy that suits your needs: Plain Language Academy (English), Académie du langage clair et simple (French), and Academia de Lenguaje Claro (Spanish).
​PLA offers Core and Advanced options. Our partners offer specialized courses. ​ We recommend the three Core courses, offered with an optional package with discount, if you are just getting started. Or, choose an Advanced topic that meets your professional needs.
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Courses can be self-directed online, webinar, or live interactive. You will get instructor support and feedback. Certificates are presented for successful completion of each course and a Letter of
Achievement for successfully completing six.
"Taking this course has really helped me to shift my thinking. You realize that you can still sound competent and credible without using big complex words ..."
Leah Dormaar, Executive Director,
Southern Alberta Individualized Planning Association
2. Create PLA account
Next, create your Academy account in Moodle to access courses.​
Go to plainlanguageacademy.moodlecloud.com.
This same account will work for future Academy course registrations.
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Note: Each Academy may use their own system. Check their site for details and links.
3. Choose your course and register
Once you set up your account, choose a course.
Use the P PayPal logo and submit fee using the PayPal link. You do not need a PayPal account and credit cards are accepted. Invoices available upon request.
When payment is accepted you will be registered and have access when the course begins. Check the currency for your course.
Get to know the Academies
Kate is a Lifetime Membership (2022)
for her contributions to co-creating
PLAIN and advocacy work.
PLA team won the 2021 PLAIN
Cheryl Stephens Award
for Innovation.
PLA QR code
​"Plain language has no boundaries and we continue to serve writers from around the globe with our training."
Kate Harrison Whiteside, PLAcademies
Courses are ongoing. Ideas are always welcome.