Developing an Easy Read Disability Inclusion Action Plan
TAFE NSW Disability Inclusion Action Plan accessible through Easy Read
Transcript
NARRATOR: In this case study, Tracy Klein from TAFE New South Wales talks about developing an Easy Read Disability Inclusion Action Plan.
TRACY KLEIN: My name is Tracy Klein. I go by the pronouns of she, her. I work for TAFE New South Wales on Bundjalung country here, Kingscliff. And my role at TAFE New South Wales is a diversity and inclusion specialist.
NARRATOR: What is the program you're sharing with us today?
TRACY: I had the incredible privilege to lead the development of the disability inclusion action plan 2025 to 2029 and within that we developed the DIAP in Easy Read for the very first time for TAFE New South Wales. So I wanted to share that process with everyone today.
NARRATOR: What led to the development of this program?
TRACY: The DIAP is for staff, students, and community. And the purpose was to develop the DIAP in Easy Read was to ensure that we were providing the plan in a fully accessible format that both staff, students, and community members can engage with, and access, and understand. It was to improve our inclusion and accessibility practices, and ensure we are also leading by example, and being as accessible and inclusive as possible.
NARRATOR: How was the program designed and implemented?
TRACY: The TAFE New South Wales DIAP team, in collaboration with the Inclusive Design team, partnered with external company Centre for Accessibility for them to develop the DIAP in Easy Read. The process took approximately 3 to 5 months and involved a number of meetings and collaboration. Working closely with the Centre for Accessibility team, it was important that an Easy Read DIAP share the same messages and intent as the DIAP. The team completed the draft and following that, the Brand X team did a final review to ensure that the document was within brand guidelines. Once the document was finalized, we were able to publish on our internal staff intranet as well as our external TAFE New South Wales internet page.
NARRATOR: What outcomes and improvements have you seen?
TRACY: By creating our DIAP in Easy Read, what it has ensured is that staff and students living with disability and also whose first language isn't English are able to access and read the DIAP and understand it and have equal opportunity to access the document in a way that they understand.
NARRATOR: How have you measured the impact of the program?
TRACY: Yes, so in collaboration with TAFE Ability and stakeholders inside and outside of TAFE, including Departments of Community and Justice and other New South Wales government agency, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive and really kind of rectified that we were making progress and a step forward in our accessibility journey for TAFE New South Wales. And it's also set a precedent, well not a precedent, but an example of how all our action plans and initiatives should be delivered and that we should have an Easy Reads version of all our strategies, which is actually initiatives within the TAFE New South Wales DIAP. So really strong step forward.
NARRATOR: Were there any unexpected benefits?
TRACY: I wouldn't say unexpected, but [clears throat] what has I guess a really great thing to come from it was that TAFE New South Wales was recognized amongst our peers in the New South Wales government sector as being one of the first agencies to print their DAP in Easy Read for the 2025 to 2029. And it also has allowed us to share some of those learnings in the Easy Read community of practice, which is where all the New South Wales government agencies come together around initiatives that they have with Easy Read and strategies that they have. So, not really an unexpected benefit, but what it's allowed us to do was share our journey and really showcase I guess TAFE New South Wales and our accessibility and our inclusive practice.
NARRATOR: Were there any challenges and how were they addressed?
TRACY: Not really a challenge, but a learning and what we identified is that there is definitely the need for capability uplift across TAFE New South Wales in developing Easy Read documents. But we also acknowledge that that takes time. I wouldn't call that a challenge, I would call that something that's been identified that we can work on. What we did struggle a little bit with and this isn't a negative thing at the Centre for Accessibility, but in government, we have our own technical language and our own jargon. So, for someone to an external as you would understand an external company to translate that jargon into an Easy Read document without losing the intent or the messaging or the key messages took a little backward and forward like a lot of going backwards and forwards and correspondence. And just making sure that we wanted to make sure that everything that was in the Easy Read version absolutely conveyed what was in and the key messages which was in the DIAP, which we got there, but it just took a lot of time only because of the language in which we use, if that makes sense. So, it wasn't a challenge, it was a learning for both. I know BrandX and myself learned a lot about Easy Read along the way, which was really incredible. So, I say that that's probably an unexpected benefit, is that we actually learned, and I'm no whiz in Easy Read at all, but I think there was learnings on both and the biggest challenge was making sure that the key messages was still being able to be conveyed without losing the intent.
NARRATOR: What advice would you give to others?
TRACY: If you haven't already, start creating your initiatives and your strategic plans, whether that's your D and I plans, whether that's you know, whatever plan it may be in Easy Read to make sure that we are being fully accessible. And if you don't have the knowledge internally, invest in going to an external partner to do it to ensure that we are providing a fully inclusive and accessible experience to both internal and external staff and stakeholders. So, that they have equal opportunity and equity in accessing the information provided.
NARRATOR: What is the future of this program?
TRACY: So, we've published, as I mentioned, we've published our DIAP in Easy Read, but there is an initiative within our disability inclusion action plan which speaks to developing strategic plans and initiatives within Easy Read. So, I would like to see that the DIAPs set kind of the foundation or the example of how it should be. And moving forward now, that will mean that other plans and strategic documents will also be created in Easy Read. So, I would say that's the next plans for this project. So, we've got 4 years, as you know, the DIAPs run through to 2029. So, I'm really excited to see by the end of 2029 how many more documents we have in Easy Read.
NARRATOR: What has been the value of the program for you?
TRACY: There is that larger Easy Read community. As I said, where all the New South Wales public sector agencies come together and it's where our TAFE New South Wales content and information services team have been really heavily involved and a part of a larger strategic initiative across New South Wales government on creating more accessible websites and information for our customers. So, it's been really great to see that TAFE New South Wales have started piloting and have actually updated our website to include options for Easy Read. And what that allows is our community members, industry, students, whether it's students looking to study or current students being able to access information, which is really, really great step forward. Some of our counterparts across New South Wales government do it really, really well. So, that's kind of what we can follow with. But yeah, it just allows them then to go, ‘Okay, well, I want information relating to course offerings to seek additional help, etc.’ So, that's been really positive. TAFE New South Wales is currently presenting and leading the next community of practice, but we are absolutely on the right trajectory and it's a really exciting process to kind of watch and be part of and know that no matter who wants to access information that there is that equity, that access, that inclusion there for everyone. Whether you live with a disability, whether English is your second language, whatever it may be you receive the same information as everybody else and I think that's the most important thing, that everyone has equity and equal access. So, yeah, that's it and I just think that you can't put a price on accessibility. And so it's absolutely worth the investment and I don't think I don't like the saying we don't have budget at all, especially when it comes to access because if we're not fully accessible, then we're not going to have a great work environment, a great learning environment. And we won't have any students because they can't access information or participate fully or safely. And same with our staff. So, I'm a big advocate, as you know, for accessibility and I'm really proud that we were able to do the DIAP in Easy Read and then I've learned things that I can always take forward and share as well.
NARRATOR: This video was developed by the Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training in partnership with the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. For further information on building inclusive practices and supporting students with disability, visit our website adcet.edu.au
Standards alignment
The case study provides an example of how a registered training organisation can improve accessibility by ensuring that important organisational information is available in formats that are easily understood and used by a diverse range of students, staff and community members.
This initiative focuses on promoting diversity and inclusion (Standard 2.5 Diversity and inclusion) and providing clear, accessible and accurate information (Standard 2.1 Information). It also demonstrates good practice in building workforce capability and fostering an organisational culture of inclusive design (Standard 3.1 VET workforce management).
Supporting strategies include the expansion of Easy Read practices across other aspects of the organisation and ongoing improvement (Standard 4.4 Continuous improvement) and organisational commitment to equitable participation and inclusion (4.1 Leadership and accountability).
When TAFE NSW set out to publish its Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2025–2029, the team wanted the plan to model the inclusion it was asking for. So, for the first time, the plan was produced in an Easy Read version alongside the standard version, ensuring staff, students and community members could all access, engage with and understand it.
In this case study, Tracy Klein, a diversity and inclusion specialist at TAFE NSW, explains how the Easy Read plan came together, including the partnership with an external Easy Read specialist; the back and forth of translating government language into plain, accessible content without losing its meaning; and what the project has set in motion across the organisation. As Tracy states, you cannot put a price on accessibility, and it is absolutely worth the investment.
What is Easy Read?
Easy Read is a way of presenting written information in easier-to-understand format. It uses short, simple sentences and everyday words – explaining unfamiliar terms – and pairs the text with images to support meaning. Easy Read helps a wide range of people, including people with intellectual disability, people who find reading difficult, and people whose first language is not English. It is not a summary or a watered-down version: the aim is to carry the same messages and intent as the original document in a format more people can access.
About the practice
The Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) is for staff, students and community. TAFE NSW wanted the 2025–2029 plan available in a fully accessible format so that everyone could read and understand it. Producing it in Easy Read was a deliberate way to improve the organisation’s own inclusion and accessibility practices and to lead by example.
The DIAP team worked in collaboration with the TAFE NSW inclusive design team and partnered with an external Easy Read specialist to develop the plan. The work took roughly three to five months and involved a series of meetings and close collaboration. A central aim was to ensure the Easy Read version retained the original content, meaning and purpose. Once the draft was complete, a brand guidelines check was conducted. The finished plan was published on the internal staff intranet and the external TAFE NSW website.
What enabled it, and what came of it?
Producing the plan in Easy Read ensures that staff and students with disability, and people whose first language is not English, can access the plan, read it, understand it and have an equal opportunity to engage with it. Feedback from stakeholders inside and outside TAFE NSW, including other NSW government agencies, was strongly positive and confirmed the organisation was making real progress on its accessibility journey.
The work has set a precedent for how plans and initiatives should be delivered, and TAFE NSW was recognised among its peers as one of the first agencies to produce its DIAP in Easy Read. It has also allowed the team to share what they learned through the New South Wales Easy Read community of practice, where government agencies come together around their Easy Read initiatives and strategies. Alongside the plan itself, TAFE NSW has begun updating its website to include Easy Read options so that community members, industry, and current and prospective students can find the information they need in a format that works for them.
Lessons along the way
Tracey is clear that the project revealed opportunities and benefits rather than obstacles. One was that there is genuine value in building capability across TAFE NSW in developing Easy Read documents, and that this takes time and is something to keep working on.
The other relates to language. Government carries its own technical terms and jargon, and translating that into Easy Read without losing the intent or the key messages took a lot of conversation with the external partner. Getting there meant careful, repeated checking that every message in the Easy Read version conveyed what the standard plan set out to say. Tracey describes it as a shared learning curve for everyone involved, and one of the more rewarding parts of the work.
Advice for other providers
Tracey’s advice is direct. If you have not already, start producing your plans and strategies in Easy Read so that you are being fully accessible. If the knowledge is not there internally, invest in an external partner who can help. Staff and stakeholders deserve equal opportunity and equity regarding information access. Accessibility, says Tracey, is worth the investment: without it, you do not have a strong work or learning environment, and students and staff cannot fully or safely take part.
What comes next?
An initiative within the DIAP commits TAFE NSW to developing further strategic plans and documents in Easy Read. The intention is for the Easy Read DIAP to set the foundation for how this is done, with more plans and strategies to follow across the life of the plan to 2029. TAFE NSW is also continuing to lead within the wider state Easy Read community of practice.
Mapping: National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Outcome Standards for Registered Training Organisations) Instrument 2025
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Key standards |
Practice evidence |
|---|---|
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2.1 Information |
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2.5 Diversity and inclusion |
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3.1 VET workforce management |
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Supporting standards |
Practice evidence |
|---|---|
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4.1 Leadership and accountability |
Organisational commitment to equitable participation and inclusion |
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4.4 Continuous improvement |
Expansion of Easy Read practices across other aspects of the organisation and ongoing improvement |
Reflection questions
- Why is it important to provide key organisational information, such as a DIAP, in accessible formats like Easy Read?
- How does Easy Read support equitable access to information for people with intellectual disability or low literacy, or those whose first language is not English?
- What challenges might organisations face when translating complex or technical information into Easy Read, and how can these be addressed?
- How can building staff capability in accessible communication contribute to a more inclusive learning and workplace environment?
- What opportunities exist within your organisation to improve the accessibility of policies, procedures, websites or other important information resources?
Related resources
Find out more about Disability Action Plans
A Disability Action Plan (DAP), also known as a Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP), is a way for an education or training organisation to identify and reduce discriminatory practices and build a more inclusive environment, helping providers meet their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and the Disability Standards for Education 2005. The Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) has practical guidance on what makes a good DAP, covering how to get started, the development process, how to structure a plan, and resources to draw on.
ADCET: What’s in a Good Disability Action Plan?