Give your copy the once over to ensure the audience has the information they need to know, not the information you want to tell them.
DFES encourages the use of plain English so that more people understand what you are saying.
Accessibility means making content understandable and usable for as many people as possible.
Contents
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Guide content
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Digital content
Accessibility and content standards
DFES digital content should meet the WA Accessibility and Inclusivity Standard and the Digital Services Content Standard.
Digital content includes any information published or shared through DFES websites, intranets, apps, online forms and digital publications such as PDFs, Word documents and presentations.
Accessibility means making content understandable and usable for as many people as possible. DFES online content may be viewed by the public, volunteers, staff and external stakeholders.
It must work for
- People of different ages and education levels.
- People with disabilities or learning difficulties.
- People using assistive technology such as screen readers or magnifiers.
To support accessibility
- Use plain language so your message is clear to a wide audience.
- Add meaningful alternative (alt) text to images so they can be understood without being seen.
- Include captions or transcripts for videos to support people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Choose colours with enough contrast so text is easy to read.
All Western Australian government digital services must comply with the latest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2) at Level AA.
This is a legal obligation under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Digital Service Standard and helps DFES deliver inclusive services.
- 1All Western Australian government digital services are required to be compliant with the latest WCAG Level AA.
- 2Content must be accessible and provided in the most useful and accessible format for the community.
- 3A digital service must provide a comparable experience for all without undermining the quality of the content.
- 4A digital service must allow for assistive technologies and methods.
- 5Agencies must test and review digital services at regular intervals, both before and after a major release.
- 6Agencies are required to report on their website accessibility levels annually through their Disability Access and Inclusion Plan. There is no exemption process for meeting the standard.
Writing style
Plain English alternatives
Common words and phrases
This appendix provides a list of common words and phrases that have been inconsistently or incorrectly applied in recent DFES documents.
Checklist
Writing checklist
When preparing written material use the following checklist to make sure it meets the guidelines set out in this Guide.
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Conclusion
Feedback and further information
The Australian Government Style Manual also provides handy tips and advice on writing, editing and publishing. While DFES follows its own internal style conventions, the Style Manual can be a useful reference for general principles of clear, consistent and accessible communication.