People depend on written information and need documents that help them to get the information they need to participate fully in society. Access to information is improved with:
- Well-designed documents.
- Writing that is not too complex, wordy, and technical.
Even people with good literacy skills may be busy and skip information, don't understand what's written, or just won't bother to read a document.
Many people have low literacy skills. In the NWT, 54% of Aboriginal adults and 13% of non-Aboriginal adults don't have grade 12. 27% of Aboriginal adults don't have grade 9.
Clear writing and design helps people who speak and write English as a second language.
