Guideline 14. Ensure that documents are clear and simple.

Ensure that documents are clear and simple so they may be more easily understood.

Consistent page layout, recognizable graphics, and easy to understand language benefit all users. In particular, they help people with cognitive disabilities or who have difficulty reading. (However, ensure that images have text equivalents for people who are blind, have low vision, or for any user who cannot or has chosen not to view graphics. Refer also to guideline 1.) Using clear and simple language promotes effective communication. Access to written information can be difficult for people who have cognitive or learning disabilities. Using clear and simple language also benefits people whose first language differs from your own, including those people who communicate primarily in sign language.

Checkpoints:

14.1 Use the clearest and simplest language appropriate for a site’s content. [Priority 1]

14.2 Supplement text with graphic or auditory presentations where they will facilitate comprehension of the page. [Priority 3] Refer also to guideline 1.

14.3 Create a style of presentation that is consistent across pages. [Priority 3]