Inclusive Digital Design: Oxfordshire Learning Disability Plan 2025-2035
Easy read digital design Oxfordshire County Council can use to communicate its learning disability plan to all residents.
Easy read documents use simple language, short sentences, and clear supporting images. The approach is designed to assist people who have learning disabilities, difficulty reading, or where English is a second language.
The goal of this project was to produce a piece of digital design Oxfordshire County Council could hold up as an example of good design aesthetics and inclusivity. This informed the approach to colour, layout, scale and typography.
With an emphasis on easy readability, typography was key to the success of this project. Our minimum type size was 14 point, with all type and line spacing set in multiples of 7pt, and section titles at 28pt to give clear hierarchy of information.
Initially the client briefed Arial as the typeface for this project. We suggested (and agreed) IBM Plex Sans as it has more distinct forms for “Il1” – something which should be considered for visual accessibility.
To allow for home / library printing we allowed a healthy margin. Within this margin the structure of the document is based on a three column, six row grid to give a consistent, familiar layout throughout.
The grid allowed us to establish a visual look that was accessible and aesthetically pleasing. It gave use a range of layout options that build familiarity with the reader, even when the presentation of the information needs to shift from linear to radial.
As well as the visual, there are elements of inclusive digital design that need to be considered. These are the types of features that Microsoft Word or Mac Pages can’t touch as easily.
Throughout the project digital elements like alt text, document titles, tags, bookmarks, reading order, linked contents, and colour contrast were considered to ensure that accessibility and inclusivity led the design process, and weren’t a bolt on at the end.
The result is an inclusive document that meets the inclusive needs of easy read, while delivering a clean, modern, design aesthetic. Want to discuss your next inclusive design project? Get in touch.
