# Image Description/Plain Language Writing Plain Language CSE443: Winter 2026; Jennifer Mankoff (Last Edited: 2026-01-12). <a href="/courses/cse443/26wi/slides/plain-language.html">Live View: /slides/plain-language.html</a> Important Reminder: check zoom & captioning <a href="/courses/cse443/26wi/slides/plain-language.html"><img src="https://api.qrserver.com/v1/create-qr-code/?data=/slides/plain-language.html&size=100x100" alt="QR for /courses/cse443/26wi/slides/plain-language.html" title="" /></a> --- <div class="slide-outline" style="margin: 1em 0; padding: 1em; background: #f5f5f5; border-radius: 5px;"> <h2 style="margin-top: 0;"> Outline </h2> <ul style="list-style-type: none; padding-left: 0;"> <li><a href="#10">Announcements</a> (Slide 10)</li> <li><a href="#12">Learning Goals</a> (Slide 12)</li> <li><a href="#14">Image Description</a> (Slide 14)</li> <li><a href="#25">Plain Language</a> (Slide 25)</li> </ul> </div> --- class: center, middle, inverse # Announcements --- ## First a little update on Jen <ul> <li>My father-in-law came home Thursday</li> <li>We’ve already lost two caregivers and have to change agencies</li> <li>My husband and I are covering the gaps</li> </ul> <p>What this means for you? Remember to send messages in Ed.</p> <ul> <li>Ed has a chat that you can use to message the entire course staff</li> <li>private messages are also seen by all of us.</li> </ul> <p>Both of these strategies allow all of us to work together to make sure you get a timely response.</p> --- ## Next, upcoming this week <ul> <li><a href="assignments/finding-accessibility">AT Around Us</a> writeups are due. Submit them on <a href="https://www.gradescope.com/courses/1215688">gradescope</a></li> <li><a href="assignments/technology-review">At Trial</a> goes out Wednesday</li> <li><a href="assignments/finding-accessibility">AT Around Us</a> us presentations will be in section Thursday. This is a required section, and will be held <strong>remotely</strong>. More details to follow.</li> <li>Friday: TBD – depending on state of things, may be a review/deeper look, a guest lecture from Jesse, or cancelled.</li> </ul> --- ## Turning in AT Around Us <ul> <li>After some technical difficulties, we finally have the AT Around Us assignments posted on <a href="https://www.gradescope.com/courses/1215688">Gradescope</a>. Sorry for the delay!</li> <li>For each assignment, you will be submitting different portions of your materials to a distinct Gradescope “assignment” corresponding to each competency being evaluated.</li> <li>For AT Around Us, this means you have a submission for <a href="https://www.gradescope.com/courses/1215688/assignments/7446717">Finding First Person Accounts</a>, <a href="https://www.gradescope.com/courses/1215688/assignments/7446905">Disability Model Analysis</a>, and <a href="https://www.gradescope.com/courses/1215688/assignments/7446173">Accessible Documents</a>.</li> <li>Specifics of what goes in each submission are detailed in the <a href="https://courses.cs.washington.edu/courses/cse443/26wi/assignments/finding-accessibility/#assessment--handin-process">Assessment & Handin Process</a> portion of the assignment page.</li> </ul> --- ## AT Around Us Presentations & Section Logistics <ul> <li><strong>For this week, we’ll be virtual for Section:</strong> this is actually better for presentations because it lets us record, resolves the challenge with changing between laptops, etc.</li> <li>Zoom link will be pinned in Ed</li> <li>If you want to use our Section classrooms as a space to present (on Zoom) from, go for it!</li> <li><strong>Going forward, Section B will held in ECE 042</strong>, rather than that random astro room <ul> <li>This should also be listed on MyUW now</li> </ul> </li> </ul> --- ## AT Around Us Presentation Specifics <ul> <li>We have 8 groups & 50 minutes in each Section, so that’s roughly 5-6mins per group (aim for 5) <ul> <li>With 4 slides/group, keep in mind that that’s only 1-1.5 mins per slide!</li> </ul> </li> <li>We strongly recommend assigning 1 person per slide, rather than jointly presenting all slides</li> <li>We’re counting on folks to help out with quick transitions between groups: have your slides open, be ready to share in Zoom, etc.</li> </ul> --- ## <em>Limited</em> Remote Synchronous Attendance Option <ul> <li>Folks have made a strong case for offering synchronous attendance, so we’ve decided to start offering this to a <em>limited</em> degree</li> <li><strong>The expected default is still in-person attendance;</strong> however, if you make private post on Ed informing us ahead of class, we will share the Zoom info and you can join remotely.</li> <li>This option should be used only when necessary– this class works significantly better when everyone is in-person. We also still offer remote async!</li> </ul> --- class: center, middle, inverse # Announcements --- ## Website - Assignment due dates are now on assignment pages and on the schedule too - Readings are at the bottom of each week's schedule --- class: center, middle, inverse # Learning Goals --- ## Today's learning goals: - What is plain language - Understanding how to apply plain language principals to create plain language documents - Understanding when to use plain language - Practice writing an example of plain language --- class: center, middle, inverse # Image Description --- ## Lots of best practice guidance Image descriptions should be concise, complete and accurate. Here is a good overview of [Images, SVG, and Canvas](https://dequeuniversity.com/class/images/toc) best practices. - [Photograph](https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3308558.3313605) / [Memes](https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3308561.3353792) - [Decorative and branding](https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3308558.3313605) - [Diagrams](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=9028522&casa_token=zZw_rYBgu1AAAAAA:eozpbJ-vvMZjQNt8p6WU91X4uFumPs-yVuMn4PTPRjyMhtsVrprdIEe1JfYOCUdv8SFP_TGd9s965Q&tag=1); [Visualizations](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=9555469) - [GUIS](https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3411764.3445040) - [AR/VR](https://educatorsinvr.com/2019/05/31/accessibility-disabilities-and-virtual-reality-solutions/) - An image with people in it ([best practices in inclusive description](https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3411764.3445498)) ??? All of these require different strategies to describe them well. Read up on some of these links when you are faced with specific description needs --- ## How to describe photographs .row[ .column[] .column[] .column[] ] Is this meant to represent a maple leaf? or Canada? How would you describe the differences between these images if all are present? Only one? ??? Although technology is getting better at recognizing what an image depicts, algorithms alone cannot understand what an image means within the context of the overall page. A maple leaf might represent Canada, or it might just illustrate the leaf of a tree. Web page authors must provide alternative text that represents the content and function of their images. --- ## Describing photographs Depends on setting. [Stangl et al, 2020](https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3308558.3313605) asked BLV people about News; Employment; Dating; etc. Findings: - **Include whether people are present**; text; name objects - Usually include activity; building features; landmarks --- ## Back to the maple leaf  > A realistic image of a Canadian flag with a red maple leaf on a white background. Shadows and curves suggest it is blowing in the wind. Nothing other than the flag is visible --- ## When to Describe Identity [Bennett et al](https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3411764.3445498) interviewed BIPOC, Non-Binary and/or Transgender Blind people. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/By6nzFefcxs" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen> <span class="media-title-hidden">Youtube Video: a video describing the results of a study with people with disabilities with intersectional identities about their preferences for how to describe diverse people in image descriptions</span> </iframe> ??? When is identity important - Meeting new people - Identity is the topic of discussion - Seeking specific first person perspectives - Want/need to understand representation in the media - Need to "read" a room, for example to decide whether to code switch --- ## How to Describe Identity (1/2) .column[] - OK to mention race, gender, and disability status in that case - Otherwise use appearance (skin color, "person" instead of gender, AT use but not disability status) Original announcement: Dr. Lezlie Frye has won [an award] for .red[*her*] paper; alt text (probably) written with her input. --- ## How to Describe Identity (1/2) .column[] > Lezlie, a white woman, looks at us full front with curls down one size of her head and her long sleeve rolled up just on that side of a cowl neck wild abstract print shirt. Her smiling cheeks greet us. --- .offscreen[ ## ALT Text with Identity Markers? ] Think / Pair / Share on [Ed](https://edstem.org/us/courses/90089/discussion/) .column[] --- ## Disabled and Here's [description](https://affecttheverb.com/gallery/disabledandhere/tothetrail/) .column[] > A disabled Black non-binary hiker uses trekking poles and looks at a wooden sign with “Nature House” and “Trillium Trail ♿” marked ahead. The shot is framed with the hiker walking toward the camera and the hiker sports a shaved head, glasses, a gray peplum shirt, black shorts, and black tennis shoes. .footnote[Image credit: [Disabled and Here](https://affecttheverb.com/gallery/disabledandhere/tothetrail/)] --- ## Think / Pair / Post - Show your partner your hard to describe image - Discuss: How would you describe it? Which paper might help you? - [for participation credit: Post the image and alt text in Ed's classroom activities channel, along with the relevant paper you found] Image descriptions should be concise, complete and accurate. Here is a good overview of [Images, SVG, and Canvas](https://dequeuniversity.com/class/images/toc) best practices. [Photograph](https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3308558.3313605); [Decorative and branding](https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3308558.3313605); [Diagrams](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=9028522&casa_token=zZw_rYBgu1AAAAAA:eozpbJ-vvMZjQNt8p6WU91X4uFumPs-yVuMn4PTPRjyMhtsVrprdIEe1JfYOCUdv8SFP_TGd9s965Q&tag=1); [Visualizations](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=9555469); [Memes](https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3308561.3353792); [GUIS](https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3411764.3445040); [AR/VR](https://educatorsinvr.com/2019/05/31/accessibility-disabilities-and-virtual-reality-solutions/); An image with people in it ([best practices in inclusive description](https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3411764.3445498)) --- class: center, middle, inverse # Plain Language --- ## Why Plain Language - Helps make text accessible to the non-scientific public (including disabled people). - Can also directly help someone with an intellectual disability. - [WCAG guidelines](https://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG3/2021/how-tos/clear-words/) state that text simplification also >benefits individuals who live with cognitive and learning disabilities, language impairments, memory impairments, and autism. -- - Somewhat different requirements for these different audiences --- ## When to use Plain Language - May help with member checking (make sure that study participants or other interested parties can learn about your research) - Responsibility to share research you do *on* disabled people *with* disabled people (i.e. back to the public) - The Plain Writing Act of 2010, described on [plainlanguage.gov](https://www.plainlanguage.gov/law/), "requires federal agencies use clear government communication that the public can understand and use." - Meets WCAG AAA standard ([SC 3.1.5](https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/meaning-supplements.html)) --- ## When Not to use Plain Language - Scientific paper submissions benefit from clear and concise and readable text, but this is different from text simplification - WCAG AAA is a very high standard to meet everywhere --- ## Let's focus on an example > The choice to adopt or abandon assistive technologies (AT) is often taken as a proxy for functional fit: to adopt is to confirm a good fit between device features and individual needs, whereas to abandon is to signal poor fit. While useful for orienting design, we argue that this framework is ill-equipped to account for the sociopolitical forces that shape AT use in historically underserved communities. --- ## How does it score? Average Reading Level Consensus (as calculated by [readabilityformulas.com](https://readabilityformulas.com/readability-scoring-system.php)) - The average public reading level in the U.S. is 8th grade. Based on 8 formula(s), your text scored the following: - Score: 15.19 [ = grade level ] Read more - U.S. Grade Level: College Graduate - Reading Level: Extremely Difficult - Age Range: 23+ --- ## Resources for Text Simplification - The [PlainLanguage.gov website](https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/) lays out guidelines and examples - To check whether you've improved the readability score, try - [readabilityformulas.com](https://readabilityformulas.com/readability-scoring-system.php) (try the readability editor and text statistics) - Other helpful tools - [Hemingway editor](https://hemingwayapp.com/readability-checker) - ChatGPT or [m365 copilot](https://m365.cloud.microsoft/chat) or equivalent. Note: There is no good way to automate text simplification --- ## Text Simplification Guidelines We'll ask you to pick at least 5 in your assignment .left-column50[ - Use simple words - Use positive language - Use short paragraphs - Use short sentences - Avoid jargon ] .right-column50[ - Use active voice - Use examples - Use headers - Use transition words ] --- ## Use Simple Words - <q>as a means of</q> → <q>to</q> - <q>at the present time</q> → <q>now</q> Group Discussion: find an example in my paragraph > The choice to adopt or abandon assistive technologies (AT) is often taken as a proxy for functional fit: to adopt is to confirm a good fit between device features and individual needs, whereas to abandon is to signal poor fit. While useful for orienting design, we argue that this framework is ill-equipped to account for the sociopolitical forces that shape AT use in historically underserved communities. ??? -- "is often taken as a proxy for" --> how would you improve this? ??? is misunderstood as --- ## Use Positive Language - Avoid double negatives - <q>no fewer than</q> → <q>at least</q> - "There is no way I cannot visit my mother this year." Alternative "I must visit my mother." - "I miss not seeing him every day." Alternative "I miss seeing him every day" Can you write a prompt that will find double negatives? (discuss and post on [Ed](https://edstem.org/us/courses/90089/discussion/)) .footnote[Credit: examples from [NIU](https://www.niu.edu/writing-tutorial/grammar/double-negatives.shtml)] --- exclude: true ## You try it: - "I wasn't unhappy with my grade." - **Alternative** "I was lukewarm about my grade." - "The shopper did not have any energy left at the end of the day." - **Alternative** "The shopper had no energy left at the end of the day." --- ## My attempt "find double negatives in this paragraph" found: >...casts adoption not as transparent expression of fit, but as situated negotiation of power. --- ## My attempt (2) "how would you simplify the first example to remove the negation?" led to the suggestion >...casts adoption as a situated negotiation of power rather than a transparent expression of fit. --- ## Use Short Paragraphs and Sentences - Consider if a clause should become a new sentence This is pretty easy to eyeball, though also a good option for prompting --- ## Avoid Jargon - Sometimes the complex word isn't necessary - If you must use jargon, define it (your judgment may be needed here) To prompt for this, try giving the AI a persona, and then asking what words might seem like jargon. Discuss with your neighbor - what persona to pick - did you get biased results - did you get useful results? --- ## My attempt > You are a middle school student without a strong science background. What words in this paragraph might seem like jargon --- ## Result - Accessibility research: Studies about how to make things easier for people with disabilities to use. - Assistive technologies (AT): Tools that help people with disabilities, like wheelchairs or screen readers. - Proxy for functional fit: A stand-in for how well something works for someone. - ...17 total ending with Self-determination: Being able to make your own decisions. --- ## Use Active Voice **([live demo](https://readabilityformulas.com/readability-scoring-system.php))** - <q>The lake was polluted by the company</q> → <q>The company polluted the lake</q> - A good check to see if you're using passive voice: are you using - A form of <q>to be</q> (e.g., am, is, are, was, be, being, been) - A verb ending in <q>-ed</q> This is a good one for [readabilityformulas.com](readabilityformulas.com) (a good prompt can help too but I tend to get erroneous responses). Found one passive word "this framework is ill-equipped" and one weak verb: "dynamics that make access costly" --- ## Use Present Tense - Don't: <q>These sections describe types of information that would satisfy the application requirements of Circular A-110 as it would apply to this grant program.</q> - Do: <q>These sections tell you how to meet the requirements of Circular A-110 for this grant program.</q> [readabilityformulas.com](readabilityformulas.com) can tell you parts of speech; prompting can help with this. --- ## Use Examples - Especially for more complicated topics Requires your own judgment --- ## Use Transition Words - Use words: <q>for instance,</q> <q>also,</q> <q>however,</q> <q>to summarize</q> - Echo previous ideas - Avoid ambiguous <q>this</q> I would use human judgment here too --- ## Use Headers - Preferably, use headers that are built into platforms (e.g., Google Docs, Microsoft Word, EdStem) - If those are not available, styling text in bold or underlined can still help visual readers --- ## Considerations for automated tools - I find self-defined prompts for finding problems to be the most helpful - Lots of tools (including [our own](https://textsimplification-eecqhvdcduczf8cz.westus-01.azurewebsites.net/simplify); [readabilityformulas.com](https://readabilityformulas.com/readability-scoring-system.php) and ChatGPT) will **claim to** simplify text for you - Small group discussion - Do you think they are meant for people with IDD/consumers of simplified text? - What pitfalls might people encounter - Post on [Ed](https://edstem.org/us/courses/90089/discussion/) ??? - Many of them shorten the text at the same time - You still need to check their work on simplification - They may introduce inaccuracies (such as disability bias) --- ## New Competency: Plain Language Competency Handin: - Original text (unsimplified) - Simplified text - A list of the guidelines you wish to be assessed on, and an example of something you changed to meet each of them.