Easy Read and accessible formats: your right to understand
You should not have to sign something you do not understand. You should not have to pretend a long document makes sense when it does not. And you should not have to rely on a rushed verbal explanation when written information, images, audio, an interpreter or extra time would make the decision clearer.
Accessible communication is not a favour. It is part of respectful support. In the NDIS, this matters because people are often asked to make decisions about service agreements, consent, privacy, complaints, support plans, reports and money. Those decisions affect your life, your budget and the people who come into your home or community.
This guide explains Easy Read, other accessible formats and how to ask any provider for information in a way that works for you.
What Easy Read actually is
Easy Read is a way of making information easier to understand. It usually uses short sentences, everyday words, clear headings and images that support the meaning of the words.
Good Easy Read is not just a normal document with shorter sentences. It should be planned for the people who will use it. It should explain one idea at a time. It should avoid jargon where possible and explain unavoidable terms clearly. The pictures should help understanding, not decorate the page.
The best Easy Read is made with people with disability, not simply simplified by someone else. That matters because people who use Easy Read know when a document is genuinely clear and when it is still confusing.
Easy Read can help people with intellectual disability, cognitive disability, acquired brain injury, low literacy, some psychosocial support needs, language barriers, fatigue, stress, memory difficulties or anyone who finds standard documents hard to process. You do not need to prove you "deserve" it. If it helps you understand, it is worth asking for.
Accessible formats are broader than Easy Read
Easy Read is one option. It is not the only one.
You might prefer large print because small text is hard to read. You might need audio because reading long documents is tiring. You might want someone to read information aloud, then give you time to ask questions. You might need translated material, an interpreter, captions, a plain-English summary or information sent by email instead of explained only by phone.
If English is not the language you prefer for important conversations, TIS National is available on 131 450 and is free for participants. An interpreter can help you understand information and speak for yourself, rather than relying on a family member to interpret sensitive or complex details.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing or find phone calls difficult, you can use the National Relay Service. The current public contact options listed on Ellira's site are Voice Relay 1300 555 727, TTY 133 677 and SMS relay 0423 677 767. You can also find relay information at accesshub.gov.au.
Accessible communication can also mean pace. Some people need information before a meeting so they can prepare. Some need a support person present. Some need fewer topics in one conversation. Some need written follow-up because anxiety or dissociation makes it hard to remember what was said.
Your right to understand what you sign
A service agreement is not useful if you cannot understand it. Before you agree to support, you should be able to understand what the provider will do, what it may cost, what cancellation rules apply, how privacy works, how to complain and how you can end or change the service.
This is especially important when a provider asks for consent. Consent should be informed. That means you understand what you are agreeing to, who information may be shared with, why it is being shared and what choices you have.
If a document is too long, too legal, too fast or too full of NDIS words, you can ask for it in another format. You can ask for a plain-English explanation, an Easy Read version, a read-aloud conversation, more time, an interpreter or a support person to help you compare options.
You can also ask for a summary of what matters most before signing. For example:
- What support am I agreeing to?
- What will be charged to my plan?
- What happens if I cancel?
- Who can see my information?
- How do I stop or change the service?
If the answer is "just sign here", slow the process down. A good provider will give you time.
How to ask any provider
You do not need perfect words. A simple request is enough.
You could say: "I need this in Easy Read before I decide." You could say: "Can you send me a plain-English summary?" You could say: "Please use an interpreter for this conversation." You could say: "I need the agreement read aloud and then emailed to me." You could say: "Please write down the main points so I can talk them through with my support person."
Good providers should offer accessible options before you have to ask, especially for important documents. They should notice when a document is complex and check what would help. They should not make you feel difficult for needing information in a different format.
Ellira provides information in Easy Read, large print, audio or read-aloud formats on request. You can ask through contact, during intake, through your worker or when giving feedback or making a complaint.
If your request is ignored, repeat it in writing if you can. You can also ask a support coordinator, recovery coach, advocate, family member or trusted person to help. If a provider continues to push you to sign something you do not understand, that is a real concern.
Communication preferences should be recorded once
You should not have to explain the same access need every time you speak to the same provider.
Once you have said what works, the provider should record it clearly and honour it. That might include your preferred language, interpreter needs, whether you use the National Relay Service, whether phone calls are hard, whether you prefer email, whether documents need to be Easy Read or large print, and whether you want a support person included.
Preferences can change, so the record should not trap you. But it should stop avoidable mistakes. If you have asked for email because phone calls cause panic, staff should not keep calling without checking. If you need Easy Read agreements, the provider should not send only dense PDFs and expect you to manage.
This is part of dignity. Communication access is not separate from support quality; it is one of the ways support quality shows up.
Families, carers and supporters
Some people want family, carers or supporters involved in communication. Some do not. Both choices need respect.
A support person can help you read documents, remember questions, compare options or speak up in meetings. But involving someone else should not replace your own understanding. Providers should still communicate with you in a way that works for you, not only with the person beside you.
Privacy also matters. A provider should ask what can be shared, with whom and for what purpose. Accessible information and consent belong together: you need to understand both the support and the information-sharing around it.
If you want someone involved, ask the provider to record that preference. If you do not want someone involved, you can say that too.
Common questions
Is Easy Read only for people with intellectual disability?
No. Easy Read is often important for people with intellectual disability, but it can help many people. Stress, fatigue, trauma, psychosocial disability, brain injury, language barriers and low literacy can all make standard documents harder to use.
Can I ask for Easy Read before signing a service agreement?
Yes. That is one of the most important times to ask. You should understand prices, cancellations, privacy, complaints and how to leave or change the service before you agree.
Do I have to use a family member as an interpreter?
No. For important service conversations, a professional interpreter is usually better and safer. TIS National is available on 131 450 and is free for participants.
What if I prefer phone calls but cannot hear well?
You can use the National Relay Service. Ellira's public contact information lists Voice Relay 1300 555 727, TTY 133 677 and SMS relay 0423 677 767.
Can I complain if a provider will not communicate accessibly?
Yes. You can complain to the provider, use an advocate or contact the NDIS Commission. With Ellira, feedback and complaints can be made in the format that works for you, and complaining will not affect your supports.
Where to from here
If accessible communication would help you work with Ellira, tell us once and we will record it. You can send a referral, book a call or use the options on our contact page.
This article is general information, not medical or clinical advice. For support with your situation, talk to your GP, treating team, or call us on 1300 487 996. In an emergency call 000. For urgent mental-health support call Lifeline on 13 11 14.