QAA publishes SSAC guidance on accessible language

QAA and the Student Strategic Advisory Committee (SSAC) have published an initial report on the importance of the accessibility of language used by providers. The co-developed report offers providers reflective questions and top tips to address some of the challenges highlighted.

SSAC's lead on this project Anastasia Kennett and NUS VP HE Alex Stanley explain in their introduction to the report that "it is commonly reported by students that the language used by their institution is not easily understood".

They add that this has a number of detrimental consequences: "Jargon and complex terms pose a barrier to effective communication to students. Students might be less likely to follow and understand guidance. This might cause students to abstain from seeking support from their institution. [And] where guidance is unclear or hard to understand, this could have repercussions on the successful outcome of study."

The SSAC small-scale study involved a survey of students, which showed how inaccessible language impacts on students' senses of belonging and confidence, the findings were echoed by commentary from the students on the committee

One respondent said that "the language used in institutional communication is often opaque and therefore anxiety-provoking”. Another added: “There is often an assumption of knowledge about university processes and departments that makes communications more difficult to access and can make one feel like an outsider.”

It also highlighted the amount of time taken by students in "translating" institutional language to themselves and by staff explaining documents to students. One respondent pointed out that "this creates more work not just for students but staff in having to field requests for clarification".

The survey showed frustration at the use of jargon, acronyms and abbreviations – terms which are said to "shut out the student voice". One respondent observed: “I wasn’t always confident to interrupt and ask for clarifications in a meeting and sometimes three or four would be rattled off in one sentence.”

The report notes that international students are "particularly impacted by inaccessible language" – an issue which affects both their academic experience and their engagement in processes of student representation.

It also points out, more generally, that "information presented in an inconsistent or confused format may hamper understanding of academic expectations".

The SSAC report concludes by recommending that providers and practitioners should employ accessible language and modes of direct and clear communication – and use accessible formats for communicating key information. It goes on to stress that we need to be honest in how we communicate in order to build trust, and that we must avoid assuming that students know what we're talking about.

The full report is available on our website.