When Easy Read Surveys Aren’t Accessible - and How to Fix Them

At IC Works, we see this problem all the time: a survey that looks like Easy Read, but isn’t accessible in practice.

It’s clear, it’s visual, and it may even use plain language - but when you try to fill it in, everything falls apart.

Surveys aren’t like other Easy Read documents. They don’t just need to be easy to understand - they need to be easy to interact with. That means people must be able to type or tick their answers without needing special software, accounts, or equipment.

Accessibility, when it comes to surveys, means:

• No printing

• No paid software

• No screenshots or photo uploads

• Smooth and simple completion and submission.

Where surveys go wrong

Let’s be honest - most Easy Read surveys fail because they’re designed like reports, not forms.

Word documents

“Don’t use a Word document.”

It’s fine for most Easy Read purposes, but not for surveys. It assumes people have Word, can edit documents safely, and can find the right form fields, which many cannot. Word also behaves differently across devices, which often causes the layout to break.

The main reason that Word isn’t accessible is that you need to buy a subscription to open and edit Word files. Adobe Acrobat Viewer is free for everyone. There are many layers to accessibility.

Standard PDFs

PDFs may look professional, but unless you own the paid version of Adobe Acrobat, you can’t actually type into them. For many users, that makes the survey impossible to complete.

Print-and-scan methods

Asking people to print a form, fill it in by hand, take a photo, and send it back might seem simple - but it assumes access to a printer, a smartphone, and the confidence to manage the process. That’s a lot of assumptions, and every one of them is an accessibility barrier.

The accessible solution: fillable PDFs

At IC Works, we recommend fillable PDFs as the best way to make surveys that are both Easy Read and genuinely accessible.

Here’s why:

• They open in free PDF readers on almost any device.

• People can type directly into boxes or tick options.

• They can save and email the survey back - no extra steps.

• The layout stays consistent, so images, numbers, and text line up properly.

• They’re compatible with screen readers and remain fully Easy Read in design.

In short: a fillable PDF lets your survey look great and work for everyone.

Designing an Easy Read survey that works

Here are some of our go-to design tips at IC Works:

• Keep one question per page or screen wherever possible.

• Make answer boxes big and easy to spot.

• Stick to the golden Easy Read rules - one idea per line, clear headings, good contrast, and plenty of white space.

• Label tick boxes and text fields clearly so screen readers can identify them.

• Add a short instruction at the start, such as:

“You can fill this in on your phone, tablet or computer - just type in the boxes or tick your answers, then save and email it back.”

These small choices make a huge difference for usability.

When to use other formats

Online surveys can work well if the platform is accessible - that means it works with screen readers, doesn’t time out, and allows saving progress.

A fillable Easy Read survey co-produced for a consultation document, the Mayor of London’s ‘Towards A New London Plan’

But online forms are often text-only, so they aren’t the right choice for people with a learning disability, autistic people, or those with limited internet access.

A fillable PDF bridges the gap: it’s accessible, offline, and reliable.

Test it - with real people

The most important step is to test your survey with the people it’s meant for.

Co-production with experts by experience is a cornerstone of how IC Works approaches accessibility.

They’ll spot things designers miss, such as unclear navigation, boxes that are too small, and confusing labels. Their feedback is what makes your survey truly accessible, not just compliant.

Final thought

A survey isn’t accessible until people can not only read it - but complete it.

Easy Read isn’t just about understanding questions. It’s about being able to answer them.

If you need a survey that’s genuinely accessible and still looks professional. Find out how IC Works can design and test it for you - so everyone can take part, not just those who find forms easy.