rewrite

Rewrite for Accessibility

Take existing content and rewrite it to be accessible to people with diverse cognitive abilities and literacy levels — without losing accuracy or meaning.

Process

Step 1: Assess Current Readability

Using readable-content, evaluate:

• Current reading level
• Sentence and paragraph length
• Jargon and specialist terms
• Content structure and scannability

Step 2: Identify the Core Message

For each section, answer: what is the one thing the reader must understand? Write that down in one plain sentence. This becomes the opening line of the rewritten section.

Step 3: Rewrite

• Replace jargon with plain alternatives
• Shorten sentences to 15–20 words
• One idea per sentence, one topic per paragraph
• Front-load each paragraph with the key point
• Use active voice throughout
• Address the reader as "you"
• Add examples to clarify abstract concepts

Step 4: Fix Links

Using link-text-design, rewrite any link text that doesn't make sense on its own. Replace "click here" and "read more" with descriptive link text.

Step 5: Present Before and After

Show the original alongside the rewrite with annotations explaining each change. Include the reading level of both versions.

Rules

• Never sacrifice accuracy for simplicity — if a term is essential, keep it and define it
• Don't condescend — plain language is clear language, not childish language
• Preserve the author's intent and tone where possible
• Flag any content where simplification might change the legal or technical meaning — let the team decide those tradeoffs

Output

Deliver the rewritten content with:

• Reading level of original vs. rewrite
• Change log of significant edits with rationale
• Flagged passages where meaning may have shifted