Swindon Borough Council has joined forces with a local volunteer focus group, to leverage the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing the independence of those with learning disabilities.
The Experts by Experience of a Learning Disability have played a pivotal role in shaping a groundbreaking Generative AI (GenAI) solution known as ‘Simply Readable,’ designed to convert intricate documents into the easily accessible Easy Read format.
Swindon Borough Council has also committed to open-sourcing its innovative solution, making it available worldwide without licensing fees, ensuring it benefits the maximum number of individuals.
The Council’s Emerging Technology team paid the volunteers for their time so they could understand some of the obstacles they face in their lives. The group advised on the importance of features such as large font size, increased spacing between words and the option to have images to help with comprehension.
Sarah Pena, the Council’s Head of Emerging Technology and Business Improvement, explained: “The Experts by Experience group were absolutely fantastic and opened our eyes to their world.
“Imagine facing barriers with making everyday decisions about your life? You want to move into a flat but cannot understand the tenancy agreement or you missed a dentist’s appointment because it wasn’t clear to you when you should be there.
“And how would you feel if someone opened letters addressed to you because they think you won’t understand them? These are common challenges that millions of people face across the world, so we wanted to find a solution that can overcome that problem and make people’s lives easier.”
The Easy Read format serves a crucial purpose in providing individuals with learning disabilities with essential information, enabling them to make informed decisions about various aspects of their lives. In the UK alone, there are 1.5 million people with learning disabilities, with a global estimate of 15% of the population facing some form of learning disability.
Traditionally, creating Easy Read documents incurred significant costs and time, further disadvantaging those with learning disabilities. The introduction of GenAI, specifically the ‘Simply Readable’ document creator, has drastically reduced costs to less than 10p on average per page. This cost-effective solution holds the potential to address the information gap and enhance accessibility for millions globally.
Powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), ‘Simply Readable’ utilises Amazon Bedrock and leverages Anthrophic’s Claude 2 and Stability AI’s Stable Diffusion large language models. This groundbreaking tool can be translated into 75 different languages, offering a versatile solution to empower individuals worldwide.
Councillor Emma Bushell, Deputy Leader of Swindon Borough Council and Cabinet Member for Organisational Oversight, said: “We believe that technology can be a force for good and accessibility is at the heart of that vision.
“With the development of ‘Simply Readable’, we’re taking a leap towards creating a more inclusive world, where everyone has equal access to information and opportunities. It also fits in perfectly with our Mission to Reduce inequality across the Borough.
“I’d like to especially thank our experts Tom, Dan, Charlotte, Tammy, Elroy and David who were a fantastic help to the team in developing this innovative tool.”
