1 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:15,180 Hello and welcome to this video lecture. 2 00:00:15,180 --> 00:00:19,668 The lecture is a part of Unit 2- Easy-to-understand language, 3 00:00:19,668 --> 00:00:22,392 Element 3- Processes. 4 00:00:22,392 --> 00:00:26,030 My name is Tatjana Knapp and together we will take a closer look 5 00:00:26,030 --> 00:00:27,950 at the process of validating. 6 00:00:28,847 --> 00:00:31,385 Validation is a process of assessing 7 00:00:31,385 --> 00:00:34,768 whether the content is, in fact, Easy-to-understand. 8 00:00:34,878 --> 00:00:37,257 The process should actively include 9 00:00:37,257 --> 00:00:40,288 the end-users of Easy-to-understand information 10 00:00:40,288 --> 00:00:42,977 and is often considered to be a crucial part 11 00:00:42,977 --> 00:00:47,305 in the process of publishing Easy-to-understand information. 12 00:00:47,305 --> 00:00:53,004 The principles of Easy-to-understand information combine 13 00:00:53,004 --> 00:00:56,731 principles of Easy language or Easy-to-read, 14 00:00:56,731 --> 00:00:59,717 which usually demands the involvement of  the end-users, 15 00:00:59,717 --> 00:01:01,887 and principles of Plain language, 16 00:01:01,887 --> 00:01:04,852 which has somewhat looser rules. 17 00:01:04,852 --> 00:01:08,150 Validated information in Easy language or Easy-to-read 18 00:01:08,150 --> 00:01:10,267 is often marked with a special logo 19 00:01:10,267 --> 00:01:12,724 that indicates the proof of validation, 20 00:01:12,724 --> 00:01:18,077 like the European logo for Easy-to-read information  by Inclusion Europe in blue color, 21 00:01:18,077 --> 00:01:21,473 showing a person holding a book and giving a thumbs-up, 22 00:01:21,473 --> 00:01:24,576 or a national logo for Easy-to-read,formation, 23 00:01:24,576 --> 00:01:27,439 such as the logo for Easy Slovene by Zavod RISA 24 00:01:27,439 --> 00:01:31,067 a purple round sign with a winking book. 25 00:01:31,067 --> 00:01:34,190 Validating, however, differentiates between 26 00:01:34,190 --> 00:01:38,868 validating comprehensibility and comprehension. 27 00:01:38,868 --> 00:01:41,849 Validating comprehensibility is assessing 28 00:01:41,849 --> 00:01:46,456 if the guidelines for producing  Easy-to-understand information were followed. 29 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:50,775 That is something that Easy-to-understand experts  can do by themselves 30 00:01:50,775 --> 00:01:53,980 during or after creating the content. 31 00:01:53,980 --> 00:01:58,234 We cover the guidelines in Element 4 of Unit 2. 32 00:01:58,234 --> 00:02:00,675 In the picture, we provide an example 33 00:02:00,675 --> 00:02:02,717 of a cover of written guidelines 34 00:02:02,717 --> 00:02:06,259 by Inclusion Europe, titled Information for all. 35 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:11,841 Validating comprehensibility is, however,  not enough for applying the logos 36 00:02:11,841 --> 00:02:14,329 we used as examples earlier. 37 00:02:14,329 --> 00:02:19,024 The process namely also requires validating comprehension. 38 00:02:19,024 --> 00:02:22,230 The key actors in this are validators, 39 00:02:22,230 --> 00:02:25,240 people with different barriers to obtaining information. 40 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,241 They validate the information. 41 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:30,636 Facilitators are there to support them 42 00:02:30,636 --> 00:02:33,871 and are coordinators of the validating process. 43 00:02:33,871 --> 00:02:36,631 The roles of validators and facilitators 44 00:02:36,631 --> 00:02:39,803 are not yet officially recognized as professions, 45 00:02:39,803 --> 00:02:44,890 which is clear from the European Union profession database in 2020. 46 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:49,008 As seen in this photo of a validator and a facilitator 47 00:02:49,008 --> 00:02:50,953 discussing printed information, 48 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:55,064 both key actors work together very closely. 49 00:02:55,064 --> 00:02:57,955 The status of both professions might be due to a change 50 00:02:57,955 --> 00:03:00,398 as the European Project TRAIN2VALIDATE, 51 00:03:00,398 --> 00:03:05,012 which started in 2020 and is to finish in 2023, 52 00:03:05,012 --> 00:03:08,587 aims at creating new specific professional profiles 53 00:03:08,587 --> 00:03:12,270 in the process of production of Easy-to-understand materials: 54 00:03:12,270 --> 00:03:15,586 those of validators and facilitators. 55 00:03:15,586 --> 00:03:25,000 For more information, visit the website:  www.plenainclusionmadrid.org/train2validate 56 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,360 Regardless of the current official status  of the aforementioned expert roles,   57 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:32,360 Easy-to-understand content should be validated.   58 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:37,760 Furthermore, it is recommended for the end-users  to be included during the whole process of   59 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,426 publishing Easy-to-understand content, 60 00:03:40,426 --> 00:03:42,862 which consists of selecting the content, 61 00:03:42,862 --> 00:03:44,379 producing the content, 62 00:03:44,379 --> 00:03:45,788 and promoting the content, 63 00:03:45,788 --> 00:03:47,350 as seen in the picture. 64 00:03:47,350 --> 00:03:49,067 Strictly speaking, however, 65 00:03:49,067 --> 00:03:53,634 is the validation process a part of the production phase. 66 00:03:53,634 --> 00:03:57,361 At this point, Europe has unharmonized methodologies 67 00:03:57,361 --> 00:03:59,606 for approaching the validation process, 68 00:03:59,606 --> 00:04:02,598 at least when it comes to comprehension. 69 00:04:02,598 --> 00:04:06,060 The beforementioned project TRAIN2VALIDATE  addresses this, 70 00:04:06,060 --> 00:04:08,189 but for now, it is important to know 71 00:04:08,189 --> 00:04:12,696 that the basis for the process in  most countries is an inclusive methodology. 72 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:16,137 At the core of the process lays comprehension- 73 00:04:16,137 --> 00:04:18,505 for example, language comprehension 74 00:04:18,505 --> 00:04:20,875 and picture comprehension. 75 00:04:20,875 --> 00:04:22,820 We mentioned language comprehension, 76 00:04:22,820 --> 00:04:25,418 which involves analysis at different levels 77 00:04:25,418 --> 00:04:28,313 (such as word, sentence, or message analysis) 78 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:30,875 and the integration of message meaning 79 00:04:30,875 --> 00:04:33,615 with the prior discourse and world knowledge, 80 00:04:33,615 --> 00:04:37,473 as described by Singer in 2013. 81 00:04:37,473 --> 00:04:40,776 Similar can be applied to picture comprehension. 82 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:45,360 Generally, the process of validating  comprehension can be applied in 2 ways:  83 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:50,480 The first type is producing or adapting  the content together with the end-users,   84 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:54,452 which is no longer just validating, but co-authoring. 85 00:04:54,452 --> 00:04:56,731 The other type seems to be much more common 86 00:04:56,731 --> 00:05:00,263 and is based in validating pre-made drafts. 87 00:05:00,263 --> 00:05:03,192 As we already pointed out the key actors in the process, 88 00:05:03,192 --> 00:05:05,678 we can divide the activities into 2 main groups: 89 00:05:05,678 --> 00:05:08,681 facilitation and comprehension assessment. 90 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:10,483 For the purpose of this lecture, 91 00:05:10,483 --> 00:05:12,644 we chose to bypass the co-authoring, 92 00:05:12,644 --> 00:05:17,118 which can be seen in the photo of an author writing the content on the computer 93 00:05:17,118 --> 00:05:19,127 together with the end-users, 94 00:05:19,280 --> 00:05:24,785 and speak about the more common type  of validation and its’ main activities.  95 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:26,808 The first group of activities 96 00:05:26,808 --> 00:05:29,344 define the role of a facilitator. 97 00:05:29,344 --> 00:05:32,332 The facilitator creates a group of validators, 98 00:05:32,332 --> 00:05:35,750 organizes and coordinates the validation sessions 99 00:05:35,750 --> 00:05:42,626 and communicates the content between authors  of the content, editors, and validators. 100 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:46,372 The role of the validators, who are supported by a facilitator, 101 00:05:46,372 --> 00:05:49,416 is to assess comprehension of the content. 102 00:05:49,416 --> 00:05:53,901 Together they analyze  the information and give feedback. 103 00:05:54,053 --> 00:05:57,244 Communication is essential for the process. 104 00:05:57,244 --> 00:06:00,979 Some rules or guidelines for communicating with the validators 105 00:06:00,979 --> 00:06:02,219 should be followed. 106 00:06:02,219 --> 00:06:05,160 We cover this in Unit 4, Element 2, 107 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:06,784 under interpersonal skills, 108 00:06:06,784 --> 00:06:08,966 so make sure to check it out. 109 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:12,225 To see some examples and get information on the subject, 110 00:06:12,225 --> 00:06:14,777 check out some other videos: 111 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,280 Sample from Unit 2, Element 4, 112 00:06:17,280 --> 00:06:21,525 Sample: Validation from Unit 3, Element 1, 113 00:06:21,525 --> 00:06:26,253 video Validators: A true profession from Unit 4, Element 1, 114 00:06:26,253 --> 00:06:29,002 and also from Unit 4 but Element 2: 115 00:06:29,002 --> 00:06:32,116 videos Validation meeting: Interpersonal skills 116 00:06:32,116 --> 00:06:37,903 and Communicating with validators and end-users. 117 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:40,740 This concludes our video lecture. 118 00:06:40,740 --> 00:06:43,980 If you have any questions or comments regarding the content, 119 00:06:43,980 --> 00:06:46,431 feel free to contact me through email. 120 00:06:46,431 --> 00:06:59,360 The email address is tatjana@risa.si.