Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
5-4-2022 11:00 AM
End Date
5-4-2022 1:00 PM
Subjects
community engagement, language accessibility, activism, multimodalism
Advisor
Janet Cowal
Student Level
Undergraduate
Abstract
How are students of applied linguistics able to contribute to community efforts in increasing access to justice? Activist applied linguistics (AAL) (Cowal & Leung, 2021) is defined as utilizing applied linguistics in coordination with community partners to address wicked problems (Rittel & Webber, 1973). AAL provides a framework for engaging university students with communities outside of their campus and has been utilized to further work in water justice (Haeffner & Cowal, 2019) and to increase the Oregon State Bar website’s comprehensibility (Anesa, Cowal, & Pulju, 2022). In this poster, we present an AAL case study in which students of applied linguistics partner with the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) for the purpose of increasing access to justice for Oregonians trying to navigate the Informal Domestic Relations Trial system. In conversation with OJD staff and building off of their OJD website, we employ multi-modal semiotic theory (Kress & van Leeuwen in Jovanovic, 2015), universal design (CAST, 2018) and plain language (Kimble, 2007) to create informational visuals that are more accessible to the public. Our poster gives examples of “befores” and “afters” of materials about Informal Domestic Relations Trials. We also present feedback from OJD and discuss the take-aways from this experience and provide suggestions for further research.
Anesa, P., Cowal J., & Pulju, K. (2022) Improving the accessibility of legal information online through community engagement. Digitalization and Institutionalization of Legal Knowledge. Luttermann, K., Engberg, J., Münster et al. LIT Verlag
CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org
Cowal, J., & Leung, G. (2021). Activist applied linguistics. In S. Conrad, A.J. Hartig, & L. Santelmann (Eds.). The Cambridge introduction to applied linguistics (pp. 308-324). Cambridge University Press.
Haeffner, M., & Cowal, J. (2019). A case study of OregonWaterStories.com: Exploring agency with water justice, activist applied linguistics, and a community partner. Case Studies in the Environment, 3. https://doi.org/10.1525/cse.2018.001685
Jovanovic, Danica. 2015. “Important people in multimodality theory.” In Key Terms in Multimodality: Definitions, Issues, Discussions, edited by Nina Nørgaard. www.sdu.dk/multimodalkeyterms. Retrieved 03/05/2022
Kimble, J. (2007). "Lifting the fog of legalese : essays on plain language". Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
Rittel, W., & Webber, M. (1973). Dilemmas in a general theory
of planning. Policy Science. (pp. 155–169). doi:10.1007/bf01405730.
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Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/37505
Included in
Case Study in Activist Applied Linguistics: Working with the Oregon Judicial Department for the Accessibility of Domestic Relations Information
How are students of applied linguistics able to contribute to community efforts in increasing access to justice? Activist applied linguistics (AAL) (Cowal & Leung, 2021) is defined as utilizing applied linguistics in coordination with community partners to address wicked problems (Rittel & Webber, 1973). AAL provides a framework for engaging university students with communities outside of their campus and has been utilized to further work in water justice (Haeffner & Cowal, 2019) and to increase the Oregon State Bar website’s comprehensibility (Anesa, Cowal, & Pulju, 2022). In this poster, we present an AAL case study in which students of applied linguistics partner with the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) for the purpose of increasing access to justice for Oregonians trying to navigate the Informal Domestic Relations Trial system. In conversation with OJD staff and building off of their OJD website, we employ multi-modal semiotic theory (Kress & van Leeuwen in Jovanovic, 2015), universal design (CAST, 2018) and plain language (Kimble, 2007) to create informational visuals that are more accessible to the public. Our poster gives examples of “befores” and “afters” of materials about Informal Domestic Relations Trials. We also present feedback from OJD and discuss the take-aways from this experience and provide suggestions for further research.
Anesa, P., Cowal J., & Pulju, K. (2022) Improving the accessibility of legal information online through community engagement. Digitalization and Institutionalization of Legal Knowledge. Luttermann, K., Engberg, J., Münster et al. LIT Verlag
CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org
Cowal, J., & Leung, G. (2021). Activist applied linguistics. In S. Conrad, A.J. Hartig, & L. Santelmann (Eds.). The Cambridge introduction to applied linguistics (pp. 308-324). Cambridge University Press.
Haeffner, M., & Cowal, J. (2019). A case study of OregonWaterStories.com: Exploring agency with water justice, activist applied linguistics, and a community partner. Case Studies in the Environment, 3. https://doi.org/10.1525/cse.2018.001685
Jovanovic, Danica. 2015. “Important people in multimodality theory.” In Key Terms in Multimodality: Definitions, Issues, Discussions, edited by Nina Nørgaard. www.sdu.dk/multimodalkeyterms. Retrieved 03/05/2022
Kimble, J. (2007). "Lifting the fog of legalese : essays on plain language". Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
Rittel, W., & Webber, M. (1973). Dilemmas in a general theory
of planning. Policy Science. (pp. 155–169). doi:10.1007/bf01405730.
Comments/Description
Poster Competition Winner -
2022 Student Research Symposium