'Reading the Way'

Research into 'Inclusive and Accessible' Children's Books from Around the World

‘Reading the Way’ was an innovative research and development project undertaken in 2014-15. Its aim was to discover exceptional international books that stood out specifically in terms of being 'accessible' and/or 'inclusive'. 60 books were identified and assessed, originating from 15 countries. Through a series of focus groups – comprising disability experts and organisations, teachers, librarians, publishers, parents and young people – the books were evaluated for their appropriateness, appeal and viability.  A comprehensive research report was published in November 2015 (details of which you can find here or download the pdf below) which provided valuable data, useful in terms of identifying examples of good practice, offering some new and innovative ideas in producing 'accessible' and 'inclusive' books and proposing ways in which these could be used within the UK publishing industry. 

OIW Reading the Way Report Dec 2015

Reading the Way 2

In 2016 we received further funding from Arts Council England and the Unwin Charitable Trust to carry out 'Reading the Way 2'. We ran a series of school workshop projects in six mainstream and special schools in England working with UK and International artists and translators to explore some of the books we discovered in the first project in more detail and created specific school projects related to themes and discussions from these events. 'Reading the Way 2' used a range of noteworthy children’s books from around the world to give young people a real voice about how to improve the accessibility and inclusion of all children in books. 

UK and International artists involved in the project included illustrator Jane Ray, and authors Julia Donaldson and Susie Day; Italian author Rosa Tiziana Bruno and Austrian author Franz-Joseph Huainigg; translators Daniel Hahn and Denise Muir and book creator and publisher Annie Kubler. 

For further news click here.

You can read the full report here or click to download the pdf.