CALL FOR PAPERS 2025  - Special issue on “Easy Language and Sign Language in Legal and Administrative Communication”

Editors: Christiane Maaß, Laura Maaß, Chiara Fioravanti

This special issue aims to explore how various forms of accessible communication can facilitate the accessibility of administrative and legal information, with an interest on both research and practical implementations.  Within this thematic framework, the issue is specifically focused on two instruments of Accessible communication in the sense of removing barriers (Maaß/Hansen-Schirra 2022, Maaß LM 2024):

• Drafting, translation and interpretation in Easy Language, a form of communication with maximally enhanced comprehensibility (s. Maaß 2020 and the contributions in Lindholm/Vanhatalo 2021), that can come in the form of written text, but also in oral formats and/or supported by visual elements (Ahrens/Fioravanti 2022, Fioravanti 2024),
• Interpretation in Sign Language, an inherently multimodal form of communication that combines visual and gestural elements (hands, face, body) to convey meaning (Karadöller et al. 2025; Cohn, Neil/Schilperoord 2025; Llewellyn-Jones/Lee 2014, 2016).

The domain of interest includes both Public Administration and the Justice system sector. The call for contributions goes both to researchers and to users and providers of these services in accessible formats.

Researchers are especially encouraged to provide contributions on multimodal aspects of Accessible communication, on oral or interactive uses as well as on new technologies. They are invited to submit papers with a theoretical or empirical focus.

Users of offers in Easy Language or in Sign language as well as providers of such offers in the practical field are encouraged to hand in practical reports on projects, best practices, occurring problems in the field or other similar aspects.

All contributions will be subject to double blind peer review.

 

Important dates
Abstract submission
Deadline: 15 June 2025
Research Papers and Practical Reports: The length of the abstracts should be between 2000-3000 characters (references excluded) and include title, 4 keywords, research/practice aim, method.
Notification of Acceptance/Rejection of Abstract: 6 July 2025
Submit the abstract as a PDF to joalissue2025@igsg.cnr.it
Please ensure that the submitted abstract is anonymous and does not include any identifying information such as author names, affiliations, or acknowledgments. 
Full papers submission
Deadline: 1st of November 2025
Research Papers: The length of the final paper should be max 30.000 characters (plus references).
Practical Reports: The length of the final report should be max 12.000 characters (plus references).
Notification of Acceptance/Rejection: 10 December 2025

About the review process
Abstract review
The abstracts will be subject to double blind peer review in order to ascertain that the proposal is within the special issue’s scope and meets the requirements of the call for papers.
Paper review
Papers will be subject to double blind peer review, according to the rules of JOAL.

Questions
Please contact: chiara.fioravanti@cnr.it

Cited Literature:
Ahrens, Sara/Fioravanti, Chiara (2022): Cultural implications in Easy Language texts for migrants. Theoretical considerations and insights from practice in Germany and in Italy". Trans-kom - Journal of Translation and Technical Communication Research, 15 (2) 2022, pp. 270–292. https://www.trans-kom.eu/bd15nr02/trans-kom_15_02_06_Ahrens_Fioravanti_Easy.20221219.pdf

Cohn, Neil/Schilperoord, Joost (2025): Language acquisition in the multimodal parallel architecture: A commentary on Karadöller, Sümer, and Özyürek. First Language, 2025, S. 01427237251323072.

Fioravanti, Chiara (2024): Legal Design and Easy Language: creating a set of images to illustrate administrative texts aimed at migrants". Legal Design Journal, 1/2024. https://legaldesign-journal.scholasticahq.com/article/122596-legal-design-and-easy-language-creating-a-set-of-images-to-illustrate-administrative-texts-aimed-at-migrants

Karadöller, Dilay Z./Sümer, Beyza/Özyürek, Aslı (2025): First-language acquisition in a multimodal language framework: Insights from speech, gesture, and sign. First Language, 2024, S. 01427237241290678.

Lindholm, Camilla/Vanhatalo, Ulla (eds.): Handbook of Easy Languages in Europe. Berlin: Frank & Timme, 191-218. DOI:10.26530/20.500.12657/52628;
https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/52628

Llewellyn-Jones, Peter/Lee, Robert (2014): Redefining the Role of the Community Interpreter: The Concept of Role-space. Carlton-le-Moorland: SLI Press.

Llewellyn-Jones, Peter/Lee, Robert (2016): Was ist role-space? Versuch einer Definition. In: Das Zeichen, 102, 140-157.

Maaß, Christiane, and Silvia Hansen-Schirra (2022). Removing barriers: Accessibility as the primary purpose and main goal of translation. In: Castillo Bernal, María Pilar/ Estévez Grossi, Marta (eds.): Translation, mediation and accessibility for linguistic minorities. Berlin: Frank & Timme, 33-54. https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/54058

Maaß, Christiane (2020): Easy Language – Plain Language – Easy Language Plus. Balancing Comprehensibility and Acceptability. Berlin: Frank & Timme. DOI: 10.26530/20.500.12657/42089; https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/42089

Maaß, Laura Marie (2024). Managing the shortage: A quantitative-qualitative study on the scale and effects of the severe lack in sign language interpreting resource in the German market. VAKKI Publications 16. https://doi.org/10.70484/vakki.145616