The Legalpix Project

The Kindale Developmental Association in Vernon, B.C., has developed an innovative way to assist people with language-related disabilities within the justice system. Picture symbols are in ever-increasing use within our schools, communities and workplaces to ease communication. Legalpix is a series of pictures that help people with learning or intellectual disabilities or acquired brain injury to understand more about their legal rights and responsibilities. The pictures also provide a means for communication for both parties.

Kindale’s speech pathologist designed the black and white line drawings, which illustrate people, places, processes and concepts related to the criminal justice system and to select areas of civil law. For instance, one set of pictures depicts the journey of an accused through the arrest and court processes. Another describes British Columbia’s laws on landlords and tenancy.

The pictures are available in print and in clip-art format (CD-ROM). They have also been included in four plain language print publications to date. The Legalpix Project was a partnership that also involved Human Resources Development Canada, Heritage Canada, the Law Foundation of British Columbia and the Law Courts Education Society of British Columbia. For more information, contact Kindale at (250) 546-3005, or e-mail jkindale@sunwave.net.