V. Accessible Content
5.2. Writing for the Web
5.2.4. Ortograf Altêrnativ
The Ortograf Altêrnativ (Alternative Spelling) is a Canadian initiative to make the reading and writing of the French language accessible to children suffering heavy learning deficiencies (with and IQ comprised between 25 and 55; the average IQ being 100), such as those affected by Trisomy or autism, who are not able, even with a constant training, to read simple texts in French. This alternative spelling was developed, since 1994, by the group Défi Apprentissage (Learning Challenge) from the department of psychopedagogy and andragogy of the University of Montréal.
The Ortograf Altêrnativ is not to be confused with a “new type of language” it is simply, as its name says it, an alternative way of spelling words, in a much simple way. This is especially not to be confused with some kind of texting language. This alternative spelling still follows the grammar rules that apply to the French language.
This alternative spelling encounters many criticisms and praises. The critics generally focused on the fact that this language appeared to them like some kind of texting language, which, in their opinion would encourage the use of bad grammar and spelling.
Jacques Langevin, one of the researchers that developed the Ortograf Altêrnativ, states that “it is not ideal, but it is an optimal compromise that could be compared to the Braille language” (Langevin, cited by the University of Montréal, 2004) which is also a different way to write, more than a complete language.
There is not much feedback available on how this alternative spelling is working for its dedicated public, but Sylvie Rocque, also working on its development, relates that parents told her that their disabled children have been able to read their first books after a few month of learning the Ortograf Altêrnativ, while they where still not able to read traditional spelling, even after years of study (Rocque, cited by the University of Montréal, 2004).
A spoof article announcing the reforming of the English spelling, to make it more accessible to foreign people, has been circulating via email and forums since 1997. Its message, was announcing, among other, “that the soft "c" will be replaced by the more phonetically correct letter "s". This will sertainly be resieved favourably by sivil servants in many European sities, and will insidentally render the "i" before "e" exsept after "c" rule unnesessary. The logical replasement of the hard "c" by the letter "k" will follow” (The Spelling Society, 2006). Even is this message was a joke, the “spelling reform” announced has several common points with the Ortograf Altêrnativ, it simplifies the spelling by linking only one spelling to one sound.