DivulgaCAA
Equal Access to Justice: Communication as the Key
Reporting a crime, giving a statement or expressing a decision before a court requires accessible communication. For people who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), access to justice depends on someone being ready to listen in a different way. This month brings two key dates: on October 23, Spain’s new regulation of the expert procedural facilitator comes into force, and on October 30 we are hosting a webinar with Juan Bornman.
A right on an equal basis
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Art. 13) recognises access to justice on an equal basis with others, including the necessary procedural accommodations, and Spain’s Law 8/2021 guarantees the right to understand and to be understood throughout the legal process. Even so, barriers remain: lack of time, legal jargon, intimidating settings and doubts about the credibility of statements made through AAC. It is worth remembering that the voice of a communication device, or the “lent” voice of a partner interpreting a communication board, is equally valid.
The new expert procedural facilitator
The 18th additional provision of Spanish Law 4/2026 (Official State Gazette no. 246, 3 October 2026) regulates this role:
- Supports the person to understand the process and make informed decisions, identifying and implementing the accommodations they need.
- Is neutral: does not speak on behalf of anyone or influence decisions.
- Requires accredited training in cognitive accessibility, inclusive communication and procedural accommodations.
- Its absence can void procedural acts when it has prevented the person’s effective participation.
Everyone has something to say; sometimes we need to listen in a different way
Juan Bornman
Webinar: Communication as the Key to Ensuring Access to Justice
In this webinar, Juan Bornman will explore communication as the key to accessing justice, drawing on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We will look at the barriers that arise at different stages of the criminal justice process and the supports that promote understanding, expression and participation.
- Date: October 30, 2026, 6:00–8:00 PM (Spanish time)
- Format: online
- Includes: live access, recording available until November 7 and downloadable materials
- Price: €15
Who is it for? AAC users and their families; communication, education and health and social care professionals; police and justice professionals; and anyone interested in accessibility and rights.
About Juan Bornman. She holds a PhD and is a speech-language therapist, audiologist and professor at Stellenbosch University (South Africa), with more than 30 years of experience in communication support needs. One of her main areas of work is access to justice for people with disabilities who have communication support needs. She was President of ISAAC (International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication) from 2020 to 2022.
Download the guide
To learn more, download for free the Guide for legal professionals and facilitators: Augmentative and Alternative Communication in the legal field (in Spanish), written by the AlfaSAAC team (Ana Medina Reguera, Begoña Lloréns Macián and Ruth Candela Ramírez) and published by Plena inclusión. It covers types of communication systems, guidelines for being a good communication partner, practical examples and ready-to-print resources: boards for testifying in court, E-TRAN frames, alphabet boards and a vocabulary repertoire based on Law 8/2021.
References
United Nations. (2006). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. https://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/convoptprot-e.pdf
Ley 8/2021, de 2 de junio, por la que se reforma la legislación civil y procesal para el apoyo a las personas con discapacidad en el ejercicio de su capacidad jurídica. BOE no. 132, 3 June 2021.
Ley 4/2026, de 1 de octubre. Disposición adicional decimoctava: Persona experta facilitadora procesal. Requisitos y funciones. BOE no. 246, 3 October 2026.
Medina Reguera, A., Lloréns Macián, B. & Candela Ramírez, R. (2022). Guía para operadores jurídicos y facilitadores: Comunicación Aumentativa y Alternativa en el ámbito jurídico. Madrid: Plena inclusión. https://hdl.handle.net/11181/6863
Medina Reguera, A., Candela Ramírez, R. & Lloréns Macián, B. (2025). Comunicación aumentativa y alternativa y el acceso a la justicia de personas sin lenguaje oral. Cuaderno de Familia. Boletín Jurídico de Infancia, Familia y Capacidad, 8. Asociación Judicial Francisco de Vitoria.
Camilleri, M. & Pedersen, C. (2019). Hear us. The experiences of persons with Complex Communication Needs in accessing justice. Federation University Australia.
Endara Rosales, J. (2021). La facilitación en el acceso a la Justicia. Madrid: Plena inclusión.
White, R., Johnson, E. & Bornman, J. (2021). Investigating Court Accommodations for Persons with Severe Communication Disabilities: Perspectives of International Legal Experts. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 23(1), 224–235.
