Principles of Accessibility: February 2014

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Barriers to Accessibility

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act states that by 2025, Ontario will be barrier free and completely accessible. What does barriers mean? In terms of accessibility, barriers are obstacles. A barrier is anything that keeps someone with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of their disability. Barriers to accessibility are obstacles that make it difficult — sometimes impossible — for people with disabilities to do the things most of us take for granted — things like going shopping, working, or taking public transit.

When we think of barriers to accessibility, most of us think of physical barriers — like a person who uses a wheelchair not being able to enter a public building because there is no ramp. This is a visible barrier. The following are other visible barriers:

There are architectural barriers. These result from not designing a building to allow access for all people.

Information and communication barriers make difficult for people to receive or convey information. This means that printed materials and the use of language need to be clear and easy to understand.

Technology barriers are those that prevent people from accessing information. This means that computers and any other technology have to be designed and set up with accessibility in mind.

The fact is there are many kinds of barriers. Some are visible. Many are invisible. When you think about accessibility, it is important to be aware of both visible and invisible barriers.

Attitudinal barriers are the most difficult barrier to overcome. Some people don’t know how to communicate with others with visible and invisible disabilities. This means that based on an attitude, someone may offend people with disabilities by making assumptions. This means that people with disabilities are not included.

Systemic barriers can result from an organization’s policies, practices and procedures if they restrict people with disabilities, often unintentionally, from being included in a service.

What are some barriers that are present for customers with disabilities? How can these barriers to be removed?

If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-579-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca

Myths about people with Disabilities

In order to break down barriers to accessibility, it is important for people to understand disabilities. This is why it is important for all people to learn more about all Ontarians and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Myth: People with disabilities are inferior to "normal" people and their lives are very different.

This is a myth because we don’t even have a consensus of what is "normal"? We have to remember that we all have different abilities, talents, interests and personalities — you name it! People with disabilities go to school, get married, work, have families, play, do laundry, go shopping, eat out, travel, volunteer, vote, pay taxes, laugh, cry, plan and dream — just like everyone else. People with disabilities are us!

Myth: We need to feel sorry for people with disabilities.

This is a myth because it is patronizing. People with disabilities don't need pity. They need access to opportunities.

Myth: People with disabilities are brave and courageous.

This is a myth because adjusting to a disability requires adapting to a lifestyle, not bravery and courage. Remember that any one of us can become disabled at any time.

Myth: It's not a good idea to hire people with disabilities. They have a higher turnover rate and they

take sick days more often.

This is a myth because many studies show that employees with disabilities are often more productive, dependable and loyal than their co-workers without disabilities. That adds up to savings of millions of dollars every year in hiring and training costs.

Myth: You have to be careful when you're talking to a person with a disability, because they are easily offended if you use the wrong word.

This is a myth because you just need to be as polite and respectful as you would when speaking to anyone. If you're not sure what to say or do, it's okay to ask.

Myth: It's difficult serving customers with disabilities.

Customers with disabilities have the same preferences, perceptions, attitudes, habits, and needs as customers without disabilities, and they are looking for the same quality of products and services.

Remember, everyone, regardless of ability, deserves to be treated with the same dignity and respect

What are some other myths about people with disabilities?

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Do you still think that AODA is not your responsibility?

Since August 2013, companies all across Ontario are getting a big wake-up call from the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Employment when it comes to AODA compliance. Upon receiving this letter from the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario, companies must file their accessibility report within 20 business days. Failure to do so may result in enforcement action being taken against the organization, which can include inspections, Director’s Orders, and administrative monetary penalties.

What is the AODA?

AODA legislation aims to make the province of Ontario fully accessible for people with disabilities by 2025. Passed in 2005, the AODA is being implemented in five pieces known as standards. Each standard has different time frames and requirements for business owners:

Customer Service Standard
Transportation Standard
Employment Standard
Communication & Information Standard
Built Environment Standard

Customer Service Standard

The Customer Service Standard is the first of the five standards—and perhaps the least onerous for business. It requires that Ontario businesses provide their goods and services in a way that is accessible to all Ontarians. There are 11 specific requirements employers must fulfill under the customer service standard. To comply to the customer service standard, all obligated businesses and organizations must:

Establish policies, practices and procedures on providing goods or services to people with disabilities.
Make reasonable efforts to ensure that policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity.
Have a policy dealing with people’s use of their own assistive devices to access goods or services or any other measures the organization offers to enable an individual access the goods or services.
Communicate with a person with a disability in a manner that takes into account their disability.
Let people with disabilities bring their service animals onto the parts of the premises open to the public or other third parties, except where the animal is otherwise excluded by law from the premises.
Let people with disabilities be accompanied by their support persons while on the parts of the provider’s premises open to the public or other third parties.
If a provider charges admission, let people know ahead of time what, if any, admission will be charged for a support person.
Provide notice when facilities or services that people with disabilities usually use to access goods or services are temporarily disrupted.
Train anyone who interacts with the public or other third parties on the provider’s behalf on topics outlined in the customer service standard.
Train anyone who is involved in developing the provider’s customer service policies, practices and procedures on topics outlined in the customer service standard.
Establish a process for receiving and responding to feedback about the way the organization provides goods or services to people with disabilities, including the actions to be taken if a complaint is received, and make information about the process readily available to the public.

In addition, designated public sector organizations and organizations with 20 or more employees must:

Document in writing all their policies, practices and procedures for providing accessible customer service and meet other document requirements set out in the standard.
Notify customers that the documents required under the customer service standard are available upon request .
When giving documents required under the customer service standard to a person with a disability, provide the information in a format that takes into account the person’s disability.

Have you met the standard?

If you have 20 or more employees, an organization was required to file their Customer Service Accessibility Compliance Report back in December 2012 to inform the Ministry that the requirements of the Customer Service Standard were met.

It’s time to file that report!

The purpose of the Accessibility Compliance Report is to demonstrate that you have met the requirements of the Customer Service Standard listed above. These include establishing policies, practices, and procedures on providing goods or services to people with disabilities and training your staff on providing accessible customer service.

Has your organization filed a compliance report? How far has your company come in compliance?

Understanding barriers to accessibility

I know I have posted this be before but I had some experiences lately that made me remind those of these barriers.

Barriers are obstacles. Barriers to accessibility are obstacles that make it difficult — sometimes impossible — for people with disabilities to do the things most of us take for granted — things like going shopping, working, or taking public transit.

When we think of barriers to accessibility, most of us think of physical barriers — like a person who uses a wheelchair not being able to enter a public building because there is no ramp.

The fact is there are many kinds of barriers. Some are visible. Many are invisible.

Barriers to accessibility
Type of barriers	Examples
Attitudinal barriers are those that discriminate against people with disabilities.	thinking that people with disabilities are inferior assuming that a person who has a speech impairment can't understand you
Information or communications barriers happen when a person can't easily understand information.	print is too small to read websites that can't be accessed by people who are not able to use a mouse signs that are not clear or easily understood.
Technology barriers occur when a technology can't be modified to support various assistive devices.	a website that doesn't support screen-reading software
Organizational barriers are an organization's policies, practices or procedures that discriminate against people with disabilities.	a hiring process that is not open to people with disabilities
Architectural and physical barriers are features of buildings or spaces that cause problems for people with disabilities.	hallways and doorways that are too narrow for a person using a wheelchair, electric scooter or walker counters that are too high for a person of short stature poor lighting for people with low vision doorknobs that are difficult for people with arthritis to grasp parking spaces that are too narrow for a driver who uses a wheelchair telephones that are not equipped with telecommunications devices for people who are Deaf, deafened or hard of hearing

What are some barriers you have experienced in your workplace?

Why is Accessibility Good for your Business?

The numbers

· About one in seven (1.85 million) Ontarians has a disability

· As population ages, the number will increase

The case for accessible businesses

· People with disabilities like to eat out, travel, work and participate in everyday activities

· Why accessibility is good for your business? Did you know?

· About 1.85 million people in Ontario (that’s 15.5% of the population) have a disability.

· 47.2% of people over the age of 65 have disabilities.

By opening your business to more customers, you will be able to increase your profit because they live with, work with and influence the rest of the population

The goal of the AODA is to make Ontario barrier free. This means that people with disabilities in Ontario can participate in all forms of life. This is the first legislation of its kind in the world. It follows that ODA. The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act has certain requirements that all public and private companies must comply with. The AODA calls for the development of the Directorate and 5 standards.

With five new legislative standards being implemented (Customer Service, Communication and Information, Built Environment, Transportation and Employment) it can be a little overwhelming for organizations. Her mission is to help organizations meet those standards so that they are in compliance and most importantly barriers are removed for persons with disabilities. The Accessibility Directorate is developing 5 standards that make Ontario barrier free (for visible and invisible)

How is your business open to more people with disabilities? ?