The Integrated Accessibility Standard

Requirement:

3. (1) Every obligated organization shall develop, implement and maintain policies governing how the organization achieves or will achieve accessibility through meeting its requirements referred to in this Regulation.

(2) Obligated organizations, other than small organizations, shall include a statement of organizational commitment to meet the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner in their policies.

What does compliance look like for this requirement??

This requirement expects the development of an Accessibility Policy. This policy indicates how your company will achieve accessibility.  Each organization must examine all company policies and procedures to examine how barriers for people with disabilities will be removed.  The policy must speak to all the requirements in the Integrated Accessibility Standard (remember to include Information and Communications, Employment, Transportation and Customer Service).  

All public sector organizations must prepare this document for the public.  This means that the documents must be made accessible.  It is a good idea to ensure your company has accessible formats of the Accessibility Policy available. 

What are you doing to ensure compliance with this individual requirement?

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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca

Accessibility and the Integrated Accessibility Standard


Requirement:   

The Government of Ontario, Legislative Assembly, designated public sector organizations and large organizations shall,

(a) establish, implement, maintain and document a multi-year accessibility plan, which outlines the organization’s strategy to prevent and remove barriers and meet its requirements under this Regulation;

(b) post the accessibility plan on their website, if any, and provide the plan in an accessible format upon request; and

(c) review and update the accessibility plan at least once every five years.

What does compliance look like for this requirement??

This requirement requires the development of a Multi-Year Accessibility Plan.  This plan will outline how your company is going to prevent and remove barriers (both visible and invisible). This plan should cover all principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) including independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity. 

This plan needs to put in a place the public can get access to it --- for example the company website. 

The company also link the policy to other policies on Accessibility (including Customer Service, Information and Communication, and Employment).  This would ensure that accessibility is a part of your everyday business.

What are you doing to ensure compliance with this individual requirement?

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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca

Principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians for Disabilities Act

The Standards of the AODA and the Accessibility for Ontarians for Disabilities Act talk about principles of Accessibilities.  These principles are important for people with disabilities as they help achieve accessibility.  These principles as they move to practices that help with full inclusion.  These principles include dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.  We must start to discuss the meaning and practice of each principle to help form the practices of a barrier free Ontario. Organizations must create policies, practices and procedures that are guided by the principles. 

What does the principle of equal opportunity mean?

In general, equal opportunity means that people with disabilities have an opportunity to equally participate or access goods or services.  This means that they have the same chances, options, benefits and results as others.  People with disabilities should not have to make any more significantly effort to access a good or service.  It should not be an inconvenience.  This helps maintain that equal opportunity have the same chances, options, benefits and results as others.  Sometimes, equal opportunity can be best reached by taking steps to ensure that individuals need are taken into account when planning the goods or services. 

The staff needs to assist people with disabilities to understand the variety of products available, especially if the customer cannot access the goods or services.  The customers need to be listened to ensure that each good and service is granted. 

Can you share any examples of how a good or service is designed to respect the principle of equal opportunity for people with disabilities?

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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca

Principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians for Disabilities Act

Principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians for Disabilities Act

The Standards of the AODA and the Accessibility for Ontarians for Disabilities Act talk about principles of Accessibilities.  These principles are important for people with disabilities as they help achieve accessibility.  These principles as they move to practices that help with full inclusion.  These principles include dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.  We must start to discuss the meaning and practice of each principle to help form the practices of a barrier free Ontario. Organizations must create policies, practices and procedures that are guided by the principles. 

What does the principle of integration mean?

The principle of integration is designed to combine services so that people with disabilities are included in any services.  Integrated services are those that allow people with disabilities to fully benefit from the same services, in the same place and in the same or similar way as other customers. Integration means that policies, practices and procedures are designed to be accessible to everyone including people with disabilities.

Sometimes integration may not be suitable because of other laws or does not serve the needs of people with disabilities.  In this case, alternate measures need to be examined.  This means that people with disabilities may to need to access the goods or services in a different place or in a different way. 

Can you share any examples of how a good or service is designed to respect the principle of integration for people with disabilities?

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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca 

Principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians for Disabilities Act

The Standards of the AODA and the Accessibility for Ontarians for Disabilities Act talk about principles of Accessibilities.  These principles are important for people with disabilities as they help achieve accessibility.  These principles as they move to practices that help with full inclusion.  These principles include dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.  We must start to discuss the meaning and practice of each principle to help form the practices of a barrier free Ontario. Organizations must create policies, practices and procedures that are guided by the principles. 

What does the principle of independence mean?

For many people, independence means freedom from control or influence of others.  This often happens naturally at certain points for many people.  For people with disabilities, independence is even more important.  Independence means the ability make your own choices and to do things their own way.  This may mean that all people have an opportunity to participate in a program or service because of this factor. 

In terms of Customer Service, it is important to listen and respond respectfully to the needs of individual customers.  This could mean speaking directly to the person and listening to their needs. 

Can you share any examples of how a good or service is designed to respect the principle of independence for people with disabilities?

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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca

Principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians for Disabilities Act

The Standards of the AODA and the Accessibility for Ontarians for Disabilities Act talk about principles of Accessibilities.  These principles are important for people with disabilities as they help achieve accessibility.  These principles as they move to practices that help with full inclusion.  These principles include dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.  We must start to discuss the meaning and practice of each principle to help form the practices of a barrier free Ontario. Organizations must create policies, practices and procedures that are guided by the principles. 

What does the principle of dignity mean?

Policies, procedures and practices that respect the dignity of a person with a disability are those that treat them as customers and clients who are as valued and as deserving of effective and full service as any other customer. They do not treat people with disabilities as an afterthought or force them to accept lesser service, quality or convenience. Service delivery needs to take into account how people with disabilities can effectively access and use services and show respect for these methods. By respecting the idea of dignity, the person with a disability is not being interfered. 

Can you share any examples of how a good or service is designed to respect the principle of dignity for people with disabilities?

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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca

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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca