The responsibility to create and circulate information in accessible formats cuts across all the University’s academic and non-academic activities. It is a key support in accommodating the range of human differences found in our campus community as well as in external audiences such as prospective students.
The Aiming for Accessibility Conference will raise awareness of information and communication accessibility issues and provide practical strategies and techniques for addressing them. The conference will also provide a starting point for staff training on communication and information accessibility as mandated by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
Conference Missions and Goals
Conference Mission and Goals »
Start preparing for the new provincial information and communication standards
As part of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), the province of Ontario is preparing to adopt information and communication accessibility standards that could have a significant impact on universities, as well as other private and public institutions. Attend the Aiming for Accessibility conference to learn more about the standards, as well as the information and communication accessibility techniques required to address them.
The following excerpts are taken from the final draft of the AODA Accessible Information and Communications Standard (document #IC-SDC File #: N84 R5.5). The public review period for the proposed standard ended in February 2009. The Committee will vote on a final version in the Spring.
1.1 Application of Standard
Except where otherwise noted, timelines for compliance with this standard are…December 31, 2011.
2.2 Organizational Policies, Practices and Procedures
2.2.1 - All organizations shall develop, implement, and maintain policies, practices and procedures to ensure compliance with requirements of this standard.
2.7 Training
Organizations shall ensure training and guidance to employees, volunteers and others who are responsible for designing or providing and receiving information and communications on behalf of the organization.
3.0 IT-based Information and communication systems
3.1 New - IT-based information and communication systems
… shall have an accessible user interface and content file format by default when made available for use by employees or the public in accordance with the timelines in section 1.1.
3.3 - User interfaces of existing IT-based information and communication systems
… shall be accessible in accordance with the timelines in section 1.1.
4.0 Business Enterprise Systems
4.1 - Newly acquired business enterprise systems
… shall be compliant…when made available for use by employees or the public.
4.3 - Deployed or implemented business enterprise systems
… shall meet the [accessibility] requirements…at the time of system update and no later than within 6 years of this standard coming into effect. User interfaces and data formats shall be compliant by 2012.
5.2 Provision of information and communication formats and methods
…Organizations shall provide information and communication formats and methods to persons with disabilities:
- to give the individual at least the same time to review, respond or use the information and communications for the intended purpose as given to others,
- providing the same quality in that it is equally up-to-date, complete, and accurate as is available to others, and
- providing the same availability in terms of time and place as is available to others.
5.3.1 Print information
Organizations shall… provide the following when prepared information and communication is provided in a print format:
- an accessible electronic format (e-text) of the document,
- a Braille-ready electronic format or Braille printout of the document,
- an accessible audio format of the document,
- an enlarged (large print) version of the printed information,
- an electronic version of the document with supports for comprehension.
5.3.5 Video recording
Organizations shall…provide the following when prepared information and communication is provided through a video recording:
- synchronized captioning of the video,
- synchronized audio description of the video,
- text transcript of the visual and audio information communicated by the video, and
- synchronized interpretation of the speech and audio in sign language.
6.1 Text-based educational materials
6.1.2 - Educators
… [Educational organizations] shall ensure that its educators provide accessible educational/training materials to recipients with disabilities before or at the same time as other recipients...
6.1.3 - Educational libraries
Educational libraries …shall acquire an accessible electronic format for all new educational/training/reference text-based materials…
6. 2 Multi-media educational material
6.2.2 – Educators
… [Educational organizations] shall ensure that its educators provide accessible educational/training multi-media materials or appropriate substitutes to recipients with disabilities before or at the same time as other recipients….
6.2.3 - Educational libraries
Educational libraries affiliated … shall acquire an accessible electronic format for all new educational/training/reference multi-media materials …
