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January 2018  |  View this email online
AODA Tool Box - What you need to know about Ontario's accessibility laws

Good public spaces are accessible public spaces

Good public spaces are planned and designed from the beginning with accessibility in mind. Accessible public spaces mean that sidewalks are free of barriers and wide enough to move around, recreational trails provide an inclusive experience for everyone to enjoy natural spaces in our communities, and outdoor play spaces are creative, fun and challenging for children of all ages and abilities and their caregivers.

Learn more about accessible public spaces and how to meet the requirements.

Free courses on how to make your website and content accessible back by popular demand!


The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario, in partnership with the Ontario government’s Accessibility Centre of Excellence (ACOE), is pleased to offer free courses to the public sector on how to make your website and content accessible.
The ACOE is the authoritative source of accessibility information across the provincial government as it relates to information and information technology. Training will be delivered live by an ACOE trainer via webinar.

Space is limited so register today!

Important: Make sure you note the date and time for the registered course in your calendar. You will not receive an email confirmation when you register. A day or two before the session date, you will receive an email meeting invitation with the webinar details from the webinar host, Sekaly Osman.
If you have any questions about your registration, please contact Alex Tapp at alexandra.tapp@ontario.ca or 416-326-9713.

 

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Primer

Designed for a general audience, this course will give you an overview of web accessibility, WCAG 2.0, AODA requirements and the compliance schedule. No prior knowledge of accessibility is required.

March 21, 2018
9:15 am – 12:00 pm
 
Register for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Primer
 
Important:  On the registration page “Ministry” is a mandatory field. Enter “Accessibility Directorate of Ontario” in this field.

 

Creating Accessible MS Word Documents

Discover the background and theory of accessibility and how it affects document creation. Learn techniques for creating accessible Word documents and making existing documents accessible.  Perquisite: a general understanding of Microsoft Word.

February 21, 2018
9:15 am – 12:00 pm

Register for Creating Accessible MS Word Documents
 
Important:  On the registration page “Ministry” is a mandatory field. Enter “Accessibility Directorate of Ontario” in this field.

 

Creating Accessible PDFs with Adobe Acrobat

Discover the background and theory of accessibility and how it effects document creation. Learn techniques for creating accessible PDF documents. Perquisite: a general understanding of Adobe Acrobat.

January 31, 2018
9:15 am – 12:00 pm

March 28, 2018
9:15 am – 12:00 pm

Register for Creating Accessible PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
 
Important:  On the registration page “Ministry” is a mandatory field. Enter “Accessibility Directorate of Ontario” in this field.


Creating Accessible PDFs with Adobe Acrobat – Advanced

Learn advanced techniques for accessible PDF documents.  Perquisite: experience creating PDF documents and using the features of Acrobat Pro.
 
February 14, 2018
9:15 am – 12:00 pm

Register for Creating Accessible PDFs with Adobe Acrobat – Advanced
 
Important:  On the registration page “Ministry” is a mandatory field. Enter “Accessibility Directorate of Ontario” in this field.
Accessibility Webinars

Register for a free webinar


Sign up for free, interactive webinars to learn more about accessibility and your requirements.

Contact us if your organization is interested in partnering on a webinar about an area of accessibility that will be of interest to your members or employees.


Coming up:


Understanding the Design of Public Spaces
February 21, 2018: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

 

Hiring People with Disabilities: Replacing Myths with Realities
February 28, 2018: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Register now

Reference Number: PEP1802

Wanted: New Members for Minister’s Accessibility Standards Advisory Council


Do you want to contribute to a more inclusive Ontario? Apply to become a member of the Minister’s Accessibility Standards Advisory Council (ASAC)!

The Minister Responsible for Accessibility is always looking for candidates to sit on ASAC. Members provide advice on matters relating to accessibility and the implementation of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, including the progress of the Standards Development Committees and other accessibility matters.

Learn more about the Minister’s Accessibility Standards Advisory Council, including its mandate and membership.


How to apply


Visit the Public Appointments Secretariat website for instructions on how to apply.

On the application form, select “Accessibility Standards Advisory Council” under the list of agency names. Make sure to indicate any relevant background, including lived experience of disability and previous board experience in the section “Additional Information”.


Help us spread the word


Share this newsletter with your colleagues and stakeholders and anyone else you think might be interested in this opportunity.

FAQ

Question

Is my public sector organization required to maintain all of our public spaces?

Answer

If you are a designated public sector organization, you must maintain the accessible parts of your public spaces. In your multi-year accessibility plan, you must document your procedures for preventative and emergency maintenance of the accessible parts of your public spaces. You must also document how you will handle times when the accessible parts of your public spaces are not working or available.

Your maintenance procedures for an accessible part of your public space can depend on its purpose, how often it is used and how users would be affected if it is not kept in good working condition.

Examples

A university or college may inspect a sidewalk more frequently than a walkway in a public park because more pedestrians use it more often and it may provide important linkages to the transportation network.

A municipality should document their parks and recreation maintenance schedules for accessible trails or play spaces, especially if those trails or play spaces are not maintained during the winter months.

Accessibility Tip

Workplace accommodations vary depending on each situation. Some frequent and easy-to-implement accommodations include flexible work hours, switching some work tasks with other employees, arranging for access to a quieter workspace and providing assistive technologies.

Top Tools

Beyond Compliance is an accessibility self-assessment tool that provides information about what you can do to go beyond compliance with Ontario’s accessibility laws to create a more accessible organization.

Professional Web Accessibility Auditing Made Easy is an online course that will help web content editors and web developers quickly build the knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed to effectively support an organization’s web accessibility efforts.

Upcoming Events

January 31 - February 2, 2018: HRPA 2018 Annual Conference and Trade Show

January 31 – February 3, 2018: Ontario Library Association Super Conference

February 25 -28, 2018: OGRA Conference
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Our mailing address is:
Accessibility Directorate of Ontario
777 Bay St., Suite 601A
Toronto ON M7A 2J4
1-866-515-2025

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accessibility@ontario.ca

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