Rose PadaczUniversity of Waterloo

Office for Persons with Disabilities

Web Advisory Committee AODA Accessibility Standards

AgendaOverview - AODA Legislation 5 Accessibility StandardsInformation & Communication StandardImplications for Universities & UW Solutions

What does accessibility mean? Who does it benefit?

Bill 508 (ADA) software complianceWeb Accessibility Standards (Eva)Q&A

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)

Goal: To create an inclusive, accessible province by 2025Systematic removal of barriers across the

province5 Standards Developments committees to lead

the way with endorsement by Minister and Queen’s Park

Ontario is a pioneer, launching this legislation ( which applies to both private and public sector)

AODA (2005) Purpose The AODA was implemented to elevate awareness regarding

barriers to full community participation faced by persons with disabilities in the province of Ontario

The AODA is a legislative document, established to embellish the existing obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code (www.ohrc.ca)

Goal: To create an inclusive, accessible province by 2025Systematic removal of barriers across the province5 Standards Developments committees to lead the way with

endorsement by Minister and Queen’s Park

Please visit the AODA Website for an overview of the Act and Accessibility standards at www.gov.on.ca/citizenship/accessibility/

AODA Implications for Universities

How does the Act apply to Post-secondary Education systems? Scheduled Organizations under the Act Class III Under Accessible Information & Communication

Standards

Universities are encouraged to think strategically regarding levels of access to programs, services and facilities for students, faculty, staff and community users with disabilities

Universities must create programs, policies and encourage practices to promote accessibility in the learning environment

AODA 5 Accessibility Standards

Built Environment (Public Review 2009)

Customer Service ( Launched 2008 – Compliance by December

2010)Employment (Review 2009)Information & Communication

(Under Review – Compliance once approved Dec. 2011)

Transportation

AODA Accessibility Standards

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1) Accessible Built Environment (Proposed Standard)

To address access into and within buildings and outdoor spaces and expected to build on Ontario’s Building Code – enhance accessible environments

Public review on proposed standard in 2009

2) Accessible Customer Service The Customer Service regulation came into force on January 1,

2008. Compliance to implement Training by 2010 COU developing an On-line web based training tool (for faculty,

staff and students) will be available for universities to adopt August 2009 -

Training for UW - roll our across campus for F’2009- 2010 Partners (IST, OPD, OHD, HR, Student Life Office, WAC, others..)

Accessibility Standards Development

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3)Employment Accessibility Proposed standard expected to address employment practices

and could include recruitment, hiring, and retention policies and practices.

Public review is underway and proposed standard to be available later in 2009.

4) Accessible Transportation

Proposed standard expected to address the removal of barriers in access to transportation and aspects of accessible public transportation

Final proposed standard posted on the Ministry of Community and Social Services website in January 2009 along with supporting summaries

Information & Communication Standard

Accessibility requirements for:4 broad categories of communicationIT based information & communication

systemsBusiness enterprise systemsIndividual accommodation

Implement by January 2011 with report on compliance by December 31, 2011

Accessible Information & Communication

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Proposed standard expected to address the removal of barriers in access to information and could include information being provided in person, through IT, print, a website or other means

Spirit of the Legislation (Universities) To purchase, upgrade, deliver educational materials or

other publications in simultaneous accessible formats (all modes eg. audio, electronic and print)

If audio, captioning or transcription will be required

Individual accommodation will still be required (Student, OPD, faculty or department to co-ordinate requests to ensure timely delivery)

Impact for Universities

Implications & Questions such as:Copyright – exemption clause for access to

materials (permission to post material on-line)

Libraries – acquisitions Publishers PurchasingElectronic Classrooms

Issues & Impact

Timelines for ComplianceParadigm shift from Individual Accommodation to

Integrated approach to Accessibility of Information, Communications & Technology ( Deliver accessible formats simultaneously)

Libraries Current recommendation is to provide new journals

purchased in electronic format with individual accommodation of existing acquisitions (scan to electronic text to be used by adaptive technology eg. JAWS, Kurtzweil), archives exempted

Interface between business practices in Ontario, Canada, USA and other countries

Buy in from Publishers

Why Change?

Accessibility Benefits EveryoneWe are a global institution, accessible web design supports web

search engines Universal Instructional Design, Simultaneous Access to environments, lecture and research

materials Appeals to all meta-cognitive learning styles ( auditory,

visual, kinesthetic) if material is made available in all formatsSupports optimal learning practices (Adult learning

pedagogy) 1500 students at UW with Disabilities, many faculty and staffBenefits those with low vision, legally blind, hearing loss or

profoundly deaf or those with physical disabilities, learning disabilities (enables screen reader access) Its the right thing to do!

Solutions Underway & Proposed

PACDI – (working with publishers, government, IT folks to create solutions)

PAFSE pilot project underway MET, MTCU supported pilot (building on-line repository

of alternate format to text, digital collection to share across provincial universities)

Partner with other universities, Council of Ontario Universities (COU), IDIA to develop collaborative solutions for universities, templates, guidelines and checklists for accessible web design

Consider joint application to Accessibility Directorate Enabling Change Grant

UW Solutions To Promote Accessibility

UW Plan for Integration & Compliance (Accessibility Standards Committees to determine impact, collaborate to create solutions in all 5 areas)

Customer Service Standards– COU Supported Solution for UniversitiesOn-line web Based Customer Service Training Tool

for Universities in development – Available summer 2009 to modify for UW rollout for Fall 2009

Partnership/Collaborative OPD, IST, OHD, HR, ITAC, Student Life, others….Web Advisory Committee??

UW Solutions To Promote Accessibility

Accessible Web Design WC3 Standards 2.0 – UW in compliance as of 2005

Alternate format Solutions - Transcription team connected with OPD

Library contact with Resource Services Library(RSL) to request alternate format of text in advance of lectures

High Speed Scanners and Adaptive software now available in DP Library, OPD in Education & Technology Lab, Student Life Centre

Goal to purchase and deploy additional scanners at HR, OHD, CTE? Other UW locations to be made available for immediate transcription

UW Solutions

Determine possible Partnerships with companies such as Apple, IBM, Accessibility Divisions for Voice Recognition and Captioning solutions (possibly Pilot UW as R&D site, etc.)

Content Management Systems – UW Library SystemsRecommendation that new journals be electronic,

current collections can be scanned within hours and modified to alternate format for individual use as needed (Archives are exempt from legislation)….

Recommend use of voice recognition technology to faculty and course instructors (R&D Applications?)

Possible interface with mobile technology projects such as Velocity for portable, accessible solutions

UW Solutions Purchase site license for adaptive software (install Kurtzweil

3000 and other software solutions) Load on student lab servers within faculties

Consult with OPD, Ambassadors and grad student users as experts to provide feedback on new developments or to test sites, user interface with software

Users to purchase portable technology ie. Screen readers, JAWS, Kurtzweil, that allow for electronic interface with lecture environment, websites and workplace

Students use software and hardware solutions to interface with lectures and on-line learning environment (Access BSWD Bursary Provincial/Federal funds for students via OPD and Student Awards or ADP program for funding to purchase individual technology products for faculty and staff) – Learn more about the software they use…..ET Lab Demonstrations – Free trial downloads

UW SolutionsElectronic Classrooms - Create and post electronic accessible

format wherever possible ( adapt others as needed for individual accommodation)

Encourage use of tablet computers in delivery of Math, Science and Engineering faculties (electronic interface with user)

Recommend accessibility specifications /design of future On-line Environment (OLE project) project is underway (Andrea Chappel) specifications to include recommendations for accessibility

Purchase and use Software for curriculum design that includes accessibility features (ADA 508 compliance), many include inherent accessibility features (eg. Camtagia has captioning features)

UW Plan to roll out to campus (Accessibility Standards Committees)

Possible web experts in each faculty?Other possibilities?

Eg. IST presentation Friday morning on captioning

Thank you for your time and efforts to promote and ensure Accessibility in IT environments for students, faculty and staff and visitors to the University of Waterloo!

Questions Over to Eva ( Accessible Web Design)