Ontario is one of the most revered regions in Canada known for providing exceptional accessibility standards. Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) is a provincial law that is devoted to making Ontario accessible-friendly, taking into consideration the rights of disabled people.
AODA mandates that all accessibility related barriers should be eliminated and the disabled community of Ontario should be provided with all the rights and means just like any other Ontarian citizen. Making AODA-compliant websites is mandatory for almost all the organizations in Ontario that fall under AODA. In this article, you will get a detailed understanding of AODA accessibility standards in Canada.
What is Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)?
The AODA was formed in 2005 to create a barrier-free Ontario by 2025. Canada accessibility standards are regulated by AODA across private, public and government sectors. Its requirements affect five different business areas such as information and communications, employment, customer service, transportation and design of public spaces.
Obstacles for the disabled community of Ontario are reduced or eliminated through the strategic implementation of AODA.
The objective of AODA:
AODA aims to make sure that disabled persons should not be prevented from fully participating in all societal aspects because of a disability. This commitment is related to removing barriers whether they are informational, technological, architectural or physical.
AODA seeks to include disabled people in the development of official accessibility standards, so their voices can be heard and adequately met.
Applying AODA to private businesses:
The requirements for private companies depend on the company’s size. AODA standards apply to all organizations.
Companies that are fewer than 20 employees must:
• Ensure that accessibility policies are developed
• Must train volunteers and staff on customer service and accessibility requirements
• Must plan for self-service and accessible kiosks if applicable
• Accessible employment practices must be implemented
• Accessible information must be provided upon request and at no additional cost
• Accessible public spaces must be developed.
Companies with 20 to 49 employees must also make sure that:
• An accessibility compliance report is filed every three years.
In addition to all the smaller company requirements, larger organizations must ensure:
• All public websites are made accessible according to the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. Canada accessibility standards must be applied strategically.
Applying AODA to Government agencies:
As of January 1, 2016, the Legislative assembly and all websites from the Government of Ontario must conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
Public sector organizations and Municipal government bodies in the province were required to make all their Web content WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliant by January 1, 2021.
Penalties applied for Non-compliance:
Section 21(4) states that those institutions that violate regulations may be ordered to pay a fine or/and comply within a particular timeframe.
AODA Compliant Hiring, Training and Employment practices:
The AODA states that all employers must adhere to training, hiring and management practices that do not discriminate against disabled people.
The following physical or digital processes must be made fully accessible:
• Internal communications
• New employee vetting, recruiting and hiring
• Assessing performance and management
• Advancement and development.
Documentation for individual accommodation plans should be maintained by employers.
AODA Exceptions:
Clarification has come from Ontario’s government that the AODA compliance does not apply to internal (intranet) websites, nor to content that has been published before 2012. However, when a request comes from an individual that content be made accessible that is posted before January 1, 2012, in an alternate format (such as braille or large print), organizations must work so that the individual needs are met.
Conclusion: If you are looking forward to implementing accessibility testing for your specific organization, then do get connected with a reputed software testing services company that will provide you with tactical testing solutions that are in line with your project specific requirements.
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