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- To analyze and help research the best possible strategy, or software for making the Regional Municipality of York's web site more accessible with the W3C consortium criteria (e.g. Content Management Software with accessibility features built into it, high level strategy or policy that dictates levels of accessibility that must be achieved with the current software).
- A centralized telephone contact for the website so persons with visual disabilities can talk to a Regional employee to get information that may not be accessible on the web.
- To review the writing styles of the departments that post to the web and determine guidelines around literacy levels and how to incorporate such guidelines into daily web development for persons with cognitive disabilities.
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Our Customers
Corporate Communications deals with external and internal clients as well as the general public to communicate Regional issues and services. Corporate Communications is also responsible for the layout and dissemination of information over the Internet and Intranet in a manner that supports screen reading software for persons with visual disabilities. Any documents produced by Corporate Communications will be made available in a format or font size that would be most accessible for a person with a disability.
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Accessibility Statement
Corporate Communications Services is committed to training members of their Branch in properly dealing with persons who have disabilities, via training offered by The Regional Municipality of York. This will educate our staff on how to properly manage requests from people with disabilities in a respectful and accommodating manner.
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Progress Report on Accessibility Achievements - 2006
| Barrier Identified(1) |
Barrier Type(2) |
Disability Type(3) |
How the barrier was addressed(4) |
| Making Regional Services More Accessible |
| Corporate Communications will review the Web publishing software that Information Technology Services Branch (ITS) is suggesting for accessibility components. Corporate Communications will also advise ITS on the level of accessibility that will be achieved through the software and give recommendations. |
Technological
Informational |
Sensory |
The Intranet was redesigned in a simple format that is easier for voice reading software and designed with white space for easier navigation. Research was also completed on software for the new Intranet. |
| Corporate Communications will provide guidelines and standards that are geared towards accessible communications for all departments in York Region as it relates to Web production and communications that are for internal and external clients. |
Technological
Informational |
Sensory |
Work is underway to update the standards guide in conjunction with the proposed online accessibility training for web coordinators. |
| Visual Barriers will be addressed such as: Internet and Intranet redesign with a focus on screen reading software compatibility and a standards guide developed to train the web co-ordinators on proper accessibility processes when developing web pages.
Implementation of Humanist 970 font and size as agreed upon by the York Region Accessibility Advisory Committee (YRAAC) for business cards and stationary to accommodate persons who have low vision. |
Informational
Technical |
Sensory |
Intranet redesigned with options for accessibility and standards guide updated.
Humanist 970 font was implemented as the accessible font for Regional business cards and stationary. The templates are available online via the Intranet.
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| Changing Attitudes and Raising Awareness |
| Increase awareness of staff to the needs of persons with disabilities through staff participation in inclusivity training. |
Attitudinal |
All |
Three staff completed the training. |
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Barrier Identification for 2007
| By-laws, policies and practices to be reviewed |
Methods to be used to identify the barrier |
Timing(5) (when will this be completed?) |
| Making Regional Services More Accessible |
| A centralized phone service will be piloted to give full support to persons with disabilities while web issues are resolved. |
We will approach the web redevelopment and phone service implementation by researching best practices, the W3C Consortium for web development, and to log the calls and requests made by persons with disabilities, via the web, telephone and e-mail in 2007 to identify areas for improvement. |
Spring 2007 |
| The Content Management Strategy (CMS) software will be reviewed to determine what strategy is needed to maintain an accessible web site using the new CMS updated software. |
We will approach the web redevelopment using the W3C Consortium to determine the level of training and accessibility the new updated software provides. |
Spring 2007 |
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Barriers That Will Be Addressed for 2007
Barrier Identified
(8) |
Barrier Type(9) |
Disability Type(10) |
How the barrier was addressed (11) |
Means to prevent/ remove the barrier(12) |
Indicators of Success(13) |
Timing(14) (when will this be completed?) |
| Making Regional Services More Accessible |
| Some web pages that have tables, charts and photos etc. are not accessible to screen reading software. |
Communica-tional |
Visual, Cognitive |
A centralized telephone service that will assist persons with disabilities in receiving Regional information located on the web in an accessible format. |
Create a plan that addresses issues of accessibility on certain web pages via direct telephone communica-tions. |
A gradual reduction in requests for information by persons with disabilities that can be logged in a tracking system. |
2007 |
| Increase the level of accessibility of Regional web pages by creating an Accessible Content Management Strategy moving forward. |
Technical |
Visual |
An easy to understand strategy will be created including training components for web coordinators to address accessibility issues such as screen reading software. |
Research the new CMS software package and review any accessibility components including accessibility barriers related to reading PDF files, as well as determining the best system to guide the users in the creation of accessible web pages. |
A higher W3C level of compliance and less requests for information not available in accessible formats from the Internet. |
2007 |
| Changing Attitudes and Raising Awareness |
| Increase awareness of staff to the needs of persons with disabilities through staff participation in inclusivity training. |
Attitudinal |
All |
Will provide staff with an introduction to the information to effectively and respectfully serve persons with disabilities. |
Four members of the Corporate Communications staff will participate in the inclusivity and accessibility training course being offered corporately. |
Staff awareness is raised and staff report having a better understanding of the needs of people with disabilities. |
2007 |
(1) Gives a description of the barrier and indicates where the barrier was found. For example was the barrier in a program, service, by-law, policy, practice and facility.
(2) Indicates the type(s) of barrier (physical, architectural, informational, communicational, attitudinal, technological, policy/practice).
(3) Indicates the type(s) of disability affected by the barrier (physical, sensory, cognitive or other)
(4) Describes the action taken to identify, remove or prevent the barrier.
(5) The timing for addressing a barrier does not necessarily have to be set within 2007. The nature of the action may be phased in over a number of months or years depending on the resources and priorities of the Department.
(8) Indicate where the barrier was found. For example: was it in a program, service, by-law, policy or facility?
(9) Indicate where the barrier type (physical, architectural, informational, communicational, attitudinal,
technological, policy/practice).
(10) Indicates the type of disability affected by the barrier (physical, sensory, cognitive or other).
(11) Indicate how accessibility will be enhanced by removing or preventing this barrier.
(12) Describe what action will be taken to remove and/or prevent the barrier.
(13) Indicate how customer service will be improved by removing or preventing this barrier. Also indicate any other measure(s) that will be used to determine whether or not the Department was successful in removing/preventing this barrier.
(14) The timing for addressing a barrier does not necessarily have to be set within 2007; the nature of the action may be phased in over a number of months or years depending on the resources and priorities of the department. |
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