Making the Web Accessible to Everyone

What is Web Accessibility?

Web accessibility means designing websites so that everyone, including people with disabilities, can use them easily. When websites are built correctly, everyone gets equal access to information and features.

What is AODA?

AODA stands for the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act . It's a law in Ontario, Canada, that aims to make the province accessible for people with disabilities by 2025. It covers five key areas:

• Customer service
• Information and communication
• Employment
• Transportation
• Built environment

This law requires public sector and large organizations such as Western to make their websites accessible. When it comes to web accessibility under the AODA, the core principle is adherence to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Core Principle: WCAG 2.0 Level AA

• This principle ensures online content is accessible to users with a wide range of disabilities.
• The AODA mandates that all public-facing websites and web content must comply with WCAG 2.0 Level AA. Further detail can be found on the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)'s  Recommendation page and outlined below.
  
  

Key Accessibility Considerations (WCAG Principles):

Perceivability:

• Provide text alternatives for non-text content (e.g., alt text for images).
• Ensure content can be presented in different ways without losing information (e.g., adaptable layouts).
• Make it easier to see and hear content (e.g., sufficient color contrast, captions for videos).

Operability:

• Make all functionality available via keyboard.
• Provide users with enough time to read and use content.
• Avoid content that could cause seizures (e.g., flashing content).
• Make navigation and finding content easy.

Understandability:

• Make text readable and understandable.
• Make web pages operate in predictable ways.
• Help users avoid and correct mistakes.

Robustness:

• Ensure content is compatible with various user agents, including assistive technologies.
  
  

Important Considerations for Compliance:

Ongoing Compliance:

• Accessibility is an ongoing process. Websites must be regularly monitored and updated.

Accessible Documents:

• AODA extends to digital documents (PDFs, Word files). These must also be made accessible.

Training:

• Organizations must provide accessibility training to their staff.

Enforcement:

• Non-compliance can result in financial penalties.
  
  

Creating Accessible Files

• Learn how to create accessible PDFs.
• Learn how to create accessible Word documents.
  
  

What AODA Means for Western University

Western University is committed to following AODA standards and making our online experiences open and accessible to all. Including creating digital spaces that are mindful of users with disabilities that include difficulties with vision, cognition, or mobility. We work hard to make our digital content accessible to people who use assistive technology such as:

• Screen readers
• Closed captioning
• Voice command
• Spelling and grammar tools
• Sitemaps
  
  

Does your Website Need to Comply with AODA?

Yes, AODA applies to all websites and web content that your team controls or manages. This includes web-based applications.

For more information on guidelines and other standards related to web accessibility, visit W3C Accessibility Standards Overview.