Inclusive Design in Print and Media

& Compliance with the AODA

Jutta Treviranus

Inclusive Design Research Centre

OCAD University

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The Inclusive Design Research Centre

• inclusive design of emerging information and communication systems, policies and practices

• or... digital inclusion and designing for diversity

• since 1993

• open source, open access, open standards, open data

• over 96 research partner organizations globally

• Inclusive Design Institute -

• inclusive infrastructure

Masters in Inclusive Design

• an experiment in inclusive design

• as diverse a cohort as possible

• co-creators in their own educational

experience

• function as a post-disciplinary team

• 2 year executive masters with blended

delivery

• a growing learning community

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Inclusive Design

• Design that considers the full

range of human diversity with

respect to ability, language,

culture, gender, age and other

forms of human difference

• Designing for Diversity

3 Dimensions of

Inclusive Design…

• Personal - we are all diverse, support personalization, foster self-knowledge, don’t make choices for individuals

• Participatory - “nothing about us without us”, co-design, accessible design & development tools

• Pervasive - systems approach, cognizant of larger impact, supporting virtuous cycles

Not One-Size-Fits-

All

• We want to address the outliers

• The least homogenous minority

in the world

• People are diverse and we can

now support one-size-fits-

one

Digital Flexibility…

• opportunities for responsive

personalization

• copying

• transporting globally

• storing and finding

• opportunity for collective

production

Not Segregated…

• or specialized

• not sustainable

• “the poorer cousin”

Catalyzing Innovation…

The Importance of Inclusive

Design for Organizations?

• Scott Page

• “Diversity Trumps Ability”

• more successful planning

• more accurate prediction

• greater creativity

Proactive,

responsive, strategic

• Beginning of the “software food

-chain”

• Before the concrete is set

• Before “lock-in”

• Initiating a “virtuous cycle”

Contextualized..

Because the world is…

• bigger

• more connected

• more complex

For a better society

• We are all healthier, happier and

wealthier when we are inclusive

• Only inclusive prosperity is sustainable

• We can’t solve the world’s problems

without including the world’s largest

minority

But most importantly…

The Magic of the

Curb-Cut Phenomenon

• When you design to include

people with disabilities, what

you design works better for

everyone

Curbcut Example..?

Compliance with the AODA & Inclusive Design

• Principles of inclusive design can be used when organizations are

implementing their compliance requirements under the Accessibility for

Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)

• There are currently 5 accessibility standards in place under the AODA:

• Customer Service

• Design of Public Spaces

• Transportation

• Information & Communications

• Employment

• Inclusive Design approach may be particularly helpful when you are

implementing requirements under the Information & Communications Standard

and the Employment Standard

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Compliance with the AODA &

Inclusive Design

• The AODA allows organizations to take a flexible approach – there are

different solutions

• You are encouraged to work with people with disabilities to find options for

accessibility that work for the individual

• To understand the specific requirements for your organizations, please visit:

https://www.ontario.ca/government/accessibility-laws

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Accessibility Standard for

Information & Communications

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Accessibility Standard for Employment

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• Individualized workplace emergency

response information

• Recruitment

• Workplace information and

communications

• Individual accommodation plans

• Accommodation for employees

returning to work

• Employees’ accessibility needs for all

employment opportunities

Accessibility Imperative….

• Communication and information exchange is critical to the

success of any workplace. Some of the channels include:

• Print

• Printed documents, brochures, reports, etc.

• Digital:

• Email

• Web sites (mobile and/or desktop)

• Intranets, collaboration tools

• Social media, videos

• Mobile apps

• Other

• Phone, fax, etc.

Digital Communications

• Once a customer or employee with a disability can engage with

your offerings via a digital channel, there are many benefits:

• can use device’s built-in access features (e.g. high contrast, screen

readers, zoom):

Digital Communications

• can use specialized assistive technology (e.g. Braille displays, switch

access):

Digital Communications

• Benefits when communication leverages the Web:

• Ability to auto-translate

• Ability to save and share

• Ability to access 24/7

and from anywhere.

• Ability to search and explore.

• Ability to export to other formats

Digital Communications

• Many documents are already digital (e.g. web pages, PDF files,

Word files) or digital alternatives can be provided.

• And there are ways to link your physical and digital offerings (e.g. QR

codes)

What about non-digital formats?

• Well structured digital formats can be exported to accessible

print formats as required

• E.g. Braille and large print menus and order forms

Great! Am I done?

• Many of you will already have a digital presence with web sites

and (in some cases) mobile apps.

• Unfortunately, just because something is digital doesn’t mean

it’s accessible.

• That’s because some design decisions can block accessibility,

e.g.

• Images without alternative text

• Poor colour contrast

• Mouse-only control

• Confusing navigation

• Non-standard interactions(e.g. Flash)

• Videos without captions, etc.

Myths about Accessible Digital Design …

• Is ugly design

• Conflicts with security

• Cannot be interactive or engaging

• Costs more

• Only benefits customers and employees with disabilities, who are a

small number

• Does not improve your competitive advantage

The Facts…Inclusive Design

• Requires no compromises regarding aesthetics or interactivity, while

improving usability

• Low or no cost solutions/positive return on investment

• Saves money if done proactively

• Reduces costly errors and confusion

• Increases customer satisfaction and loyalty

• Increases competitive advantage

More Facts…Inclusive Design…

• Makes information management more efficient and effective

• Reduces redundancy, supports updating and increases longevity

• Makes information systems more secure and easier to update

Let me introduce you to two organizations…

• Dan McDunknow is the CEO of a large

sales firm with over 200 employees

• Judy Prescient is the Director of a large

service organization with just over 300

employees

• * these two are composite persona built

from aggregate real case studies and

data with fictionalized identifiers and

fictitious names

Dan’s attitude to accessibility…

• Dan sees accessibility as one of many legal risks

• He has retained a lawyer to assess and manage this risk

• His objective is to do the minimum he can get away with to avoid expensive

litigation or fines

• To address PR he donates regularly to the CNIB and the Rick Hanson

Foundation for good measure

• He feels proud to have hired someone who uses a cane and sees this as

evidence that he has done his civic duty toward people with disabilities

Judy’s attitude to accessibility…

• Judy sees accessibility as a non-optional part of good business

• She knows the benefit of integrating accessibility in from the start and as part

of all systems and processes

• Inclusive design is part of the continuous improvement cycle in her company

Posting Positions

Dan

• A PDF image on the Web site without

specific structure or fields

• Not searchable, cannot be indexed, no

consistency across postings

• Missing a large number of potential

applicants

Judy

• A well structured HTML page

• A template for creating an accessible,

consistent HTML posting

• Searchable, easy to create accessible

post,

• Reaches larger pool of applicants

Application Process

Dan

• A printed application form in small font

requiring a hand-written submission

• Hard copy resume and cover letter

• No digital record, inconsistent

handwriting

Judy

• An HTML5 online form with an option to

export to other formats

• Online submission of resume and cover

letter with other options on request

• Index-able, searchable, easy to

reformat for reviewers

Assessment

Dan

• A Flash application contracted to an

outside firm with complex sequenced

questions.

• Can only be updated by outside

vendor. Requires specific browser and

plug-ins. Can’t be viewed on certain

devices.

Judy

• An HTML5 form with an easy editing

function that accepts new question

sets.

• Compatible with all browsers and

devices. Easily updated by staff.

Responses can be viewed in various

formats.

Training and Orientation

Dan

• Video tape of prior live training session

without captions, accompanied by

photocopied sheets of instructions.

• Not easily updated, difficult to read or

search

Judy

• Structured company Wiki with

collected, well-structured training and

orientation material that can be updated

and annotated by staff.

• Easily updated, captures collective

wisdom

Health and Safety Information

Dan

• Photocopied sheet taped on the wall by

the company kitchen

• May not be available when required,

easily ignored or missed

Judy

• On company Web site and available in

various formats, posted in relevant

areas, distributed when required

through each staff member’s preferred

notification means

Intranet, document sharing

and collaboration tools

Dan

• Enterprise, proprietary system from

outside vendor, uses non-standard

formats, has not installed patches to

address accessibility

• Files not transferrable, dependent on

vendor to update, reluctant to change

because of sunk costs

Judy

• Web-based tool using standard formats

• Templates for accessible documents

and supports for descriptions and

annotations of non-text media

• Can integrate new functions, can share

and export documents outside

company

Customer-facing Website

Dan

• Flash and Flex site with flashing

animations, pop-up windows and most

relevant information in PDF format

• Images without alternative text

• Poor colour contrast

• Mouse-only controls

• Confusing navigation

• Videos without captions, etc

• Difficult to update, distracting, information

difficult to find, slow to load, incompatible

with browser updates, can’t be viewed on

some devices or in certain browsers

Judy

• Well-structured HTML site

• Content-management system that

can be accessed by staff to

update and change content, and

that supports accessible authoring

• Engaging site that is kept current

with information that is easily

located

Feedback System

Dan

• No feedback mechanism provided

• Complaints are not tracked and only

dealt with on an adhoc basis

Judy

• Multiple feedback mechanisms

• Feedback is captured, responded to

and reviewed during iterative

improvement cycles

Overall

Dan

• More confusion and error

• Dependent on costly outside services

to update information systems

• Issues with each browser and

application update

• Incompatible formats

• Important information is not searchable

• Excluding many employees and

customers

Judy

• Distributed responsibility for information

and communication maintenance

• Interoperable formats

• Compatible with standard applications,

browsers and devices

• All information searchable and

exportable

• Welcoming of all potential employees

and customers

Links

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0

• http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/

• WebAIM and WAVE Evaluation Tool

• http://webaim.org/

• http://wave.webaim.org/

• Office Documents: Accessible Digital Office Documents

(ADOD)

• http://adod.idrc.ocad.ca

• Mobile Apps: BBC Guidelines

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/futuremedia/accessibility/mobile

Thank You!

Inclusive Design Research Centre (IDRC)

OCAD University

http://idrc.ocadu.ca