Cal Vs To Accessibility May11
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Jane Sleeth Managing Director at OPC Inc went on a fact finding trip to LA CA in April. Is LA further ahead in the Accessibility "race" than Toronto? & if this is the case what are the business advantages to ensuring buildings, businesses & outdoor spaces are accessible. The results are presented in this PP presentation recently delivered for IFMA. Enjoy JESleeth
Transcript of Cal Vs To Accessibility May11
The AODA Act in Ontario
Making Ontario accessible
June 13, 2005, Ontario government passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
The ActThe Act:
Makes Ontario the first jurisdiction in Canada to develop, implement & enforce mandatory accessibility standards; applies to both private & public sectors
•1.85 million people in Ontario have a disability or 1 in 7•Over the next 20 years as the population ages, the number will rise to one in five Ontarians.•Ontario needs to be more accessible to people with disabilities. It makes sense — economically and socially
Through the act and the accessibility standards, the goal is to make Ontario accessible by 2025
Meeting the requirements of the standards: Customer Service
As a first step, businesses in Ontario with at least one employee must offer accessible customer service by January 1, 2012 The customer service standard is about:
•Understanding that customers with disabilities may have different needs, and•Finding the best way to help them access your goods and services
OR
What kind of disabilities are we talking about?
We don’t have any barriers that we know of in our workplace
The restaurant industry in Ontario for example•Restaurants, pubs and hotels which are accessible and provide excellent customer service to disabled people, their friends and family, will reach an estimated $1 billion market •18% of disabled customers visit restaurants at least once a week and 22% visit at least two or three times a month•60.7% of disabled customers go to restaurants to meet family and friends
Estimates project that 20% of the population will have a disability in the next several years. Logically, with the demographic trend towards a much larger senior population of Baby-Boomers, the impact of disability will be more pronounced. If you use a multiplier of just one person per disabled customer, that means that 40% of the population will be directly affected. These are your potential customers & clients with money to spend on your businesses services and products
An untapped market
Ergonomic/Accessible Design, Accessibility (AODA) are interrelated
Here are some employers with blended programs
HP receives Helen Keller Achievement Award from American Foundation for the Blind
iPhoneVision Hearing Physical & Motor Skills
It's not every day that a global company takes a challenge and turns it into an opportunity. SAP AG (headquartered in Waldorf, Germany) along with its subsidiaries (which span over 50 countries worldwide) is in the process of turning the accessibility challenge into an accessibility opportunity.
HP is committed to developing products, services and information
that are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities or age-related limitations. This
commitment supports our company's diversity and "Total
Customer Experience" objectives and helps ensure that the benefits of technology are available to all.
Has anyone in your workplace ever calculated;Has anyone in your workplace ever calculated;
Why workplaces will be experiencing more employees & customers with disabilities
Accessible workplace designCalifornia
OPC’s Fact Finding Trip to California; Conclusion is that there is an excellent ROI
OPC’s Fact Finding Trip to California; Conclusion; excellent ROI
The challenge: Administrators at California State University, Long Beach wanted to find new technology that would make the Internet easier to use for students, staff and faculty with disabilities.The solution: The campus staff chose WebAdapt2Me software, invented by the IBM Research Division, to allow Internet users to individually customize the way they view information online.
Innovation that matters: Transforming education
Meanwhile back in Ontario
Here is the feedback we are hearing during our meetings& conferences;
Don’t we already do this in the workplace, I mean this stuff is so obviousWho will pay for this?How many disabled people are there really who are customers or want tobe employed?Our business managers will wait until they are forced to do somethingabout thisWhat do you mean we have to help people with cognitive & mentaldisabilities?
Other factors contributing to increases rates of disability in your customer base & workforce
Is Toronto open for business? Is Ontario?
Is Toronto open for business? Is Ontario?
Does this sound expensive and unattainable?
The Seven Principles of Universal Design
• Useful for people with diverse abilities
• Flexible in use
• Simple and intuitive to use
• Perceptible information
• Tolerance for error
• Low physical effort
• Size and space for approach and use
Universal design refers to broad-spectrum architectural planning meant to produce buildings, products & environments that are inherently accessible to both the able-bodied & physical, mental, visual & hearing impaired
Building Audit is most appropriate tool
Customer ServiceHow you can enhance client & customer
interaction with your company?
You let us know you have a hearing impairment; how can we assist you?
Companies who have accessibility at the forefront have found the following are key to changing the company environment:
1.develop a strategic plan to build awareness & implement accessibility2.modify strategies to fit the company's culture, values, and structure3.Senior management involved in accessibility efforts4.address accessibility efforts to all divisions of the company5.pay particular attention to recruiting the marketing department6.Programmers, engineers, ergonomic design experts are key7.develop accessibility expertise across the company through education and training8.hire people with disabilities both in the HR Dept first9.use publicity & the court of public opinion to influence the company to continue to develop strategies to sustain accessibility both for client attraction & retention and internal HR related prerogatives
"Try to weave accessibility into the DNA of the company."
For an on line demo of OPC’s AODA E Learning Tool please contact
Or 416 860-0002 or 0004
Use our sites as a way to learn more from OPC & our Ergonomic & Accessible Design Experts. Look out
for our fully accessible new website!
Opctoday.blogspot.com – for up to date case studies based on weekly questions & Consultant findings and solutions
Twitter.com/opcphysio – for daily updates on articles, references, blogs and websiteOf interest to our clients
Facebook.com/jsleeth – summary of OPC’s weekly activities and reviews of theLiterature, news, You Tube videos and more
LinkedIn.com/JaneSleeth – business related group discussions for Facility Managers, PT’s, Ergonomists and Human Resources Professionals
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Implementation Guide: Standards for Customer Service
Olga Dosis OPC Inc
Canadian Price: $50.00
US Price: $51.55
Availability: In Stock
More information
ISBN/ISSN:978-0-7798-3469-3
Publication Number:534
Product Type:Book
