In the third review of the AODA, the Honourable David Onley recommends needed improvements to the Act. One of these improvements is the need for a government website offering accessibility resources. During the public meetings Onley held while preparing his review, attendees stated that many organizations would like to become more AODA compliant. However, many workers do not know how to apply the guidelines in AODA standards to their specific services or locations. As a result, workers may search for advice, such as by contacting a consulting firm. However, the website of the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario (ADO) warns visitors that some consultants may provide inaccurate advice. Therefore, Onley’s review recommends that the government should develop a website about accessibility to support AODA compliance.
A Website about Accessibility is Needed
In our last article, we explained Onley’s recommendation for a resource centre to answer questions about the AODA that organizations have. Onley also recommends that this centre should create a website about accessibility.
Currently, many agencies offer online resources to support organizations trying to understand the broad mandates in the AODA standards. Many of these online resources may provide valuable tools and techniques that could benefit organizations. However, staff of organizations have no way to distinguish these resources from the inaccurate resources the ADO warns about. As a result, Onley’s review recommends that the ADO should review the information about accessibility posted on third-party websites. Then, the ADO should list trustworthy sources of advice on a website about accessibility. For instance, the website could provide links to companies and consulting firms that offer accurate guidance.
Furthermore, the ADO could post its own resources on the website. In this way, people could find all the credible information and advice they needed in one place. In addition, the website could organize information by sector. This structure would allow people to easily find information relevant to their business or organization. Moreover, people searching for an answer to one question may discover related information that could help them improve their accessibility in new ways.