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Are your PDFs documents accessible? Are they AODA compliant?
Accessibility News recommends Accessibil-IT for all your accessible documentation needs.
How do I know if I am a "But Head"? If you find yourself saying any of the following statements, in any combination or variation, then you are a "But Head".
Last week Accessibility News posted 2 articles, "Accessibility Could Cost City"(http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/acnews/press/all_articles.php?all=286) and "New Disability Regulations Could Cost City Millions"(http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/acnews/press/all_articles.php?all=288)
In these articles people were complaining about the possible cost of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) on their Municipalities. They said things like: While no one disputed the need to provide people with special needs access to services, they did have a problem with spending a lot of money to ensure every possible contingency was covered.
"To spend this kind of money to accommodate two or three people who may request it isn't right," he said. "If we were to cater to everyone's disability across the province to this degree, Ontario would be bankrupt."
Henderson noted some local politicians have suggested the new standards would require every municipal candidate to provide campaign material in a variety Of formats.
"That would be a hindrance to people even participating in the process. ... It's that type of intrusiveness that really scares us," he said.
What scares Accessibility News is the intellectual bankruptcy of these "But Heads" and the fear mongering they spout. They act like they never saw this coming, as if the Law was jus made up yesterday.
It is perhaps this kind of intellectual bankruptcy of these "But Heads" that keeps the disabled unemployed and unable to integrate fully into Society.
Just as stats prove: MYTH: It costs too much to provide special accommodations needed by employees with disabilities. FACT: While most people with disabilities in the workforce report some limitation at work (85 percent), fewer than 20 percent require any form of accommodation, and the vast majority of those require one or two supports at most. MYTH: Considerable expense is necessary to accommodate workers with disabilities.
FACT: Most workers with disabilities require no special accommodations and the cost for those who do is minimal or much lower than many employers believe. Studies by the President's Committee's Job Accommodation Network have shown that 15% of accommodations cost nothing, 51% cost between $1 and $500 US, 12% cost between $501 and $1,000 US, and 22% cost more than $1,000 US. (http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/cwdo/activities/employment_committee.php?activities-employment=49)
These kinds of myths have kept the Disabled out of the workforce for far too long and if we listen to the "But Heads" and the numbers they throw around with no proof, then they'll keep us from participating fully into Society for as long as possible.
The AODA was given teeth back in 2005 that is 4 years of procrastination. Sure the standards weren't in place but the Disabled community has known of its needs far longer that the Law has been around and they have been telling you over and over again what they need, you've just ignored them, so now you have to listen because what we already know is down on paper and you cant ignore it anymore. As an example of procrastination of these "But Heads", I have been trying since 2003 to get the City of Kawartha Lakes to put up an alternate format along with their pdf documentation so that I have equal access to information. I educated them through their Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC). I educated our current Mayor by building and maintaining accessible websites while he was councillor and his election website all to no avail. I filed a Human Rights complaint, which they fought using my Tax dollars even though Provincial guidelines state that they should be putting up an alternate format and that pdf's could be used. To this day they are still putting up inaccessible pdf documentation without an alternate format. Unfortunately they are not alone in this practice; too many Municipalities are doing the same. When they are ordered through the AODA I'm sure the "But Heads" will be out in full force crying the money blues yet again.
As one Councillor states: "There's going to be a concerted effort by a number of communities, townships, getting together and asking for a little bit more time. ... It's an immense job," said Beach.
The Disability Community needs to counter these delay tactics and start pushing back. It is not a question of needing more time; you've had more than enough. The time now is for implementation!
Anyone wishing to email their MPP can find emails at http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/acnews/politicians/. Tell your MPP that it's time to make an example of some "But Heads" and fine them according to the Law, not give them more time to stall.
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