The internet is a resource that’s growing exponentially in importance. For individuals with disabilities, AODA websites are required since sites need to be accessiblefor them to have access to the same resources. Let’s work to convert your site into an accessible one.
Kitchener-Waterloo AODA Website Accessibility Compliance
Website accessibility is something that is now required by law for many businesses and organizations. Website accessibility compliance really came into the spotlight in recent years when the deadlines for compliance edged closer and closer. Whether or not you are one of these businesses, it is always a good idea to now build websites that are accessible so that you are ready for what comes in the future.
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) was actually set forth way back in 2005 to enhance the accessibility for all individuals within Ontario. AODA compliance is required for private and non-profit businesses with 50 or more workers, and this extends to making all of their websites accessible that are under their control.
The website accessibility standards of AODA are based on the WCAG 2.0 guidelines from W3C and our Waterloo AODA experts have the know-how to make your website comply.
Read on below to learn more about the AODA, whether you need to comply, and what standards of compliance your website should have moving forward.
Do I have to comply with the AODA?
The goal of the AODA is to make Ontario fully accessible by 2025. Deadlines to meet certain website accessibility requirements have already passed, and organizations that must comply with the AODA must already have or build a new website that meets those standards from here on out. So, how do you find out if you have to comply? It’s simple. If you are a private organization with 50 or more workers, or if you are a public sector organization of any size, you must ensure that you have an accessible website and all content that you own or have control over is accessible. This does not just apply to websites, it also applies to what you post on websites like documents and forms. At CryoDragon, we can help with all that and provide training as well!
So, what is needed to comply? The AODA requires affected businesses to comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set forth by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The levels of compliance range from A to AAA, and the AODA requires compliance to Level AA standards from WCAG 2.0. CryoDragon can help with that, whether it is with a new site build or through modifications to your existing website.
Where do we get started with AODA and website accessibility compliance? We’ve broken down our Waterloo AODA website accessibility services below so that you can understand what is involved at each level of service. From experience, manual solutions require a huge and continued investment to adhere to accessibility standards. In most cases, we do recommend an AI solution provided by AccessiBe, an affordable alternative to larger website overhauls.
Apart from websites, CryoDragon can also help with Adobe and Office document testing and remediation. Due to our experience in this field, we also offer custom online training for businesses and organizations across the province for accessibility remediation. If you are looking for support in converting your Word or PDF documents to an accessible format, consider contacting us to help with that, or hiring us to run a training session for your staff so that they can support your efforts into making everything accessible to the public.
We’re great at teaching! Our team has tons of teaching experience and is dedicated to empowering our clients. We have offered training sessions for website management, and now also offer training for accessibility. Specifically, we offer training for the creation of accessible documents so that you and your staff can create accessible templates to use moving forward.
Let us help with any of the following, and book a training session today with our team so that we can customize a plan that’s just right for you!
