The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 How does it affect you? The Ontario Genealogical Society Copyright 2011

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005

How does it affect you?

The Ontario Genealogical Society Copyright 2011

Today’s Objectives

By the end of the session you will understand:

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and its importance

Different types of disabilities and supports

Ways to assist clients with disabilities

How this affects The Society and Branches

The Ontario Genealogical Society 2011 2

Agenda• The Accessibility for Ontarians with

Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA)

• Types of disabilities

• Support for people with disabilities

• The Act and OGS






• The Act and OGS


WHAT IS AODA?

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, (AODA) became law in 2005Accessibility standards in the areas of:Customer ServiceTransportationInformation and CommunicationsBuilt EnvironmentEmployment

5The Ontario Genealogical Society 2011

WHEN MUST WE COMPLY? Customer Service Accessibility Standards Public sector organizations providing goods and services by January 1, 2010

Private sector by January 1, 2012

All Areas of Accessibility

All organizations will have to meet accessibility standards in all five areas by 2025


What must we do to comply?Establish policies, practices and

procedures on providing goods or services to people with disabilities.

Use reasonable efforts to ensure that your policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the core principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity.


Set a policy on allowing people to use their own personal assistive devices to access your goods and use your services and about any other measures your organization offers (assistive devices, services, or methods) to enable them to access your goods and use your services.


Communicate with a person with a disability in a manner that takes into account his or her disability.

Allow people with disabilities to be accompanied by their guide dog or service animal in those areas of the premises you own or operate that are open to the public, unless the animal is excluded by another law. If a service animal is excluded by law, use other measures to provide services to the person with a disability.


Permit people with disabilities who use a support person to bring that person with them while accessing goods or services in premises open to the public or third parties.

Where admission fees are charged, provide notice ahead of time on what admission, if any, would be charged for a support person of a person with a disability.The Ontario Genealogical Society

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Provide notice when facilities or services that people with disabilities rely on to access or use your goods or services are temporarily disrupted.

Train staff, volunteers, contractors and any other people who interact with the public or other third parties on your behalf on a number of topics as outlined in the customer service standard.The Ontario Genealogical Society

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Establish a process for people to provide feedback on how you provide goods or services to people with disabilities and how you will respond to any feedback and take action on any complaints. Make the information about your feedback process readily available to the public.


How is OGS complying?

Activity Schedule Responsibility Target Audience

Review Act and develop draft OGS Policy & Procedure

Fall 2010 B. Crawford S. Sturdevant

OGS Executive Council

Revise policy and develop suggested schedule for implementation of training

Winter 2010 OGS Board

Seek approval of OGS Policy and Procedure Committee

Spring 2011

Develop training Spring & Summer 2011 B. CrawfordS. Sturdevant

All OGS members who work with the public

Implement training September 22-23, 2011September 23, 2011

B. CrawfordS. Sturdevant

Provincial Office Staff Board

Provide information and training material for Branches

September 2011 Provincial Office Branch Chair

Implement training at branch level

September-December 2011; and,As required for new volunteers in future years

At the discretion of the Chair All branch executive, council and volunteers who interact with the public


Deadline of January 1, 2012

What is a disability?

DISABILITY Can limit a person’s ability to carry out their pursuits. A person can have a disability which is visible, non-visible, permanent or that occurs only at certain timesThe Ontario Genealogical Society 2011 14

ACCESSIBILITY BARRIER

Anything hindering access by a person with a disability to goods, services or activities


HANDICAP Circumstance or setting putting someone with a disability at a disadvantage. Handicaps are the result of accessibility barriers






• The Act and OGS


What types of disabilities are there?HearingIntellectual or DevelopmentalLearningMental HealthSpeech or LanguagePhysical or MobilityVision






• The Act and OGS


Support Persons, Service Animals, Assistive DevicesSupport Person –

to assist the client with any number of things from communicating to helping with mobility or medical needs


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ASL_family.jpg

Service Animal – a working animal which provides assistance in specific ways


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TSA_Service_Monkey.jpg

Assistive Device – tool, technology or other mechanism that enables a person with a disability to do everyday tasks and activities


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TSA_Service_Monkey.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:425tdd.JPG

RESPECT


R - Realize person 1st, disability 2nd

E - Educate yourself on questionsS - Smile and speak clearly and directlyP - Provide service excellenceE - Enjoy providing service excellenceC – Create a friendly environmentT – Thank the customer for business





• The Act and OGS


WHAT CAN I DO?

Let’s put it into practice…


Documents

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 How does it affect you? The Ontario Genealogical Society Copyright 2011