Accessibility

The Web is an increasingly important resource in many aspects of life: education, employment, government, commerce, health care, recreation, and more. It is essential that the Web be accessible in order to provide equal access and equal opportunity to people with diverse abilities. Access to information and communications technologies, including the Web, is defined as a basic human right in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

What is Web Accessibility?

Web accessibility is about making websites, applications and content accessible to people with disabilities. More specifically, it means that people can perceive, understand, navigate and interact with the content. The Web is fundamentally designed to work for all people, whatever their hardware, software, language, location, or ability. When the Web meets this goal, it is accessible to people with a diverse range of hearing, movement, sight, and cognitive ability.

Types of disabilities.

• Motor
• Speech
• Cognitive

• Neurological
• Reading
• Learning

According to the World Health Organization, 15% of the world’s population (an estimated 1.1 billion people) identify as having some form of disability. This represents the world’s largest minority, and the only minority group that any of us can become a member of at any time.

More than 6.2 million Canadians—almost 22% of the population in this country—aged 15 years and over are living with some form of disability that affects their level of freedom, independence or quality of life (Statistics Canada, 2017).

The web accessibility laws in Canada are focused on providing every individual an equal opportunity to have their needs met. Canadian digital accessibility laws cover 3 core legislative acts across various territories and provinces. Each specific act has deadlines and requirements in order to remain compliant. Do you need know how to help your organization meet different digital accessibility compliance requirements in Canada?