Version 1.0

11.19.2021

Introduction

ICTC is a not-for-profit organization that is subject to the provisions of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”), which exists to ensure greater accessibility for Ontarians of all abilities.

AODA is Ontario’s roadmap to become barrier-free and includes accessibility standards in:

  • Customer Service
  • Information and Communications
  • Employment
  • Transportation
  • Design of Public Spaces

Under AODA, Ontario organizations, including ICTC, are required to develop multi-year accessibility plans in support of making Ontario accessible by 2025.

ICTC’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (“Accessibility Plan”) outlines its compliance with AODA, including the requirements set by the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulations. ICTC is committed to fulfilling its obligations under AODA and making its premises and services accessible to all Ontarians.

This Accessibility Plan is available to all ICTC employees and the public via our external website and can be requested in an accessible format at no charge using the contact information at the end of this document.

 

Statement of Commitment

At ICTC, we are committed to doing all we can to respect the core principles of accessibility legislation: dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity. We will incorporate these principles into our policies, procedures, training, and best practices. Our aim is to allow all Ontarians access to our services and information when and in the form that they need them, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.

Ensuring our operations are accessible and barrier-free is a shared effort. As an organization, we are dedicated to working with the people of Ontario to make accessibility for everyone a reality.

Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (“IASR”) Requirements

General Requirements

Accessibility Policies and Plans

ItemActionStatus
Establishment of accessibility policies.Policy posted on ICTC website and in the Employee Handbook.Complete
Create a multi-year plan outlining ICTC strategy to removing barriers.Version 1.0 posted on our website.Planned completion by Q4 2024

Accessibility Training

ItemActionStatus
Ensure all employees are trained on “AODA: Customer Service Standards Training”.Annual training completed by all staff every Q1.Planned completion by Q4 2024
Ensure all employees are trained on “Accessibility in Tech Course: How to Be an Accessible Ally”.Plans in place to modify the course for ICTC employees.Planning completion and roll out Q4 2023
Maintain records of training, including dates and people trained.ICTC training software tracks time and date completed and quiz results.Planned completion by Q4 2024

Procurement

ItemActionStatus
When assessing vendors, include accessible design.ICTC will incorporate accessibility design/features when procuring goods and services, except where it is impracticable.ICTC will incorporate accessibility into our procurement policy by Q1 2022

 

Information and Communication Standards

Feedback

ItemActionStatus
Have a process for receiving and responding to feedback that is accessible to persons with disabilities by accommodating requests for accessible formats.See our website and Employee Handbook for our feedback process.Planned completion by Q4 2024

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

ItemActionStatus
When requested, provide information in accessible formats and/or communication support for persons with disabilities in a timely manner and at no extra cost to and in consultation with the person making the request.ICTC accommodates requests for accessible formats and communication support and notifies the public on our website.Planned completion by Q4 2024

Accessible Website and Web Content

ItemActionStatus
All new websites and web content comply with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.0 Level AA. Planned completion by Q4 2024
All current websites and web content comply with WCAG 2.0 Level AA. Planned completion by Q4 2024
All websites and web content to be WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA compliant depending on the status of guideline developments.Requires a redesign and new functionality. Would also comply with AAA wherever possible.Planned completion by Q4 2024
All videos/vlogs will offer either close captioning or transcript option for those with hearing a disability pending funder approval.ICTC will be ensuring all videos offer close captioning or transcripts.Planned completion by Q4 2024
All social media posts are WCAG 2.0 Level AA, with auto caption generator for videos on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram (pending site accommodation).ICTC will be ensuring that descriptive test is used for social media posts when the images do not reflect the captions text.Planned completion by Q4 2024

Employment Standards

Recruitment

ItemActionStatus
Letting internal and external applicants know what accommodation is available upon request.ICTC will update all job postings to include information about accessibility accommodations.Complete
Successful applicants are notified about the organization’s policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.ICTC Employee Handbook outlines the process for requesting accommodation and reading the Employee Handbook is a mandatory onboarding task.Complete
Informing Employees of Supports ICTC policies for supporting employees with disabilities.Informing employees about Employees are required to review all policies during onboarding.Planned completion by Q4 2024
All employees are updated whenever there is a change to the existing policies on the provision of job accommodation.New and/or updated polices are assigned to all employees for review and acknowledgement.Planned completion by Q4 2024

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

ItemActionStatus
Consult with employees who have disclosed they need accommodation for a disability and provide them with the accessible formats and communication support they require to do their jobs effectively.ICTC will provide accommodation as required.Planned completion by Q4 2024

Workplace Emergency Response Information

ItemActionStatus
ICTC is a remote workforce, however, for collaborative hybrid spaces that employees have the option of using, ICTC will provide individual workplace emergency response information for staff with disabilities where necessary.Individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities include individual emergency response requirements.Planned completion, once ICTC has a collaborative hybrid office space Q4 2022

Return to Work

ItemActionStatus
ICTC has a process/outline of steps that will be taken to help employees return to work after an absence.ICTC will update its current process to enable those with a disability to be accommodated.Planned completion Q4 2022

Performance Management and Career Development

ItemActionStatus
Performance management processes account for the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities as well as individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities.ICTC’s annual review/performance management process will be updated to include a statement about accommodating disability requests.Planned completed by Q4 2022
Consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as any individual accommodation plans, when providing career development and advancement to its employees with disabilities.ICTC will update its internal posting process, stating we will provide accommodation to people with disabilities.Planned completed by Q3 2022

Tools

ItemActionStatus
Employee TrainingICTC purchased an online training tool that provides captions for training videos, summarizes the narrator’s comments, and offers video training transcripts upon request to all ICTC employees.Complete
HRISICTC purchased an HRIS that is WCAG 2.0 compatible and enables Google Chrome’s accessibility features for all staff and external job site and candidate applications.Complete

Equipment

ItemActionStatus
To enable working from home, ICTC provides its employees with the equipment they need to do their job: laptops, external keyboards, mouse, large screen monitors, headphones/microphones, sit/stand desks adapter. Planned completion by Q4 2024

Design of Public Spaces

ItemActionStatus
ICTC is committed to providing accessible spaces. ICTC is fully remote company.ICTC anticipates opening a collaboration space in Ottawa, Ontario, in January 2022. This collaboration space will be in a wheelchair-accessible building and have a collaboration desk space that can accommodate sit/standing capabilities.Planned completed by Q4 2022

Customer Service

ItemActionStatus
Establish and maintain a policy governing the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities, including the use of assistive devices, service animals and support persons, notice of temporary disruptions, etc.ICTC’s customer service policy is part of the AODA policy.Planned completion by Q4 2024
Maintain records of training, including dates and number of people trained.ICTC tracks all training by date, employee, test results and course.Planned completion by Q4 2024
Develop a process to receive and respond to feedback about customer service that is accessible to persons with disabilities, including specifying actions that will be taken to address complaints. Notify the public about the feedback process.ICTC included details about its feedback process on our website.Complete
Upon request, provide or arrange for information in accessible formats and/or communication supports for persons with disabilities, in a timely manner and at no extra cost, and in consultation with the person making the request.ICTC accommodates requests for accessible formats and communication supports, and notifies the public via its website.Planned completion by Q4 2024
Notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports. In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in services used by persons with disabilities, provide notice that includes information about the reason for the disruption, expected duration of disruption, and a description of any alternative facilities or services available (if any). Post on website.Posted on ICTC’s website and in the Employee Handbook as part of the AODA policy.Planned completion by Q4 2024
All new customer training modules are WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliant.ICTC training modules since 2020 have been WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliant.Planned completion by Q4 2024

For more information on ICTC’s Accessibility Plan, please contact Human Resources at @email, 613-237-8551 Our Accessibility Plan is publicly posted at https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/legal/aoda-multi-year-accessibility-plan Standard and accessible formats of this document are free upon request from Human Resources, @email 613-237-8551.