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Canada adopts new accessibility standard: EN 301 549

Lee Dale — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 13:22:35 +0000

As of May 31, 2024, Canada has adopted the European standard for accessibility requirements for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) – EN 301 549. This marks a significant step toward a more inclusive digital environment, setting a strong foundation for future advancements in accessibility.

At Say Yeah, we’re passionate about ensuring everyone has equal access to information and technology and prioritize accessibility in eLearning. However, we recognize that good intentions alone don’t always drive real progress.

In this article, we’ll explore the benefits and limitations of adopting EN 301 549 and what it means—and doesn’t mean—for enhancing accessibility for all.

What is the new accessibility standard EN 301 549?

EN 301 549 is a set of rules and guidelines designed to ensure that ICT products and services are accessible to people with disabilities. This includes things like websites, software, mobile apps, electronic devices, and more. The goal is to make sure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can use these technologies effectively.

Why is EN 301 549 significant?

There are 6 significant outcomes of Canada adopting EN 301 549:

Unified national standard
Alignment with international standards
Comprehensive coverage
Promotion of inclusive design
Potential to drive innovation
Legal and regulatory clarity

Let’s explore these in more detail.

Unified national standard

Previously, accessibility standards varied across different provinces in Canada. Adopting EN 301 549 creates a single, cohesive standard that applies nationwide, ensuring consistency in accessibility requirements.

Alignment with international standards

By adopting a European standard, Canada aligns itself with global best practices in accessibility. This harmonization can facilitate international trade and cooperation, and make it easier for multinational companies to comply with accessibility requirements in multiple regions.

Comprehensive coverage

EN 301 549 covers a wide range of ICT products and services, from websites and software to mobile apps and hardware devices. This comprehensive approach ensures that accessibility is considered across all forms of digital interaction.

Promotion of inclusive design

The standard emphasizes integrating accessibility into the design and development process from the start. This proactive approach encourages the creation of more inclusive products and services, rather than retrofitting accessibility features later.

Potential to drive innovation

With a clear set of guidelines, companies are encouraged to innovate and develop new solutions that meet accessibility requirements. This can lead to advancements in technology that benefit everyone, not just those with disabilities.

Legal and regulatory clarity

Having a unified standard provides clearer guidelines for businesses and organizations, reducing confusion and helping them understand their legal obligations. This can lead to better compliance and improved accessibility across the board.

What’s missing in the new accessibility standard?

While this new standard is a step forward in promoting accessibility, it also brings to light the ongoing challenges within the field. The EN 301 549 standard, similar to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities (AODA), primarily focuses on meeting a checklist of requirements. This approach, while necessary for creating a baseline, often falls short in enhancing the actual experiences of people with disabilities.

One of the main criticisms of standards like AODA and EN 301 549 is their reliance on checklist-based conformance, which does not always translate to meaningful improvements in user experience. For instance, achieving compliance can sometimes become a box-ticking exercise rather than an effort to understand and address the unique needs of individuals with disabilities.

Furthermore, there is a lack of clear guidelines on how to validate whether these accessibility objectives have been met effectively. The current validation methods often refer back to WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) conformance, which can be ambiguous and challenging to measure accurately.

So what can we do better?

To truly improve accessibility, we must go beyond checklists and focus on understanding how people with disabilities interact with digital platforms. This involves:

Improving user experiences

Ensuring that digital interfaces are not only compliant but also user-friendly for individuals with disabilities. This requires continuous internal and user testing that includes feedback from the disability community.

Clarity in validation

Developing clear and practical methods to validate an accessible user experience that goes beyond general references to the WCAG. This should involve real-world testing and user validation to ensure that accessibility features genuinely enhance user experiences, but it begins with educating and practicing accessibility across content, design, and code.

At Say Yeah, we are committed to this approach. We believe that accessibility should be about creating inclusive and engaging experiences for all users.

To learn more, check out these three resources that highlight different ways people interact with websites, and the importance of improving these experiences and methods to ensure quality:

A look at the accessibility issues you probably forgot to test for

Delivering accessible online courses

An exciting inflection point for accessibility and inclusion

You can also dive deeper into the challenges of focusing solely on compliance with the 2023 AODA legislative review commissioned by the Ontario Government.

We are thrilled to see Canada taking steps toward a comprehensive accessibility standard, but we recognize that there is still much work to be done.

By prioritizing user experiences and developing clearer validation methods, we can create a more inclusive and equitable digital landscape for everyone.

Looking to deliver more accessible and inclusive digital experiences? We’re here to help.

Get in touch

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We’re at an exciting inflection point for accessibility and inclusion

Lee Dale — Sun, 26 Jul 2020 22:06:36 +0000

On the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we find ourselves at an exciting point in history

In this video, I explore the three primary ways the accessibility and inclusion landscape has advanced over the last three decades, and why we’ve never been closer to access for all than we are today.

Transcript

Lee Dale:

As the Americans With Disabilities Act turns 30 we find ourselves at an exciting inflection point in history.

There are three factors that are together building towards the most accessible, most welcoming, most inclusive world we’ve seen over the course of humanity.

The first is a wave of societal change.

As awareness of individuality continues to grow and reach acceptance, as the differences between all of us and our intersectional and shifting needs are considered and as we see an increase in acknowledgement of marginalized communities and the systems that limit access and opportunity, all of this collective progress and ongoing change has helped those of us who are responsible for designing products and services, find new ways of working that better serve people.

The second is legislation.

Our collective efforts towards access and opportunity for all are supported by legislation, such as the Americans With Disabilities Act, or ADA alongside AODA, which is an equivalent legislation here in Ontario, Canada, as well as many other global and regional accessibility compliance and human rights requirements. This legislation has helped raise the profile of accessible solutions and the cost of noncompliance.

All of this applies to our physical world as it does to digital, but it’s technology, especially digital channels that are the third factor.

Over the past 10 years, a combination of computer power, software, and interaction models in web browsers, apps, and other connected devices have made it easier than ever to engage with content.

As an example, 15 years ago, screen readers that help translate interfaces on screens into words that are spoken aloud costs thousands of dollars. Now they’re built into your smartphone in evermore intuitive ways. You can see this yourself if you turn on VoiceOver on an iPhone, or TalkBack on Android.

This combination of access to previously expensive technology that is now a default part of the most widely used devices in the history of humanity changes everything, but this is also why it’s so important that all designers take the time now to build accessible and inclusive practices into their work.

It’s easier than ever to access content if we designed for access and it’s easier than ever to design for access, because the tools are available to all of us.

Let’s work together to realize the impact of this inflection point and ensure access for all.

Are you ready to try out VoiceOver on iPhone or TalkBack on Android?

I mentioned in the video two different screen reading technologies: VoiceOver and TalkBack, for iPhone and Android respectively.

Looking at your website and the content you promote through these services is an excellent way to understand how capable these services are and if you have any gaps in how you’re sharing content that may be limiting your access to market.

Here’s how to enable these accessibility tools:

How to enable screen reading on an iPhone (VoiceOver)

VoiceOver is a screen reading accessibility feature on iOS that reads content on the screen aloud and enables gesture control of the device.

You can turn on VoiceOver on an iPhone using the following steps:

1. In your phone’s settings, tap on the accessibility section

2. Once in the accessibility menu, VoiceOver is the first option under “Vision”

3. In the settings for VoiceOver, there is a toggle switch to turn on/off VoiceOver, and other options to customize things like reading speed, speech, and commands.

How to enable screen reading on an Android device (TalkBack)

Similar to VoiceOver on the iPhone, Android devices on the newer editions of the Android operating system have a screen reading feature called TalkBack.

You can turn on TalkBack using these steps:

1. In the phone’s settings, tap on the “Accessibility” option

2. Once in the accessibility menu, tap on the “TalkBack” option

3. From there, you should get a pop-up window asking if you want to enable TalkBack on the device. Once you confirm, TalkBack will be turned on and activated.

Whether it’s apps, websites, or web apps, determining the accessibility of these digital products is best done through real testing with accessibility tools and the people who use them.

From there, you can embed accessible research, design, and testing processes into your team’s workflow from the start, saving time and money by avoiding future reworks to meet usability and compliance requirements.

Need help improving accessibility and inclusion in your products and services?

Our approach to inclusive design can help your team executive more usable, accessible, and inclusive products and services.

It really is easier than ever to access content when we design for access. And it’s easier than ever to design for access because the tools are available to all of us. Let’s work together to realize the impact of this inflection point and ensure access for all.

Learn more about inclusive design

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What can happen if your organization doesn’t comply with accessibility legislation?

Kate Matesic — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 19:53:22 +0000

Depending on where your organization operates, not complying with accessibility legislation can have a range of implications. Usually, these penalties depend on the size and type of business (public, private, or non-profit), with the strictest standards applying to public sector organizations.

United States ??

For those in the United States, enforcement of accessibility compliance can fall under both ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and Section 508. As these compliance standards are established as legislation, civic action groups and individuals have already taken companies to court over accessibility issues. It is critical that your site’s accessibility issues be resolved as soon as possible.

Canada ??

For those with organizations in Ontario, Canada, requirements fall under AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act).
AODA compliance can have the biggest consequences for any public sector organization, any non-profit, and any private sector organizations with more than 50 employees. For private sector organizations, the timeline for complying is the end of 2020 for full website compliance with AA standards.

If you don’t comply with these timelines and requirements, your organization could be subject to legal action, from either the government itself or from users who could file a case against your organization in the Human Rights Tribunal.

Although Canada-wide requirements vary across provinces, federal legislation is in progress, so it’s ideal to get a head start on compliance before future deadlines are set.

United Kingdom ??

For organizations in the United Kingdom, accessibility compliance is covered by the Equality Act of 2010. This act requires all organizations to take reasonable actions to make their websites and communications accessible.

This is especially critical for public sector organizations, as additional requirements clarifying the need for accessibility came into law in 2018 for the public sector, and compliance must be met by September 23rd, 2020. If these regulations aren’t followed, after this date, organizations may be subject to legal action and fines.

Although private sector organizations are not yet explicitly required to comply, only to make reasonable accommodations, this legislation is expected to follow shortly after, so it’s ideal to get a head start on compliance before those deadlines are set.

In all of these cases, not complying with accessibility legislation can have legal, financial, and brand implications, and can cause you to lose out on potential customers when they are unable to access or use your website. As a result, it’s key to get ahead on fixing these issues, before it becomes a major problem for your organization.

The Inclusive Website Audit is here to help ?

Get started today on your path to accessibility compliance with the Essential Website Audit. Our audit will provide you with actionable recommendations to make your site more usable, accessible, and inclusive. Don’t miss out on expanding your reach and engagement!

Get started from $999

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Accessibility matters – Part 2: The countdown is on in Ontario

Meghan Warby — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 17:53:19 +0000

In Part 1: leading by doing, we offered a high-level outline of AODA legislation and its aims.

Today, we’re going to explain the timeline requirements for Ontario-based organizations to meet AODA requirements without risking fines.

In Ontario, our AODA regulations distinguish the types of organizations that must comply with each of these three levels.

By January 1st of 2012 – the Ontario Government mandated that all of its own new internet and intranet websites and web content must comply with Level AA. This applies to the many sites related to Ontario Government Ministries, as well as the Legislature.
By January 1st of 2014 – all designated public service organizations (e.g. hospitals, universities, and other public institutions) must comply with Level A.
By January 1st of 2014 – all ‘large organizations’ (institutions with 50+ employees that offer goods, services, or facilities) must comply with Level A for new internet/web content
By January 1st of 2016 – the Ontario Government mandated the AA standard to ALL Ontario Government internet websites and web content (e.g. videos or other non-site-specific media).
By January 1st of 2020 – This AA standard applied to all Ontario Government internet sites, all intranet sites, and all web content.
By January 1st of 2021 – Compliance with Level AA for ALL internet and web content of designated public service organizations
By January 1st of 2021 – ALL internet and web content from ‘large organizations’ must comply with Level AA

There are some exclusions and exceptions with certain parts of the outline above, specifically regarding live video captions and pre-recorded video audio descriptions. You can view the details about the different organizational structures and requirements with this PDF from Accessibility Canada. The legislation also has some nuances with new domain names, or overhauling of existing websites.

It’s important to remember that these timelines and compliance levels are absolutely mandatory in the province of Ontario. Any non-compliant organizations do risk fines.

Our team is excited to see a new era of web accessibility in Ontario with this AODA legislation and especially enthusiastic to bring these new standards and values to our clients in the years ahead, helping you achieve mandated requirements today, while better serving all customers through ongoing best practices.

In Part 3, we’ll review the levels of WCAG 2.0 compliance, as well as other legislation and standards your organization should be aware of for compliance, including ADA and AODA.

Get started with meeting AODA compliance requirements with the Inclusive Website Audit

Make your website more usable, accessible, and inclusive for all with the Inclusive Website Audit. Don’t miss out on expanding your reach and engagement!

Get started from $999

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Accessibility matters – Part 1: Leading by doing

Meghan Warby — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 17:53:05 +0000

Here at Say Yeah, we’re committed to digital excellence, which we define as:

levelling up digital and technical knowledge and decision-making,
developing realistic, actionable, and impactful next steps, and
ensuring product and service feedback loops, KPIs (key performance indicators), and OKRs (objectives and key results) that lead to continuous improvement.

While these pillars are important, underlying them all are our core non-negotiable values:

usability
accessibility
inclusion

We’re leading by doing when it comes to promoting and improving inclusion in STEM through our volunteer organization Together, as well as ensuring that the websites and digital products we work on are accessible.

This subject is top of mind for us here in Ontario, as we await the enactment of a wide-spanning piece of legislation, which all organizations need to keep in mind.

It’s called the ‘Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act,’ or AODA for short; its aim is to make online spaces accessible to all.

The standards of the AODA are defined by the standards organization for the Internet – the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) – and are titled the ‘Web Content Accessibility Guidelines’ (acronym version: WCAG).

Following these standards ensures that online content is more accessible, especially for people with disabilities, but ultimately for everyone.

It’s important to remember that designing anything in an accessible manner ensures that ALL users will have an easier experience accessing information and services.

In Part 2, we’ve outlined the timelines for complying with AODA, which organizations must comply, and the consequences of not complying by these deadlines.

Accessibility and inclusive design

If you’re looking for strategies to make sure your product or service is inclusive and accessible, we’re here to help.

Get in touch

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