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Presented by:
Dorothy Macnaughton
Accessibility and Diversity Training
January 31, 2009
Copyright © 2009 Accessibility and Diversity Training
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Customer Service
Everyone can be great because everyone
can serve.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Great customer service for everyone
makes sense. Customer service that
meets the needs of people with disabilities
not only makes sense, it will soon be
something you must do under new
legislation in Ontario.
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Making your library as accessible as
possible for people with disabilities in your
local communities, schools, colleges and
universities means everyone can have
access to all of the great programs and
services that today’s libraries offer.
It also means that any new programs, a
new website or new services will need to be
designed so they will be accessible from the
time they are introduced.
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The Accessibility for Ontarians with
Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005, will create
provincial standards for accessibility for
persons with disabilities by 2025.
The Standards will outline legal
requirements and deadlines.
Purpose:
Section 1 …the purpose of this Act is to
benefit all Ontarians by,
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(a) developing, implementing and
enforcing accessibility standards in order to
achieve accessibility for Ontarians with
disabilities with respect to goods,
services, facilities, accommodation,
employment, buildings, structures and
premises on or before January 1, 2025.
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Accessibility Standards for Customer Service
Accessibility Standards for Information and
Communications (draft form for public feedback)
Accessibility Standards for Transportation (have
been sent to Minister)
Accessibility Standards for the Built Environment
Accessibility Standards for Employment
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Accessibility Standards for Customer Service
were the first of the Standards to be declared
regulations, under the AODA, and came into
effect in January, 2008.
These Standards must be implemented by
public sector organizations by January 1,
2010.
The next set of Standards which will likely
become regulations will be those for
Information and Communications. These
Standards will, of course, have important
implications for all types of libraries.
ONTARIO REGULATION 429/07
made under the
 Accessibility For Ontarians With
Disabilities Act, 2005
 Made: July 25, 2007
http://www.elaws.gov.on.ca/html/source/regs/english/20
07/elaws_src_regs_r07429_e.htm
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This Regulation establishes accessibility
standards for customer service and it
applies to every designated public
sector organization and to other third
parties.
“Designated public sector organization”
means …every ministry of the Government
of Ontario, every municipality…”
◦ Guide to Accessibility Standards for Customer Service
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Examples of providers of goods or services:
Municipal and provincial governments
programs and facilities that they run,
including social assistance services,
public meetings, public transit,
libraries, and employment centres;
Colleges
Universities
Schools
Prevention of New Barriers
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Ordering goods
Delivering New Services, Revising Current
Services or Programs
**Strategic Planning
◦ Mission Statement
Short term planning
Long term planning
Written Policies
•
Human Rights Principles
• Training
• Service Animals
• Support Persons
• Personal Assistive Devices
• Temporary Disruption
• Feedback Process
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Practices
Procedures
Overarching Human Rights Principles will
apply to all five Standards.
When designing your policies, practices and
procedures consistent with human rights
principles, your organization will want to
take into account your own unique
situations.
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In 3. (2), you are expected to use
reasonable efforts to ensure that your
policies, practices and procedures are
consistent with the principles of dignity,
independence, integration, (except when
alternate measures are necessary to meet
the needs of people with disabilities) and
equal opportunity.
An example of “using reasonable efforts”:
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A customer who is blind and reads Braille
may need to know exactly what is on her
bill, but be unable to read a print copy.
Each organization has designed solutions
to meet that customer’s needs in different
ways.
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At a small coffee shop, a waiter or cashier might
read the bill to the person. A florist shop might
offer to read a bill by phone. A mid-sized utility
company might offer monthly bills in Braille and
then might hire another company to print and
send the Braille bills. A larger utility with more
customers who use Braille might determine that
it is more cost effective to purchase equipment to
create its own monthly bills in Braille and may
also offer an accessible website that allows bill
viewing and payment online.
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3. (2) 1. The goods or services must be
provided in a manner that respects the dignity
and independence of persons with disabilities.
(Ontario Regulation 429/07, Accessibility Standards For
Customer Service)
Respecting a person’s dignity means they are
treated in a way that does not put them down
or demean them because they have a disability.
Most people with disabilities want to be as
independent as possible and appreciate it when
someone values their independence.
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3. (2) 2. The provision of goods or services
to persons with disabilities and others must
be integrated, unless an alternate
measure is necessary, whether temporarily
or on a permanent basis, to enable a
person with a disability to obtain, use or
benefit from the goods or services.
(Ontario Regulation 429/07, Accessibility Standards For
Customer Service)
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Integrated services are those that allow people
with disabilities to fully benefit from the same
services, in the same place and in the same or
similar way as other customers.
Sometimes integration does not serve the
needs of all people with disabilities. In these
cases, it is necessary to use alternate measures
to provide goods or services. Goods or services
may need to be provided to people with
disabilities in a different place or in a different
way than other customers.
◦ using TTYs or e-mail to communicate with customers
who are deaf or have speech impairments, instead of
providing services by phone
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3. (2) 3. Persons with disabilities must be
given an opportunity equal to that given
to others to obtain, use and benefit from
the goods or services.
(Ontario Regulation 429/07, Accessibility Standards For
Customer Service)
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Equal opportunity means having the same
chances, options, benefits and results as
others. People with disabilities need to have the
same opportunity to benefit from the way you
provide goods or services as others.
You may have to treat individuals slightly
differently, so they can benefit fully from your
services. Individual needs should be taken into
account when providing goods or services.
◦ Reading titles on DAISY books to a library patron with
low vision
◦ Reading information on a poster describing a library
program to someone with a learning disability
Service Animals
Support Persons
Use of Personal Assistive Devices
Notice of Temporary Disruption
Receiving and Responding to Feedback
Training Policy
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Service animals allowed on your premises
Support persons permitted to accompany a
person with a disability
◦ Explanation of fee, if applicable
Use of personal assistive devices allowed
Notice of temporary disruption
 Steps to be taken
Written Process for receiving and
responding to feedback
Steps to be taken to respond to complaint
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Public sector organizations must prepare a
document describing your training policy,
including a summary of the contents of
the training and details of when the
training was provided.
Every designated public sector organization
must keep records of the training
provided, including the dates on which
the training was provided and the
number of individuals to whom it was
provided.
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If there are changes to policies,
practices and procedures governing the
provision of goods or services to
persons with disabilities, training about
those changes must be provided.
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If a person with a disability is accompanied
by a guide dog or other service animal,
your organization must ensure that the
person is permitted to enter the premises
with the animal and to keep the animal with
him or her.
This must be included in a written policy.
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If a person with a disability is accompanied by
a support person, your organization must
ensure both people are permitted to enter the
premises together, and that the person with a
disability is not prevented from having access
to the support person while on the premises.
If an admission fee is charged, your
organization must ensure notice is given in
advance about the amount to be paid by the
support person.
These must be included in your written policies.
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Your written policy must allow people to use
their own personal assistive devices to
access your goods and services, and must
describe situations where such use may not
be permitted.
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If people with disabilities usually use your
facilities or services, and if there is a temporary
disruption, you must give notice of the
disruption to the public, including the reason
for the disruption, its anticipated duration and
a description of alternative facilities or services
that are available.
This information must be posted.
A document must outline steps to be taken
when there is a temporary disruption and, upon
request, must be provided to anyone who
requests it.
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A written process must be outlined for
receiving and responding to feedback about
the manner in which your organization
provides goods or services to persons with
disabilities.
This process must be communicated to the
public.
Feedback can be provided in person, by
telephone, in writing, or by email, on disc,
or otherwise.
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The feedback process must specify the
actions you will be taking if a complaint is
received.
Your organization must prepare a document
describing your feedback process and
provide a copy to anyone requesting it.
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Examples:
◦ Human Rights/Diversity Policies
◦ Training Policies
Written steps staff are expected to take
 Examples:
◦ How meetings with customers will be
conducted
◦ How staff will assist people with disabilities
who require assistance using screen reading
software
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Day-to-day interaction, communication
How your staff actually offer or deliver your
services, flexibility
Examples:
◦ Requirements for filling out forms – someone with
a learning disability may require assistance
◦ Requirements for signatures or showing of ID
◦ Someone with a mental health issue may require
extra time and patience if they are agitated about
an overdue fine
◦ How to communicate with someone who is deaf
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Examples:
◦ Written directions/tip sheets on how to interact
and communicate with people with each type of
disability
◦ People First Language
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There is a requirement to prepare one or more
documents describing your policies, practices
and procedures and to provide a copy, upon
request.
When providing a copy of a document to a
person with a disability, the provider must give
the person the document, or the information
contained in the document, in a format that
takes into account the person’s disability.
The format of the document or information can
be determined by agreement between the
organization and the person with the disability.
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Information and Communications Standard
• will impact on formats in which documents are
provided, as well as language, including plain
language
http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/mcss/english/pillar
s/accessibilityOntario/accesson/business/inform
ation/
• Annotated Version of the Information and
Communication Standard
• http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/mcss/english/pillar
s/accessibilityOntario/accesson/business/inform
ation/standard/index.htm
Still time for public feedback until February 6
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Use of Plain Language for public
documents
Plain Language – a way of writing and
presenting information and complex messages
so that it is easy to read, understand and use;
some characteristics of plain language may
include writing to a simpler reading level,
eliminating jargon and unnecessary words,
using familiar words in a conversational style,
and the use of uncomplicated sentence
structure and grammar.
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Plain Language:
(taken from:
http://www.plainlanguage.gov/howto/guideline
s/reader-friendly.cfm
Federal Plain Language Guidelines (U.S.)
Written material is in plain language if your
audience can:
Find what they need;
Understand what they find; and
Use what they find to meet their needs.
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Every person who participates in developing
the provider’s policies, practices and
procedures governing the provision of
goods or services to members of the public
or other third parties.
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Every person who deals with members of
the public or other third parties on behalf of
the provider, including volunteers.
◦ Library volunteers interacting with the public
◦ Include Accessible Customer Service Training
with Volunteer Training and Orientation
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A library has full-time and part-time staff
who do a variety of tasks, such as serve
patrons at the circulation or reference
desks. A janitor is on-site to take care of
the building and to close the library. He
does not deal with the public for libraryrelated services. All library staff, except the
janitor, must receive training, to meet the
requirement of the customer service
standard, as they deal with members of the
public on behalf of the library.
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The training must be provided to each
person, as soon as practicable, after he or
she is assigned the applicable duties.
Importance of Accessible Customer
Service orientation materials for new staff,
including up-to-date copies of all policies,
procedures and practices
• document date new staff received basic
materials and when they received full
training
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Purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians
with Disabilities Act
Definition of “disability”
It helps to include the definition of “barrier”
and “accessibility” (Ministry of Municipal
Affairs and Housing) and “barrier-free”
(Ontario Building Code)
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AODA Section 2
In this Act,
“disability” means,
(a) any degree of physical disability, infirmity,
malformation or disfigurement that is caused by
bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes
diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any
degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of
physical co-ordination, blindness or visual
impediment, deafness or hearing impediment,
muteness or speech impediment, or physical
reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on
a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or
device,
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(b) a condition of mental impairment or a
developmental disability,
(c) a learning disability, or a dysfunction
in one or more of the processes involved
in understanding or using symbols or
spoken language,
(d) a mental disorder, or
(e) an injury or disability for which
benefits were claimed or received under
the insurance plan established under the
Workplace Safety and Insurance Act,
1997;
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Disabilities may:
be visible (person carrying a white cane)
be invisible (a learning disability)
have effects which may come and go
differ in severity (degree of vision or
hearing loss)
Example: A person with multiple sclerosis
may experience periods when the condition
does not have an effect on her daily routine
and other periods when it does.
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Information about one’s disability is personal
and private and must be treated confidentially.
In most cases, it will not be necessary to ask
for proof of a disability. Some providers, such
as schools, colleges and universities may
require proof of disability, because of the type
of services that they provide. In such cases,
these providers may be subject to privacyrelated laws with respect to that information.
This may come into play when employment is
involved.
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How to interact and communicate with
persons with various types of disability
• need to understand basic information about the
types of disabilities listed in the definition of
“disability” in the AODA, in the ODA and the
Ontario Human Rights Code
• must gain a good understanding of how to treat
people with disabilities in general
• must develop a knowledge of effective
communication methods for each specific
disability
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TIP #1:
ACT AS YOU WOULD WITH A PERSON WHO
IS NOT DISABLED.
TIP # 2:
DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE
PERSON’S DISABILITY OR THEIR NEED FOR
ASSISTANCE.
◦ JUST ASK!
◦ Listen
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TIP #3:
PUT THE PERSON FIRST AND THE
DISABILITY SECOND.
◦ People First Language
◦ Body Language
◦ Tone of Voice
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How to Communicate with:
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people who are blind or who have low vision
individuals who are deafblind
people who are deaf, deafened or hard of hearing
people with physical disabilities
those who have speech impediments
individuals with learning disabilities
people with mental health disabilities
those with developmental disabilities
people who have a brain injury
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How to interact with persons with
disabilities who use an assistive device
◦ Example:
 A government office that provides detailed
information by phone might use a TTY to
communicate with its clients who are deaf, hard of
hearing, have speech impairments or are deaf-blind.
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How to interact with persons with
disabilities who require the assistance of a
guide dog or other service animal, or the
assistance of a support person
◦ Understanding of basic “guide dog etiquette”
◦ Role of the support person – not to speak to the
support person, rather than the person with a
disability
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How to use equipment or devices available
on your premises, or otherwise provided by
you, that may help with the provision of
goods or services to a person with a
disability.
◦ Example: if you have screen magnification or
screen reading software installed on computers in
your library, your staff assisting people using
those computers must have training in how to use
that software so they will be able to assist the
person, as required.
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Communication of feedback policy
(customer who has experienced a barrier/ who
has a concern)
What to do if a person with a particular type of
disability is having difficulty accessing your
goods or services
How to provide this documented information
 in a manner the person with a disability requires
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Meets all of the requirements of the
legislation
Explains the rationale for policies, practices,
procedures and training
Has clear explanations of goals of training
Involves plain language documents
available in public location
Includes summary of training
Is meaningful
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Leads to a better understanding of the
needs and challenges of the person with a
disability; staff can put themselves in the
position of the person with a disability
Has interactive components
Provides practical tips and useful resources
which can be used to apply what has been
learned
Ensures resources will be available to refer
to when difficult situations arise
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Accessibility report
14. (1) A person or organization to whom
an accessibility standard applies shall file an
accessibility report with a director
annually or at such other times as the
director may specify. 2005, c. 11, s. 14 (1).
Report available to public
(2) A person or organization shall make an
accessibility report filed under subsection
(1) available to the public. 2005, c. 11,
s. 14 (2).
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Inspectors
18. (1) The Deputy Minister shall appoint
one or more inspectors for the purposes of
this Act and the regulations within a
reasonable time after the first accessibility
standard is established under section 6.
2005, c. 11, s. 18 (1).
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Penalties
(3) Every person who is guilty of an
offence under this Act is liable on
conviction,
(a) to a fine of not more than $50,000 for
each day or part of a day on which the
offence occurs or continues to occur; or
(b) if the person is a corporation, to a fine
of not more than $100,000 for each day or
part of a day on which the offence occurs or
continues to occur. 2005, c. 11, s. 37 (3).
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Though there is still close to a year to
implement the Accessibility Standards for
Customer Service, it will take time to
examine your policies, procedures and
practices and to make the necessary
changes or to develop new ones. If you
haven’t already begun this process, you
should consider beginning this process now.
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Your policies, procedures, practices and
documentation should be in place by
January, 2010 to meet the Accessibility
Standards for Customer Service and the
overall AODA requirements.
Accessibility reporting will be much easier if
you have comprehensive, well designed
documents and training.
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You will also need to provide the required
training for staff and third party providers
within the next 11 months to meet your
obligations under the Standard.
Any planning you will be undertaking during
2009 and beyond must take into account
the requirements of this Standard.
A logical and well planned approach is
critical to implementing the Standards.
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Well-informed staff who have received
thorough training will go a long way towards
providing excellent customer service in your
library. Remember, a complaint is a tremendous
opportunity. If your staff listen and respond to
a complaint from someone with a disability by
addressing the customer’s concerns and
sending your customer away happy, they will
tell at least 10 other people about their
experience. However, if you fail to resolve a
complaint, they will talk with even MORE
people about it!