Inclusion by Design or How to Reach a Wider Audience

Your message is important! You don't want anyone in the audience to miss it!

If you are producing and sharing information through electronic networks, multi-media presentations, CD ROMS, videos, or other means:

• Are you sure the information you share through multi-media formats is really accessible to all employees?
• Did you know that providing accessible information costs less and gets better results if done up front rather than after the fact?
• Do you think that only people with visual impairments require multiple-format documents and tools?

The reality is that persons with various disabilities may require multiple formats to fully participate in training sessions, conferences, and other meetings.

Nobody in the audience will miss your message if you use the following tips:

• Before a presentation, hand out to participants the text of the slide show in the desired format (Braille, large print, etc.).
• If appropriate multiple formats are not available, at least make sure to fully describe and read all visual elements of the presentation.
• Always be as descriptive as possible when using visual elements: simply pointing to an image to illustrate a thought will not convey your message to someone with a visual disability.
• Always enunciate clearly so those who lip-read can follow you.
• At a conference, always use the microphone and pace your speech to allow those who are providing various interpreting services to convey your message.
  
  And remember:
  • Not all electronic formats are accessible: for example, documents produced in Portable Document Format (PDF) are not yet fully accessible to persons with visual impairments.
  • The use of diagrams, columns, and other visually based elements may render a document partially inaccessible, if not accompanied by a narrative description.
  • Videos are often used to support training or to convey a message that can be disseminated to large audiences. Video producers should consider including closed or open captions for persons with hearing disabilities, while a version containing an audio descriptive track should be considered for persons with visual impairments.
    

Some good Web sites to assist you:

• Policy on the Duty to Accommodate Persons with Disabilities in the Federal Public Service:
  http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/hrpubs/tb_852/ppaed_e.asp
  
• Communications Policy of the Government of Canada: 
  http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/sipubs/comm/comm_e.asp
  
• The Manager's Guide to Multiple Formats:
  http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/accessinfo/s36-202.001-e.html
  
• Guide to Planning Inclusive Meetings and Conferences: 
  http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/hrpubs/tb_852/gpimc-gprci_e.asp
  
• Accessible Procurement Toolkit: 
  http://www.apt.gc.ca
  
• Common Look and Feel Policies and Guidelines: 
  http://http://www.cio-dpi.gc.ca/clf-nsi/index_e.asp
  
• Documents and tools produced by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C):
  http://www.w3.org/WAI/References/QuickTips/
  
• Production of descriptive videos: 
  http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/access/index.html
  
  

Finally...

As with Official Languages, multiple format considerations need to be incorporated right at the design stage of document and tool development. In keeping with the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada and associated Guidelines, inclusion of multiple formats will ensure equal access by all.

For more information, please contact the TBS Job Accommodation information line at 1-888-271-6378 or visit our Web site at: http://www.hrma-agrh.gc.ca/ee/accom-amen/accom-amen_e.asp