Draft Minutes for Meeting 2 of the
Accessible Information and Communications Standards
Development Committee (IC-SDC)

Monday May 28th and Tuesday May 29th, 2007

Canadian Standards Association
5060 Spectrum Way, Suite 100
Mississauga, ON  L4W 5N6

Members Present

• Laura Talbot, (Chair) Talbotallan Consulting Group
• Kelly MacKenzie, Canadian Hearing Society
• Karen Taylor, Canadian National Institute for the Blind
• Orville Endicott,
  (for Rozalyn Werner-Arce) Community Living Ontario
• Tara Jeji (by phone Day 1),  Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities of Windsor and Essex County
• Diane Wagner, Learning Disabilities of Ontario
• Sue Morgan, Independent Living Resource Centre of Waterloo Region
• Geoff Eden, (Individual) (Consumer)
• Francine Drouin, Regroupement des Parents et Amis des Enfants Sourds et Malentendants Franco-Ontarien (RESO)
• Dan Shire, IBM Canada
• Robert Pearson, Sun Life Financial
• Doug Jure, Bloor-Yorkville BIA
• Michelle Saunders, Ontario Restaurant, Hotel and Motel Association
• Martha Johnson, TD Bank/Trust Companies
• Bill Munson, Information Technology Association of Canada for Ontario
• Rt. Rev. George Elliot, The Anglican Diocese of Toronto & Provincial Synod of Ontario
• Lari Langford, Ontario Library Association
• Sherrill McCall, Cambrian College of Applied Arts & Technology
• Darren Cooper, Ontario Federation of Labour/ Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario
• Don Halpert, Ontario Hospital Association
• Beth Cooper, Ontario Public School Boards Association
• Jeanette Parsons, Council of Ontario Universities
• Mary Reid, City of Ottawa/ Association of Municipalities of Ontario
• Elizabeth Daly, Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMTCO)
• Patricia McDonell, City of Toronto
• Rose Langhout, Ministry of Government Services
• Eileen Mahood, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
• Israel Lyon, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade/Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Stacey Young, Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities

Guests

• Jutta Treviranus ARTC, University of Toronto

Support Unit

• Scot Weeres, ADO
• Nelly Tion, ADO
• Beverley Milligan, ADO
• David Dilks, Lura Consulting
• Marsha Cheddi, Canadian Standards Association

SUMMARY OF ACTIONS

ACTION 1: Support Unit to update IC-SDC Charter to make meetings more accessible by referring to document numbers throughout the meeting and on the agenda.

ACTION 2:  J. Treviranus to write a more detailed example of scope, measurable criteria, informative techniques and to incorporate an example based on a small retail business.

ACTION 3:  Committee members to provide feedback on the Barriers Report (N54) to M. Cheddi by Friday June 22, 2007.
                  
ACTION 4:  Support Unit to map the IC-SDC’s list of Guiding Principles with those in the Barriers Report (N54) and circulate to the committee via email for comment with a view of finalizing the Guiding Principles at Meeting 3.

ACTION 5:  Support Unit to integrate the two lists of Long-Term Objectives and circulate to the IC-SDC via email for comment with a view of finalizing the Long-Term Objectives at Meeting 3.

ACTION 6:  Support Unit to add definitions for “simple” and “audio visual” to the Glossary of Terms.

ACTION 7:  Support Unit to develop a defined scope and to propose a detailed outline for the IC standard for the next meeting.

ACTION 8: Support Unit to develop a Lexicon of Terms due to the differing interpretation of terms used when discussing the scope of the standard (i.e., criteria, framework, who, what, when, how, etc.)

ACTION 9:  ADO to determine if the Ministry’s website can be further enhanced to receive input from the broader public.

Day 1 – May 28th, 2007

M2.1 Call to Order

• S. McCall convened the IC-SDC Meeting 2 at 9:30 AM on behalf of L. Talbot the IC-SDC Chair. S. McCall acted as Chair for L. Talbot for the morning portion of the meeting.

M2.2 Housekeeping and Facility Safety

• M. Cheddi reviewed the facility safety and housekeeping procedures with the committee.

M2.3 Opening Remarks

• S. McCall reviewed the draft meeting agenda and asked the committee to keep in mind its objective of delivering the IC-SDC Work Plan to the Minister after Meeting 2 and the Long- Term Objectives by the end of Meeting 3.  S. McCall also encouraged IC-SDC members to volunteer to deliver leading practice presentations for the sectors they represent at future IC-SDC meetings.

M2.4 Approval of the Agenda, Process Overview and Meeting 2 Plan

• The Committee approved the draft agenda (N44) without modification.

M2.5 Approval of the Minutes to the Last Meeting

• The Committee approved the draft minutes from IC-SDC Meeting 1 (N32) without modification.

M2.6 Review of Action Items from the Last Meeting

• M. Cheddi reviewed action items (N32) from last meeting.  All actions were complete. 

M2.7 Review and Refine IC-SDC Charter

• The committee endorsed the IC-SDC Charter (N27).  A committee member requested that document numbers be referred to throughout IC-SDC meetings and in the agenda.

M2.8 IC Barriers Analysis Report:  Presentation and Implications Discussion

• The committee received a presentation (N46) from J. Treviranus of the Adaptive Technology Resource Centre (ATRC) on the Barriers Report (N54) that was developed for the IC-SDC.  The report addresses barriers to accessible information and communications. Highlights from the report and presentation included: 
  •  A listing of barriers caused by constraints, barriers caused by legislation, media specific and institutional barriers, principles to address barriers, information technology trends, business trends, opportunities for inclusive design, and long-term objectives;
  • A barrier is a mismatch between the access needs of individuals and the access options provided by the service. To address barriers we must match the need to the service;
  • The need to focus on criteria, priorities, and rational for defining the scope of the standard, while recognizing that no single standard or legislation can cover everything;
  • A need for cultural/systematic change similar to the success achieved in programs to “reduce / reuse / recycle, and anti-smoking programs / regulations.  A potential place to start is with curriculum content and public education;
  • Need to address the “who”, “what”, “where” and “when” of the standard. Set the context, provide a large overview, and ensure requirements in the standard are testable. The “how” can continuously be added to;
  • Measurable criteria used in other jurisdictions for information and communications include: timeliness, controllable; tolerant of error; complete; perceivable; understandable; and findable;
  • Need to be specific about what we mean by access. For example, human intervention may be enough in a small retailer (e.g. someone going to the shelf to read the prices, ingredients etc.); and
  • Consider:
    • Forms of expression available (alternatives to writing, alternatives to speaking, alternatives to standard computer and devise entry)
    • Information format choices available (text, graphics, audio, tactile, sign language)
    • Systemic Changes (education - inclusive design instruction, and policies for procurement, employment, and governance).
• J. Treviranus noted that much of the information contained in the Barriers Report can also be found on the ATRC website.
• The committee requested that J. Treviranus develop a more detailed example of scope, measurable criteria and informative techniques, and provide an example based on a small retail business.

M2.9 Leading Practices Presentation:  R. Pearson and M. Johnson

• R. Pearson and M. Johnson delivered a joint presentation to the IC-SDC on accessibility initiatives at Sun Life Financial and TD Bank Financial Group respectively.  The presentation provided examples of corporate commitment to increasing access for all customers. Highlights included: there is a business case for improving accessibility; creating a positive service experience for every customer is the goal; and identifying an internal “champion” (i.e., a senior executive) to promote accessibility is key to success. TD Bank Financial Group and Sun Life Financial are examples of financial institutions committed to being employers and service providers of choice for people with disabilities.
• The Chair thanked R. Pearson and M. Johnson for their presentation and encouraged committee members to volunteer to present at future IC-SDC meetings.
• The following IC-SDC members will be delivering leading practices presentations at IC-SDC Meeting 3 in July:
  • G. Eden, D. Shire
• The following IC-SDC members will be delivering leading practices presentations at IC-SDC Meeting 4 in September:
  • M. Reid, S. Morgan, and R. Werner-Arce
• The following IC-SDC members will be delivering leading practices presentations at IC-SDC Meeting 5 in October:
  o G. Eden (presentation on assistive devices)

M2.10 Guiding Principles:  Subcommittee Report

• S. McCall presented the work of the sub-committee (N47) to the IC-SDC.  The Guiding Principles and Long-Term Objectives subcommittee participated in a conference call on May 11, 2007 to further refine the Guiding Principles that were developed at IC-SDC Meeting 1.
• The IC-SDC agreed to the Guiding Principles and requested that the support unit map the committee’s Guiding Principles to the Principles that were identified in the Barriers Report (N54).

M2.11 Long-term Objectives:  Approach and Development

• The Guiding Principles and Long-Term Objectives subcommittee participated in a conference call on May 11, 2007 to further refine the Long-Term Objectives that were developed at IC-SDC Meeting 1.  The work of the sub-committee (N47) was presented to the IC-SDC.
• The IC-SDC also reviewed the sample list of Long-Term Objectives included the Barriers Report (N 54) and a document developed by the support unit (N56) which provided further examples of what the Long-Term Objectives might look as a requirement in the first 5 years of the standard.
• The IC-SDC requested that the support unit integrate the two sets of Long-Term Objectives (N47 and N56).

M2.12 Review of Working Glossary of Terms

• The committee reviewed the Glossary of Terms (N28R1) and suggested the addition of definitions for “simple” and “audio visual”.

M2.13 Agree on IC-SDC Work Plan to Submit to the Minister

• The IC-SDC reviewed and approved the Work Plan (N45) for submission to the Minister.

M2.14 Communiqué Preparation

• The IC-SDC developed content to be included in the IC-SDC Meeting 3 communiqué.

Day 2 – May 29th, 2007

M2.15 Development of a Framework for the IC Standard

• M. Cheddi delivered a presentation on four proposed approaches (N49) to defining the framework for the information and communications standard. The options proposed were not mutually exclusive and other options could be developed and / or various combinations of the options may exist.  The four initial proposed options included:
  • Option A – Develop standard based on ‘Domains of Information’;
  • Option B - Develop standard based on ‘Types of Disabilities’;
  • Option C - Develop standard based on ‘Types of Communication Medium/Format’; and
  • Option D - Develop standard based on a hybrid of option A and B.
• J. Treviranus proposed two additional options:
  • Option E – a matrix that lists “mode of expression” in the left hand column (e.g., text, spoken and audio, visual, graphic and video, sign and gesture, and tactile) and personal requirements of the individual with a disability (e.g., text, spoken and audio, visual, graphic and video, sign and gesture, and tactile) along the top.
  • Option F – comprised of two sections: 1) systemic changes (includes education, policy, and integrated processes), and 2) a matrix that lists modes in the left column (e.g., text, sign and gesture, and tactile) and type of communications (e.g., person-to-person, person-to-group, information in environment, labels, static information, and interactive information) along the top.
• Committee members voiced support in favour of different aspects and elements of each of the above options, the Chair requested that the Support Unit develop: a fully defined scope (with a detailed list of included sectors / information domains and modes), complete the systemic changes (e.g., policy, education / training, etc.) portion of the standard, and develop a detailed outline for the IC standard for the next meeting.

M2.16 IC-SDC Work Plan Review and Update

• The committee reviewed the Work Plan (N45) for Meeting 3 and updated the Work Plan to include a review of the status of the KPMG survey (N55).

M2.17 Other Business:

•  Public Engagement
  • The committee discussed additional ways to engage members of the general public during the development of the standard.  S. Weeres stated that the general public may use existing channels that are available to them.  As such the public is welcome to contact SDC members and the ADO if they wish to provide comments either by telephone or email.  Contact information is posted on the ADO website.
  • All public review materials will be available in both French and English.

• KPMG Costing and Readiness work
  • Members requested that the IC-SDC receive updates on the work of KPMG at each meeting.

M2.18 Process Review

• Committee members provided the following feedback about the committee meeting process:
  • Meetings should end at the time stated on the agenda as transportation arrangements to and from the meeting are often scheduled ahead of time; and
  • Mailings to the SDC should be sent well in advance of committee meetings.

M2.19 Adjournment

• IC-SDC Meeting 3 will be held on July 16th and 17th at the Canadian Standards Association in Mississauga. 
•  IC-SDC Meeting 2 was adjourned at 2:15 PM. 

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