Information and Communications Standard

Our commitment

Library Accessibility Services is committed to creating, providing and receiving information and communications in a way that is accessible for persons with disabilities.

What is the Information and Communications Standard?

Information and Communications is one of five standards within the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act’s (AODA) Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR). The standard lists rules for organizations to create, provide, and receive information and communications that people with disabilities can access, providing an equal chance to learn and be active in their communities.

Amendments

AODA Standards are reviewed individually every five years. The Information and Communications Standard is currently up for review, and the Initial Recommendations Report has been made public. Once the recommendations come into effect, they will be added to this web page.

Academic library-related requirements

Feedback — Section 11

Every obligated organization that has processes for receiving and responding to feedback shall ensure that the processes are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for the provision of accessible formats and communications supports, upon request.

Accessible formats and communication supports — Section 12

Except as otherwise provided, every obligated organization shall upon request provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities:

  • in a timely manner that takes into account the person’s accessibility needs due to disability; and
  • at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons

Emergency procedure, plans or public safety information  — Section 13

If an obligated organization prepares emergency procedures, plans or public safety information and makes the information available to the public, the obligated organization shall provide the information in an accessible format or with appropriate communication supports, as soon as practicable, upon request.

Accessible websites and web content — Section 14

Designated public sector organizations and large organizations shall make their internet websites and web content conform with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, initially at Level A and increasing to Level AA.

Compliance date: January 1, 2021: Level AA, all internet websites and web content

Educational and training resources and materials, etc. — Section 15

Every obligated organization that is an educational or training institution shall provide educational or training resources or materials in an accessible format that takes into account the accessibility needs due to a disability of the person with a disability to whom the material is to be provided, if notification of need is given.

Producers of educational or training material — Section 17

Every obligated organization that is a producer of educational or training textbooks and/or print-based educational or training supplementary learning resources for educational or training institutions shall upon request make accessible or conversion ready versions of the textbooks and/or printed materials available to the institutions. 

Libraries of educational and training institutions — Section 18

Libraries of educational or training institutions that are obligated organizations shall provide, procure or acquire by other means an accessible or conversion ready format of print, digital or multimedia resources or materials for a person with a disability, upon request.

***Compliance dates for all but section 14 have passed.

Resources