TIME: 12:00PM - 1:30PM
New findings from the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability showed that 27% of Canadians aged 15 years and older, or 8.0 million people, had one or more disabilities that limited them in their daily activities. Accessibility cannot be an afterthought—it needs to be top of mind from the earliest stages of design and all the way through to construction to ensure everyone can fully participate in the spaces we create.
In this TSA Technical Lecture, David Demers, Managing Director of CNIB Access Labs, will guide us through seamlessly integrating accessibility into the design of built environments. We’ll discover how incorporating accessibility considerations from the outset, not only enhances creativity but also significantly reduces costs. Together, we’ll review a diverse array of technological solutions and how they intersect with the built environment, creating a holistic approach for designing captivating, accessible spaces. We’ll also have the opportunity to learn a little bit more about what CNIB Access Lab does, and their initiatives to enhance accessibility for people with blindness or low vision.
After this session, you’ll be empowered to create spaces that are not only safe, but inviting and universally accessible, ensuring everyone can enjoy them to the fullest.
During this lecture we will:
- Learn about the importance of integrating accessibility into both digital and physical environments.
- Recognize the difference between basic standards and best practices in accessibility.
- Gain insights into the various services provided by CNIB Access Labs, including accessibility and usability testing, inclusive built environment solutions, and digital design testing.
- Understand the goals and evolution of the CNIB’s Clearing Our Path initiative, which aims to enhance accessibility for people with blindness or low vision.
- Learn about the design needs and recommendations for creating universally accessible spaces.
- Explore how technology can be integrated into physical spaces to enhance accessibility, including examples like touch-screen interfaces and beacon-based navigation.
- Emphasize the importance of a comprehensive approach to accessibility, ensuring inclusivity from the initial information gathering phase to on-site independence.
- Understand the significance of incorporating diverse lived experiences in the design process to ensure true usability and inclusivity.
- Highlight the criticality of involving diverse communities in design decisions to create spaces that are designed with the active participation of those they serve.
- Learn about common accessibility mistakes to avoid and best practices to embrace, illustrated with visual examples.
About CNIB Access Labs
Founded in 1918, the CNIB Foundation is a non-profit organization driven to change what it is to be blind today. They deliver innovative programs and powerful advocacy that empower people impacted by blindness to live their dreams and tear down barriers to inclusion. Their work as a blind foundation is powered by a network of volunteers, donors and partners from coast to coast to coast.
CNIB Access Labs is a social enterprise supporting businesses and organizations to ensure all Canadians with disabilities can benefit from barrier-free communities and workplaces. They are a national organization that specializes in a variety of cutting-edge accessibility solutions for organizations in a breadth of sectors, whose approach to providing customized solutions ensures that all organizations will have the tools to champion a culture of inclusion. They invest their proceeds into CNIB to create innovative programs and powerful advocacy that empower people impacted by blindness to live their dreams and tear down barriers to inclusion.
TSA MEMBERS: This event is free for TSA Members using the discount code found in the TSA Bulletin and on your Member Dashboard! Not a member yet? Membership is open to everyone and you can join here (student memberships are free!).
OAA MEMBERS: This lecture is eligible for 1.5 OAA Structured Learning Hours. When registering, please include your full name as registered with the OAA to ensure your certificate of participation is credited properly. Please also include an email address you check frequently to ensure you receive our certificate in a timely manner.
Speaker:
David Demers, Managing Director, CNIB Access Labs